Rick Wise
Encyclopedia
Richard Charles Wise is a former right-handed starting pitcher
in Major League Baseball
for 18 seasons (1964, 1966–1982). He was the winning pitcher for the Boston Red Sox
in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series
, considered by some to be the greatest Series game ever played.
and led his Rose City Little League
team to the Little League World Series
in 1958, making him one of a handful of major league players to have played in both the Little League and Major League World Series. He attended Madison High School
in Portland.
in , his second professional season. His first major league win was in the second game of a doubleheader on June 21, beating the New York Mets 8-2. The first game that day was Jim Bunning
's Perfect game
during that memorable season. Wise was the last of that 1964 Philadelphia Phillies
team to be active in the major leagues, pitching 2 innings of relief (7th & 8th innings) against the Los Angeles Dodgers
on 10 April 1982.
He developed into a solid starter, winning 17 games with a 2.88 earned run average
for a sub-.500 Phillies team in . The highlight of Wise's Philadelphia career occurred that year on June 23; he no-hit
the Cincinnati Reds
at Riverfront Stadium and hit two home run
s in the same game—one of the greatest days any pitcher has enjoyed. Wise, Wes Ferrell
, Jim Tobin
, and Earl Wilson are the only three no-hit pitchers to hit a home run in the same game. Then, five weeks later, on August 18, against the San Francisco Giants, Wise had another day when he hit two home runs. And finally, on September 18, against the Chicago Cubs, he performed an amazing feat, by retiring 32 batters in a row; four shy of the record. He also knocked in the winning run in the 12th inning.
The following season, Wise became an unwitting participant in one of the most one-sided trades in baseball history. The owner of the St. Louis Cardinals
, Gussie Busch
, ordered his team to trade its star left-handed pitcher, Steve Carlton
, after a contract squabble. Since all of baseball knew of the trade mandate, teams drove very hard bargains, and the Phils' offer of Wise was the best St. Louis could do. Wise won a total of 32 games during his two seasons (1972–73) in St. Louis, but Carlton won 27 for the last-place Phillies alone and would go on to anchor their starting pitching staff for the next decade, ultimately winning 329 games and a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
At the time, however, the Carlton-Wise deal made some sense from the Cardinals' perspective. At the time, Wise had won 75 games, only two fewer than Carlton. Tim McCarver
, who had caught for Carlton in St. Louis and Wise in Philadelphia, said at the time that the trade was "a real good one for a real good one." According to McCarver, Wise had better command on the mound while Carlton had more raw ability.
After the campaign, Wise was shipped to Boston in the American League
for outfielder
Reggie Smith
. His season was ruined by an arm injury suffered during a freezing April start at Fenway , but he rebounded in to win 19 for the Red Sox, winners of the AL East. He then won his only start in the 1975 ALCS
against Oakland
, and was the relief pitcher
of record in Game 6 when Carlton Fisk
ended the 12-inning game with his oft-replayed walk-off home run
.
Wise was traded to the Cleveland Indians
in spring training
of , and won 15 games for a poor team in , before finishing his career with the San Diego Padres
.
In an 18-year career, Wise posted a 188-181 record with 1647 strikeout
s and a 3.69 ERA in 3127 innings pitched
.
On June 13, , Wise, having already pitched one no-hitter against the Reds, nearly joined Addie Joss
as the only pitchers to no-hit the same team twice (the Cleveland Naps
pitcher's two no-hitters were against the Chicago White Sox
, in and ; the former was a perfect game
). This bid, however, was broken up in the ninth on a one-out single by Joe Morgan
—the only hit Wise would allow.
Wise also had a no-hitter broken up against the Milwaukee Brewers
in while with the Red Sox. In the first game of a July 2 doubleheader
that year, former Red Sox George Scott homered off Wise with two out in the ninth to break up the no-hitter. Wise would have joined Cy Young
and Jim Bunning
as pitchers who had hurled no-hitters in both leagues; Nolan Ryan
, Hideo Nomo
and Randy Johnson
had done it after Wise's bid was broken up.
Rick has the distinction of being traded for two future hall of famers, on two separate occasions. On February 25, 1972, he was traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the St. Louis Cardinals for Hall of Famer Steve Carlton
. On March 30, 1978, he was traded by the Boston Red Sox with Ted Cox
, Bo Diaz
and Mike Paxton
to the Cleveland Indians for Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley
and Fred Kendall
.
