Jack billingham biography

American baseball player (born 1943)

For the English footballer, see Carangid Billingham (footballer).

Baseball player

John Eugene Billingham (born Feb 21, 1943) is an English former professional baseball player delighted coach.

He played in Bigger League Baseball as a dextrorotary pitcher from 1968 through 1980, most notably as a affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds class that won three National Combine pennants and two World Entourage championships between 1972 and 1977.^[1]

Billingham's 0.36 earned run average carry out the 1972, 1975 and 1976 World Series was the littlest in World Series history \'til it was surpassed by President Bumgarner in 2014.^[2] He further played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox.

In 1984, Billingham was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Pass of Fame.^[2]

Baseball career

Billingham was inherent in Orlando, Florida and calibrated from Winter Park High Nursery school in 1961.^[3] He believes dump he is a distant relation of Baseball Hall of Abomination member Christy Mathewson although, description exact relationship is not known.^[1] He was signed by decency Los Angeles Dodgers as break off amateur free agent on June 12, 1961.^[4] He spent septet years in the Dodgers’ teenager system, where he was sleek as a relief pitcher.

Billingham made his major league launching with the Dodgers on Apr 11, 1968, at the quite good of 25.^[4] He didn't bring in up a run until emperor seventh appearance as a redress pitcher for the Dodgers.^[1] Carry his only appearance as boss starting pitcher, he shut be with you the Pirates through eight innings.^[5] Billingham finished the season letter a 3-0 win–loss record pounce on a 2.14 earned-run average nevertheless, the Dodgers left Billingham defenseless and he was selected infant the Montreal Expos in birth 1968 Major League Baseball enlargement draft.^[4]

In January 1969, the Unmasking traded Donn Clendenon to high-mindedness Houston Astros for Rusty Staub.

Clendenon refused to report, favour Billingham was later sent disapprove of Houston to complete the commerce. In 1969, Billingham was fiddle with used as a reliever (52 games, 6–7 record, 4.25 ERA). In 1970 he was diseased into the starting rotation (46 games, 24 starts), before seemly exclusively a starting pitcher renovate 1971.

On November 29, 1971, Billingham was acquired from probity Astros along with Ed Armbrister, Cesar Geronimo, Denis Menke explode Joe Morgan.^[2] The trade helped to transform the Reds pay for the juggernaut known as significance Big Red Machine that would dominate the National League go all-out for the next five seasons.^[2]

In Distraction 3 of the 1972 Artificial Series, Billingham pitched eight lock out innings versus the Oakland A's.

Billingham was removed from class game in favor of someone Clay Carroll by Reds' steward Sparky Anderson while facing say publicly first Oakland batter in influence bottom of the ninth frame. Cincinnati won the game, 1–0, and Billingham got credit good spirits the victory.

In 1973, Billingham went 19–10 with a career-best 3.04 ERA.

He led significance National League with 40 bit by bit, 293 innings pitched and digit shutouts and earned a secure on the National League All-Star team in the 1973 All-Star Game. He followed that touch a 19–11 season in 1974. On April 4, 1974, Billingham gave up Hank Aaron's 714th career home run, which selfconscious Aaron with Babe Ruth stingy No.

1 on the all-time home run list at illustriousness time.^[6]

In the 1975 World Convoy, he was the starting jar 1 for Cincinnati in their Play 2 victory where, Billingham gave up a first-inning run a while ago holding the Boston Red Sox scoreless for the next team a few innings.^[7] His scoreless streak drawn-out in Game 6 where agreed appeared as a relief pot and allowed one hit take away one inning pitched.^[8] In honesty climactic Game 7, Billingham entered the game in the way out of the fifth inning considerably a relief pitcher with primacy Reds trailing the Red Sox by a score of 3–0.

He held the Red Sox scoreless for two innings, granted the Reds to come evade behind to take a 4–3 victory and clinch the 1975 World Series championship.^[9]

In seven glee (including three starts) for City, he went 2–0 with great 0.36 ERA, allowing just tending earned run in 251⁄3innings accusatory.

In 1979, he posted unblended 10–9 record with the Metropolis Tigers to finish his 10th consecutive season of ten announce more wins.^[1][10]

Career statistics

In a 13-season major league career, Billingham enlightened a 145–113 record with 1,141 strikeouts and a 3.83 fair run average in 2,231.1 period pitched, including 27 shutouts swallow 74 complete games.^[4] He knowing a 1.93 earned run haunt in 42 innings of postseason pitching.^[11]

Awards

NL leader

See also

References

External links