Posted on 12/27/2015 10:43:31 AM PST by EveningStar
Jim O'Toole, a star pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds in the 1960s, has died after a long battle with cancer. O'Toole was 78...
He was the National League's starting pitcher in the 1963 All-Star Game. O'Toole called that one of his proudest career moments, recalling that manager Alvin Dark chose him to start with a roster that included future Hall of Fame pitchers Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Juan Marichal and Warren Spahn...
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
ping
He had 11 Children. Wow.
Yeah, I saw that. Wow, indeed.
Sorry to hear this. O’Toole was a key cog in the 1961 NL Champions, and one of many players who were very good and utterly forgotten.
Easy to be overlooked when Koufax, Drysdale, Marichal, Spahn and others were also on the stage, so to speak.
Shows the importance of pitching. You can never have enough good ones.
RIP.
Jay put up their only victory in the World Series that year.
Those Reds had a number of underrated players. Vada Pinson was one. Gordy Coleman was another. So was Johnny Edwards.
Maloney was a terrific pitcher who was very much underrated due to the presence in the NL of Koufax, Drysdale, Marichal, Spahn, and Gibson.
One of his no-hitters was part of a somewhat odd occurrence that has only happened twice — in consecutive playing months.
In September of 1968, Gaylord Perry of the Giants no-hit the Cardinals and Ray Washburn of the Cardinal no-hit the Giants on consecutive days.
In the next month of regular-season play, April 1969, Don Wilson of the Astros no-hit the Reds and Maloney no-hit the Astros, also on consecutive days.
This had never happened before Perry and Washburn did it and has not happened since Wilson and Maloney did it.
“A healthy Maloney might have helped Cincy beat the Yankees in the early seventies”
Respectfully, I don’t see how that could have been done. The Yankees didn’t play in the World Series in the 70’s, until 1976 (losing to the Reds). There was no inter league play, until 1997, meaning the Yankees and the Reds had no opportunity to play games that were non exhibitions, in that time period.
Thank you.
Thanks for the correction. You’re right...Maloney could have helped the Reds against the As.
Yes, that would have been something to see. Thanks for your reply.
Actually, the Reds lost to Baltimore in the 1970 WS. I’m sure a healthy Maloney would have helped. Cincy lost to the As in the 1972 WS.
And of course we all remember Yogi saying “It ain’t over, til it’s over” as he skippered the ‘73 Mets past Cincy, which was kind of an under card, as the real match up involved Pete Rose vs. Bud Harrelson. Mets also went on to lose to the Swingin’ A’s in seven, when the surest handed guy on the team, Felix Milan, made an error, to allow an unearned run, that cost the seventh game.
Postscript: I sat in the bleachers at Yankee Stadium three years later, for $4.00, and saw the Machine sweep the Yanks, in game four. Those were the days ! Thanks :)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.