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
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...
for 18 seasons (1964, 1966–1982). He was the winning pitcher for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series
1975 World Series
The 1975 World Series was played between the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds . It has been ranked by ESPN as the second-greatest World Series ever played...
, considered by some to be the greatest Series game ever played.
Personal life
Wise grew up in Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
and led his Rose City Little League
Little League
Little League Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States which organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the U.S...
team to the Little League World Series
Little League World Series
The Little League Baseball World Series is a baseball tournament for children aged 11 to 13 years old. It was originally called the National Little League Tournament and was later renamed for the World Series in Major League Baseball. It was first held in 1947 and is held every August in South...
in 1958, making him one of a handful of major league players to have played in both the Little League and Major League World Series. He attended Madison High School
Madison High School (Portland, Oregon)
For other schools of the same name, see Madison High School.James Madison High School, known as Madison High School, is a public high school in Portland, Oregon, United States. It was founded in 1957 and named after James Madison, the fourth US President and coauthor of the Constitution. In 2005,...
in Portland.
Career
Wise was only 18 years of age when he debuted for the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia 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...
in , his second professional season. His first major league win was in the second game of a doubleheader on June 21, beating the New York Mets 8-2. The first game that day was Jim Bunning
Jim Bunning
James Paul David "Jim" Bunning is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and politician.During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1955 to 1971, most notably with the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. When he retired, he had the second-highest total of career...
's Perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
during that memorable season. Wise was the last of that 1964 Philadelphia Phillies
1964 Philadelphia Phillies season
The Philadelphia Phillies season was the 82nd season for the franchise in Philadelphia. The Phillies finished in a second-place tie in the National League with the Cincinnati Reds, while posting a record of 92-70. The teams finished one game behind the NL and World Series champion St. Louis...
team to be active in the major leagues, pitching 2 innings of relief (7th & 8th innings) 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...
on 10 April 1982.
He developed into a solid starter, winning 17 games with a 2.88 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...
for a sub-.500 Phillies team in . The highlight of Wise's Philadelphia career occurred that year on June 23; he no-hit
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"...
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....
at Riverfront Stadium and hit two home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s in the same game—one of the greatest days any pitcher has enjoyed. Wise, Wes Ferrell
Wes Ferrell
Wesley Cheek Ferrell was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball from 1927 through 1941. Primarily a starting pitcher, Ferrell played for the Cleveland Indians , Boston Red Sox , Washington Senators , New York Yankees , Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Braves...
, Jim Tobin
Jim Tobin
James Anthony Tobin, known as Abba Dabba, was a right-handed major league baseball pitcher with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Bees/Braves and Detroit Tigers from 1937 to 1945...
, and Earl Wilson are the only three no-hit pitchers to hit a home run in the same game. Then, five weeks later, on August 18, against the San Francisco Giants, Wise had another day when he hit two home runs. And finally, on September 18, against the Chicago Cubs, he performed an amazing feat, by retiring 32 batters in a row; four shy of the record. He also knocked in the winning run in the 12th inning.
The following season, Wise became an unwitting participant in one of the most one-sided trades in baseball history. The owner of the 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...
, Gussie Busch
Gussie Busch
August "Gussie" Anheuser Busch, Jr. was an American brewing magnate who built the Anheuser-Busch Companies into the largest brewery in the world as company chairman from 1946–75, and became a prominent sportsman as owner of the St...
, ordered his team to trade its star left-handed pitcher, Steve Carlton
Steve Carlton
Steven Norman Carlton , nicknamed "Lefty", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1965-1988 for six different teams in his career, but it is his time with the Philadelphia Phillies where he received his greatest acclaim as a professional and won four Cy Young Awards...
, after a contract squabble. Since all of baseball knew of the trade mandate, teams drove very hard bargains, and the Phils' offer of Wise was the best St. Louis could do. Wise won a total of 32 games during his two seasons (1972–73) in St. Louis, but Carlton won 27 for the last-place Phillies alone and would go on to anchor their starting pitching staff for the next decade, ultimately winning 329 games and a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
At the time, however, the Carlton-Wise deal made some sense from the Cardinals' perspective. At the time, Wise had won 75 games, only two fewer than Carlton. Tim McCarver
Tim McCarver
James Timothy "Tim" McCarver is an American former Major League Baseball catcher, and a current sportscaster in residence for Fox Sports.-Playing career:...
, who had caught for Carlton in St. Louis and Wise in Philadelphia, said at the time that the trade was "a real good one for a real good one." According to McCarver, Wise had better command on the mound while Carlton had more raw ability.
