Wednesday, November 25, 2015

RIP - Ken Johnson


Former 1960s' starting pitcher Ken Johnson passed away on November 21, 2015 at age 82.


Signed by the Philadelphia Athletics in 1952, Johnson pitched from 1958-70 for 7 teams, mostly the Kansas City Athletics, Houston Colt .45s, and the Atlanta Braves.

Johnson was the Colts' top starting pitcher for their first 3 seasons. In 1964 he pitched a no-hitter against the Reds, but lost 1-0. To date, he is the only pitcher to lose a no-hitter.

New York Times obituary

Fox Sports obituary
 

Sunday, November 8, 2015

RIP - Ed Sukla


Former Angels' relief pitcher Ed Sukla passed away on September 24, 2015 at age 72.


Sukla pitched in the minors every season from 1962 to 1975, and played for the Angels from September 1964 to May 1966.  In 1965 he won the first game in the Angels' new park in Anaheim.

Obituary


(Sukla's card mate Jim McGlothlin passed away in 1975 from leukemia, 2 years after his final MLB season.)

Thursday, November 5, 2015

RIP - Barney Schultz


Barney Schultz -  a knuckle-balling relief pitcher for the Cubs and Cardinals in the early 1960s - passed away on September 6, 2015 at age 89.


Schultz pitched in 227 games, all in relief. He appeared briefly with the Cardinals (1955) and Tigers (1959), then found steady work in the Cubs' bullpen from 1961 to mid-1963.

His final stop was the Cardinals. Acquired in mid-season 1963, he was a key member of their bullpen in 1964, as the Cardinals passed the Phillies in the season's final week to clinch the NL pennant and win the World Series. Schultz recorded a 1.64 ERA that year.

He retired after the 1965 season, and was the Cardinals' pitching coach for a decade, and then briefly with the Cubs.

KMOX St. Louis obituary

SABR biography
 

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

RIP - Norm Siebern


Former AL 1st-baseman Norm Siebern passed away on October 30, 2015 in Naples, FL at age 82.

Siebern came up with the Yankees in 1956, and won a Gold Glove in 1958 as their left fielder. Traded to the Kansas City in the Roger Maris trade after the 1959 season, he switched to 1st base with the Athletics, and was a regular there for 4 seasons, making the All-Star game in '62 and '63.


Siebern was traded to the Orioles following the 1963 season, and was the Orioles' 1st-sacker for the next 2 years - also returning to the All-Star game in '64. Norm bounced from the Angels to the Giants to the Red Sox in his final 3 seasons, retiring midway through 1968.

I only caught the tail-end of his career, as a pinch-hitter for the Red Sox during their push to the 1967 World Series. Maybe CommishBob has some stories from Siebern's days with the Orioles.

New York Times obituary

Kansas City Star obituary

SABR biography

He was also on Facebook