Moe Drabowsky
Encyclopedia
Myron Walter Drabowsky was a Polish-American right-handed relief pitcher
in Major League Baseball
who played for the Chicago Cubs
(1956–1960), Milwaukee Braves
(1961), Cincinnati Reds
(1962), Kansas City Athletics
(1962–1965), Baltimore Orioles
(1966–1968, 1970), Kansas City Royals
(1969–70), St. Louis Cardinals
(1971–72) and Chicago White Sox
(1972).
Drabowsky is one of only four players who played for both the Kansas City Athletics and the Royals.
. He came to the U.S. with his mother in 1938 where his father joined them a year later. They lived in Wilson, Connecticut, just north of Hartford, where he went to the Loomis Chaffee School.
Drabowsky attended Trinity College
in Hartford, Connecticut
, playing on their varsity baseball team. He played summers in Canada, in the Halifax and District League, for Truro
. He pitched a no-hitter
for Trinity, in which he struck out
16, and shortly thereafter accepted a $75,000 ($ today) bonus to sign with the Cubs.
and posted a 13–15 record. His 170 strikeouts placed him second in the National League
behind another rookie, Jack Sanford
of the Philadelphia Phillies
, who had 188. A sore arm cost Drabowsky his fastball
in 1958
, and over the next seven seasons he pitched for four different teams before the Orioles signed him for the 1966
season.
Now pitching out of the bullpen, Drabowsky won
six with no losses and seven saves
, and struck out 96 in 98 innings pitched
. In the opening game of the 1966 World Series
opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers
, Drabowsky entered the game in the third inning with one out and the bases loaded. After striking out the first batter he walked Jim Gilliam
with two out in that third inning to force in Lou Johnson
for a run
to cut Baltimore's lead to 4-2. That would be the last run the Dodgers scored in the series, however, as the Orioles would sweep the Dodgers 4–0, their next three wins coming on shutout
s from Jim Palmer
, Wally Bunker
and the starter Drabowsky had relieved in Game 1, Dave McNally
. He set a still-standing one-game World Series record for relievers by striking out 11 batters, including tying Hod Eller
's record of six consecutive strikeouts in the 1919 World Series
.
Over the next two seasons, Drabowsky continued to perform excellently in relief. In 1967
, he posted a 1.60 earned run average
striking out 96 in 95 2/3 innings pitched, and in 1968
he posted a 1.91 ERA. After the 1968 season, he was selected by the Royals in the expansion draft
; he led all relief pitchers in 1969
with 11 victories (including the first-ever game in Royals history, on April 8 against the Minnesota Twins
) and also saved 11 games. Drabowsky returned to the Orioles in 1970
where he won a second World Series
title against the Cincinnati Reds
.
Drabowsky was traded to St. Louis after the 1970 season and pitched for both the Cardinals through the middle of the 1971 season where he finished his major league career with the and Cincinnati Reds
. He never pitched in the minor leagues.
In 17 seasons Drabowsky won 88 games, lost 105, saved 55, struck out 1162 and walked 702 in 1641 innings pitched with a 3.71 ERA.
Drabowsky served as a Chicago White Sox
coach in 1986
. In 1987, he returned to Poland as a baseball ambassador and helped his birth nation form its first team for Olympic
competition. In 1989 he was the pitching coach of the Vancouver PCL
team. He later became a coach again with the 1994 Cubs.
Drabowsky was well-known as a flake whose jokes involved, among other things, being rolled to first base in a wheelchair
after being hit on the foot by a pitch while with the Cubs. (Teammate Dick Drott
obtained the wheelchair and pushed Drabowsky to first—and was ejected from the game.) One of his specialties was the hotfoot; he even victimized Commissioner Bowie Kuhn
during the Orioles' 1970 World Series
celebration. After retiring, he once called the bullpen phone and imitated Oriole manager Earl Weaver
to get a reliever working. Weaver was shocked to see a reliever warming up in the pen and called his bullpen coach to find out what was going on. In the Jim Bouton
book "Ball Four
", one of Drabowsky's teammates claimed that Drabowsky got sick on a team flight and "puked up a panty girdle."