After the campaign, Wise was shipped to Boston in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
for outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Reggie Smith
Reggie Smith
Carl Reginald Smith is a former Major League Baseball outfielder, coach and front office executive. During a 17-year big league career , Smith appeared in 1,987 games, hit 314 home runs and batted .287. He was a switch-hitter who threw right-handed. In his prime, he had one of the strongest...
. His season was ruined by an arm injury suffered during a freezing April start at Fenway , but he rebounded in to win 19 for the Red Sox, winners of the AL East. He then won his only start in the 1975 ALCS
1975 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 4, 1975 at Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsBoston Red Sox starter Luis Tiant allowed just one run on three hits to defeat the Oakland Athletics, 7–1, in the ALCS opener....
against Oakland
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....
, and was the relief pitcher
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...
of record in Game 6 when Carlton Fisk
Carlton Fisk
Carlton Ernest Fisk , nicknamed "Pudge" or "The Commander", is a former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 24-year baseball career, he played for both the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox .Fisk was known by the nickname "Pudge" due to his 6'2", 220 lb frame...
ended the 12-inning game with his oft-replayed walk-off home run
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
.
Wise was traded to the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
in spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
of , and won 15 games for a poor team in , before finishing his career with the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
.
In an 18-year career, Wise posted a 188-181 record with 1647 strikeout
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....
s and a 3.69 ERA in 3127 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...
.
On June 13, , Wise, having already pitched one no-hitter against the Reds, nearly joined Addie Joss
Addie Joss
Adrian Joss was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched his entire nine-year baseball career for the Cleveland Bronchos/Naps .-Early life:...
as the only pitchers to no-hit the same team twice (the Cleveland Naps
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
pitcher's two no-hitters were against the 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...
, in and ; the former was a perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
). This bid, however, was broken up in the ninth on a one-out single by Joe Morgan
Joe Morgan
Joe Leonard Morgan is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Oakland Athletics from 1963 to 1984. He won two World Series championships with the Reds in 1975 and 1976 and was also named the...
—the only hit Wise would allow.
Wise also had a no-hitter broken up against the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in while with the Red Sox. In the first game of a July 2 doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
that year, former Red Sox George Scott homered off Wise with two out in the ninth to break up the no-hitter. Wise would have joined Cy Young
Cy Young
Denton True "Cy" Young was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. During his 22-year baseball career , he pitched for five different teams. Young was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937...
and Jim Bunning
Jim Bunning
James Paul David "Jim" Bunning is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and politician.During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1955 to 1971, most notably with the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. When he retired, he had the second-highest total of career...
as pitchers who had hurled no-hitters in both leagues; Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
, Hideo Nomo
Hideo Nomo
is a former right-handed pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball from Japan. He achieved early success in Japan, where he played with the Kintetsu Buffaloes from to...
and Randy Johnson
Randy Johnson
Randall David Johnson , nicknamed "The Big Unit", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 22-year career, he pitched for six different teams....
had done it after Wise's bid was broken up.
Rick has the distinction of being traded for two future hall of famers, on two separate occasions. On February 25, 1972, he was traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the St. Louis Cardinals for Hall of Famer Steve Carlton
Steve Carlton
Steven Norman Carlton , nicknamed "Lefty", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1965-1988 for six different teams in his career, but it is his time with the Philadelphia Phillies where he received his greatest acclaim as a professional and won four Cy Young Awards...
. On March 30, 1978, he was traded by the Boston Red Sox with Ted Cox
Ted Cox (baseball)
William Ted Cox is a former shortstop who played in Major League Baseball from through for the Boston Red Sox , Cleveland Indians , Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays . He batted and threw right-handed.Cox was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the first-round of the 1973 draft ahead of Fred...
, Bo Diaz
Bo Diaz
Baudilio José Díaz Seijas was a Venezuelan professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies and the Cincinnati Reds between and...
and Mike Paxton
Mike Paxton
Michael De Wayne Paxton is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher. He batted and threw right-handed....
to the Cleveland Indians for Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley
Dennis Eckersley
Dennis Lee Eckersley , nicknamed "Eck", is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. Eckersley had success as a starter, but gained his greatest fame as a closer, becoming the first of only two pitchers in Major League history to have both a 20-win season and a 50-save season in a career .He...
and Fred Kendall
Fred Kendall
Fred Kendall was a catcher for parts of 12 seasons in Major League Baseball for the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians, and Boston Red Sox....
.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball no-hitters
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins