Denny McLain
Although he had won 20 games in 1966 and 17 more in 1967, few could have imagined what Denny McLain would accomplish in 1968. Pitching with a magical team behind him, the bespectacled righty won 31 games, becoming the first thirty-game winner since Dizzy Dean in 1934. McLain was rewarded with both the American League Most Valuable Player and Cy Young Awards, and the next year he again won the Cy Young, posting 24 victories. At 25 years old, he was rich, famous and succesful. But then the wheels came off his gravy train, due to his own dishonesty and character flaws. Early in 1970, McLain was suspended by the commissioner for a previous gambling incident. Later that season he filed for bankruptcy, tossed water on a reporter, and was suspended for a gun violation. Traded to the Senators, McLain argued with manager Ted Williams, was suspended a few more times, and ended up out of baseball before he was 29 years old. After his playing career, McLain continued his troublesome behavior, and eventually wound up in a Michigan prison for rackateering and drugs.
Played For
Detroit Tigers (1963-1970)
Washington Senators (1971)
Oakland Athletics (1972)
Atlanta Braves (1972)
Best Season: 1968
After winning nine straight decisions in June and July, McLain's record stood at 18-2. He won his 30th game on September 14, and had three more starts to go. Amazingly, he lost three games by the score of 2-1 and another 2-0, or he may have won 35 games. He lost his first two starts in the World Series, but rebounded to pitch a complete game victory in Game Six.
Factoids
At the peak of his popularity, in the 1968 off-season and during the 1969 season, Denny McLain worked as a headliner in Las Vegas and elsewhere throughout the country. He played the organ and sang.
PITCHERS WHO HIT A HOME RUN IN MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUT
Player............Debut.......Inn...Team
Henry Boyle..........07/09/1884....4....STL
Scott Stratton.......04/21/1888....4....LOU
Billy Gumbert........06/19/1890....6....PIT
Bill Duggleby........04/21/1898....2....PHI
Tom Sullivan.........05/15/1922....7....PHI
Bill LeFebvre........06/10/1938....8....BOS
Dan Bankhead.........08/26/1947....2....BRO
Bobby Locke..........06/18/1959....4....CLE
Denny McLain.........09/21/1963....5....DET
Hal Haydel...........09/07/1970....4....MIN
John Montefusco......09/03/1974....3....SFN
Paul Moskau..........06/21/1977....4....CIN
Jason Jennings.......08/23/2001....9....COL
Source: David Vincent
Born
Dennis Dale McLain was born on March 29, 1944, in Chicago, IL.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Primary Position: P
Primary Team: DET
Major League Debut
September 21, 1963
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1963
Pete Rose
Rusty Staub
Joe Morgan
Willie Horton
Jose Cardenal
Jimmy Wynn
Dick Allen
Tommy John
Mickey Lolich
Similar Players
Dwight Gooden for off-the-field reasons... Jack McDowell was a similar type of pitcher, as was Dennis Eckersley (in his starter years)
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 1978 |
BBWAA |
1 |
.3% |
1979 |
BBWAA |
3 |
.7% |
1985 |
BBWAA |
2 |
.5% |
|
Post-Season Appearances
1968 World Series
Awards and Honors
1968 AL Cy Young
1968 AL MVP
1969 AL Cy Young
Injuries and Explanation for Missed Playing Time
Noted baseball historian and author Mark Armour writes: "In February 1970, Sports Illustrated broke the story of McLain's off-field woes. According to the magazine, in early 1967 McLain invested in a bookmaking operation based out of a restaurant in Flint, Michigan; many of his partners were part of the Syrian mob. When a gambler named Edward Voshen won $46,000 on a horse race in February 1967, his bookie couldn't pay it off, suggesting instead that Voshen find the bookie's partners. One of his partners was McLain. Voshen spent several months trying to get his money, finally enlisting the aid of mobster Tony Giacolone. According to the magazine's sources, Giacolone met with McLain in early September and, while threatening much worse, brought his heel down on McLain's toes and dislocated them."
For Armour's detailed article on McLain, visit: Baseball Prospectus.
All-Star Selections
1966 AL
1968 AL
1969 AL
Learn More about Denny McLain
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Sources used for the Denny McLain Player Page:
Mark Armour