In Chicago columnist Mike Royko
's annual Cubs quiz, April 11, 1968 (One More Time: The Best of Mike Royko, University of Chicago, 1999, p. 29–31), he stated that Drabowsky "is still considered the best pitcher that Ozanna, Poland, ever produced."
While with the Cubs, Drabowsky gave up Stan Musial
's 3,000th career base hit in 1958. He was also the losing pitcher, as a Kansas City Athletic in 1963, in Early Wynn
's 300th career victory.
Drabowsky died in Little Rock, Arkansas
following a long battle with multiple myeloma
at age 70 on June 10, 2006.
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played for the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(1956–1960), Milwaukee Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
(1961), Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
(1962), Kansas City Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
(1962–1965), Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
(1966–1968, 1970), Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
(1969–70), St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
(1971–72) and Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
(1972).
Drabowsky is one of only four players who played for both the Kansas City Athletics and the Royals.
Early life
Drabowsky was Jewish. He was born in Ozanna, a village in southern PolandSecond Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
. He came to the U.S. with his mother in 1938 where his father joined them a year later. They lived in Wilson, Connecticut, just north of Hartford, where he went to the Loomis Chaffee School.
Drabowsky attended Trinity College
Trinity College (Connecticut)
Trinity College is a private, liberal arts college in Hartford, Connecticut. Founded in 1823, it is the second-oldest college in the state of Connecticut after Yale University. The college enrolls 2,300 students and has been coeducational since 1969. Trinity offers 38 majors and 26 minors, and has...
in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, playing on their varsity baseball team. He played summers in Canada, in the Halifax and District League, for Truro
Truro, Nova Scotia
-Education:Truro has one high school, Cobequid Educational Centre. Post-secondary options include a campus of the Nova Scotia Community College, as well as the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in the neighboring town of Bible Hill.- Sports :...
. He pitched a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
for Trinity, in which he struck out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
16, and shortly thereafter accepted a $75,000 ($ today) bonus to sign with the Cubs.
Career
Drabowsky joined the Chicago Cubs' starting rotation in 19571957 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Milwaukee Braves over New York Yankees ; Lew Burdette, MVP*All-Star Game, July 9 at Busch Stadium: American League, 6-5-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Marianao *College World Series: California...
and posted a 13–15 record. His 170 strikeouts placed him second in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
behind another rookie, Jack Sanford
Jack Sanford
John Stanley Sanford was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball, and later in his career a relief pitcher as well, for the Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, and California Angels. He finished his career playing very briefly with the Kansas City...
of the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, who had 188. A sore arm cost Drabowsky his fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
in 1958
1958 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Milwaukee Braves ; Bob Turley, MVP*All-Star Game, July 8 at Memorial Stadium: American League, 4-3-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Marianao *College World Series: USC...
, and over the next seven seasons he pitched for four different teams before the Orioles signed him for the 1966
1966 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Baltimore Orioles over Los Angeles Dodgers ; Frank Robinson, MVP*All-Star Game, July 12 at Busch Stadium: National League, 2–1 ; Brooks Robinson, MVP-Other champions:*College World Series: Ohio State...
season.
Now pitching out of the bullpen, Drabowsky won
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
six with no losses and seven saves
Save (sport)
In baseball, a save is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances. The number of saves, or percentage of save opportunities successfully converted, is an oft-cited statistic of relief pitchers...
, and struck out 96 in 98 innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
. In the opening game of the 1966 World Series
1966 World Series
The 1966 World Series matched the Baltimore Orioles against the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers, with the Orioles sweeping the Series in four games to capture their first championship in franchise history...
opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, Drabowsky entered the game in the third inning with one out and the bases loaded. After striking out the first batter he walked Jim Gilliam
Jim Gilliam
James William Gilliam was an American second and third baseman and coach in Negro League and Major League Baseball who spent his entire major league career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers. He was named the National League Rookie of the Year, and was a key member of ten NL championship...
with two out in that third inning to force in Lou Johnson
Lou Johnson
Louis Brown Johnson , nicknamed "Sweet Lou" and "Slick", is a former Major League Baseball outfielder...
for a run
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
to cut Baltimore's lead to 4-2. That would be the last run the Dodgers scored in the series, however, as the Orioles would sweep the Dodgers 4–0, their next three wins coming on shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
s from Jim Palmer
Jim Palmer
James Alvin "Jim" Palmer , nicknamed "Cakes", is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in .As of 2008, Palmer and his wife Susan have homes in Palm Beach, Florida, and...
, Wally Bunker
Wally Bunker
Wallace Edward Bunker is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. A right-hander, Bunker pitched for the Baltimore Orioles from to and Kansas City Royals from to .-Biography:...
and the starter Drabowsky had relieved in Game 1, Dave McNally
Dave McNally
David Arthur "Dave" McNally was a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher from until . He was signed by the Baltimore Orioles and played with them every season except for his final season with the Montreal Expos.McNally has the unique distinction as the only pitcher in Major League...
. He set a still-standing one-game World Series record for relievers by striking out 11 batters, including tying Hod Eller
Hod Eller
Horace Owen Eller was a pitcher in Major League Baseball.Eller started his minor league career in 1913 and was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds after the 1916 season. He pitched five years for the Reds, going 60-40 with a 2.62 earned run average .Eller peaked in the Reds' pennant-winning 1919 season...
's record of six consecutive strikeouts in the 1919 World Series
1919 World Series
The 1919 World Series matched the American League champion Chicago White Sox against the National League champion Cincinnati Reds. Although most World Series have been of the best-of-seven format, the 1919 World Series was a best-of-nine series...
.
Over the next two seasons, Drabowsky continued to perform excellently in relief. In 1967
1967 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over Boston Red Sox ; Bob Gibson, MVP*All-Star Game, July 11 at Anaheim Stadium: National League, 2-1 ; Tony Pérez, MVP-Other champions:*College World Series: Arizona State...
, he posted a 1.60 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
striking out 96 in 95 2/3 innings pitched, and in 1968
1968 in baseball
-The Year of the Pitcher:In Major League Baseball, the trend throughout the 1960s was of increased pitching dominance, caused by enforcing a larger strike zone beginning in 1963...
he posted a 1.91 ERA. After the 1968 season, he was selected by the Royals in the expansion draft
1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft
The 1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft was conducted to stock up the rosters of four expansion teams in Major League Baseball which would begin play in the 1969 season....
; he led all relief pitchers in 1969
1969 in baseball
-Expansion:Four expansion teams joined Major League Baseball for this season: the San Diego Padres, the Kansas City Royals, the Seattle Pilots, and the first MLB team in Canada, the Montreal Expos. To accommodate the additional teams, the two leagues were split into two divisions of East and West...
with 11 victories (including the first-ever game in Royals history, on April 8 against the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
) and also saved 11 games. Drabowsky returned to the Orioles in 1970
1970 in baseball
-Major Leagues:*World Series MVP: Brooks Robinson*All-Star Game, July 14 at Riverfront Stadium: National League, 5-4 ; Carl Yastrzemski, MVP-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Navegantes del Magallanes *College World Series: USC...
where he won a second World Series
1970 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 10, 1970 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioThe Jackson 5 performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" prior to the game, which almost became an embarrassment when the group realized shortly before their performance that they weren't familiar with the lyrics...
title against the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
.
Drabowsky was traded to St. Louis after the 1970 season and pitched for both the Cardinals through the middle of the 1971 season where he finished his major league career with the and Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. He never pitched in the minor leagues.
In 17 seasons Drabowsky won 88 games, lost 105, saved 55, struck out 1162 and walked 702 in 1641 innings pitched with a 3.71 ERA.
Drabowsky served as a Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
coach in 1986
1986 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Mets over Boston Red Sox ; Ray Knight, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Marty Barrett*National League Championship Series MVP: Mike Scott...
. In 1987, he returned to Poland as a baseball ambassador and helped his birth nation form its first team for Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
competition. In 1989 he was the pitching coach of the Vancouver PCL
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
team. He later became a coach again with the 1994 Cubs.
Drabowsky was well-known as a flake whose jokes involved, among other things, being rolled to first base in a wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
after being hit on the foot by a pitch while with the Cubs. (Teammate Dick Drott
Dick Drott
Richard Fred Drott was a Major League Baseball player who pitched for the Chicago Cubs and the Houston Colt .45s. Drott, nicknamed "Hummer", started his major league career in with the Cubs. He won 15 games as a rookie, led the league in walks allowed, and finished third in balloting for Rookie...
obtained the wheelchair and pushed Drabowsky to first—and was ejected from the game.) One of his specialties was the hotfoot; he even victimized Commissioner Bowie Kuhn
Bowie Kuhn
Bowie Kent Kuhn was an American lawyer and sports administrator who served as the fifth Commissioner of Major League Baseball from February 4, , to September 30,...
during the Orioles' 1970 World Series
1970 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 10, 1970 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioThe Jackson 5 performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" prior to the game, which almost became an embarrassment when the group realized shortly before their performance that they weren't familiar with the lyrics...
celebration. After retiring, he once called the bullpen phone and imitated Oriole manager Earl Weaver
Earl Weaver
Earl Sidney Weaver is a former Major League Baseball manager. He spent his entire 17-year managerial career with the Baltimore Orioles . Weaver was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996.-Playing career:After playing for Beaumont High School in St...
to get a reliever working. Weaver was shocked to see a reliever warming up in the pen and called his bullpen coach to find out what was going on. In the Jim Bouton
Jim Bouton
James Alan "Jim" Bouton is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. He is also the author of the controversial baseball book Ball Four, which was a combination diary of his season and memoir of his years with the New York Yankees, Seattle Pilots, and Houston Astros.-Amateur and college...
book "Ball Four
Ball Four
Ball Four is a book written by former Major League Baseball pitcher Jim Bouton in . The book is a diary of Bouton's 1969 season, spent with the Seattle Pilots and then the Houston Astros following a late-season trade. In it Bouton also recounts much of his baseball career, spent mainly with the...
", one of Drabowsky's teammates claimed that Drabowsky got sick on a team flight and "puked up a panty girdle."
In Chicago columnist Mike Royko
Mike Royko
Michael "Mike" Royko was a newspaper columnist in Chicago, who won the 1972 Pulitzer Prize for commentary...
's annual Cubs quiz, April 11, 1968 (One More Time: The Best of Mike Royko, University of Chicago, 1999, p. 29–31), he stated that Drabowsky "is still considered the best pitcher that Ozanna, Poland, ever produced."
While with the Cubs, Drabowsky gave up Stan Musial
Stan Musial
Stanley Frank "Stan" Musial is a retired professional baseball player who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals . Nicknamed "Stan the Man", Musial was a record 24-time All-Star selection , and is widely considered to be one of the greatest hitters in baseball...
's 3,000th career base hit in 1958. He was also the losing pitcher, as a Kansas City Athletic in 1963, in Early Wynn
Early Wynn
Early Wynn Jr. , nicknamed "Gus", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During a 25-year baseball career, he pitched for the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox...
's 300th career victory.
Drabowsky died in Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
following a long battle with multiple myeloma
Multiple myeloma
Multiple myeloma , also known as plasma cell myeloma or Kahler's disease , is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell normally responsible for the production of antibodies...
at age 70 on June 10, 2006.
See also
- Players Never to Play Minor League Baseball
- List of Major League Baseball all-time saves leaders
- List of select Jewish baseball players