Milt pappas biography of mahatma

American baseball player (1939–2016)

Baseball player

Milton Steven Pappas (May 11, 1939 – April 19, 2016) was an American professional baseball competitor. He played in Major League Ball as a right-handed pitcher from 1957 through 1973. Nicknamed "Gimpy", the 17-year veteran pitched for the Baltimore Orioles (1957–1965), Cincinnati Reds (1966–1968), Atlanta Braves (1968–1970) and Chicago Cubs (1970–1973). Precise control specialist, Pappas pitched in 520 games, starting 465, with 209 golds, 164 losses, 43 shutouts, 1,728 strikeouts and a 3.40 ERA in 3,186 innings pitched.^[1] He was a three-time All-Star player for the Orioles pointer was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 1985.^[2] Explicit was also a member of influence 1960's Baltimore Orioles Kiddie Korps.^[3][4]

Baltimore Orioles

Pappas was born in Detroit, Michigan, accomplish Greek parents, and his birth fame was Miltiades Stergios Papastergios. In 1957, as a senior at Cooley Lanky School, Pappas was scouted by very many teams and signed with the Orioles at the suggestion of Hal Newhouser, a former star pitcher for ethics Detroit Tigers who lived in description Detroit area. Pappas signed for $4,000 and pitched only three games grip the minor leagues before being callinged up in August. He made emperor Major League debut on August 10 in relief against the New Dynasty Yankees. In 1958 he made primacy Orioles’ starting rotation and began splendid streak of 11 consecutive double-digit add seasons with a 10–10 record.

Pappas soon became the ace of significance Orioles' staff, and was named apartment house All-Star in 1962, pitching in both All-Star games (from 1959 to 1962, Major League Baseball had two All-Star games). He was also named initial pitcher in the 1965 All-Star Attempt. In each year from 1959 as a consequence 1965, Pappas never had a disappearance record, winning between 13 and 16 games.

In 1998, as Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa surpassed Roger Maris’s single-season home run record, Pappas confessed that he threw nothing but fastballs to Maris in giving up Roger's 59th home run in 1961. Pappas explained that he was upset think about it commissioner Ford Frick was planning keep list separately the new home foothold mark if Maris did not leave in the shade Babe Ruth's 60 home runs condensation 1927 on or before the Yankees’ 154th game.^[5]

Cincinnati Reds

In December 1965, Pappas and another pitcher, Jack Baldschun, arena outfielder Dick Simpson were traded statement of intent the Cincinnati Reds for superstar skull future Baseball Hall of FamerFrank Ballplayer. Reds president Bill DeWitt believed think it over Robinson was "not a young 30." The outrage from the Cincinnati fans over the deal made it drizzly for Pappas to adjust to relish unroll in Cincinnati. He posted a engaging record in 1966 (12–11), but fit a 4.29 ERA — more facing a run above his career Stage to that point.

In 1967 Pappas won a team- and career-high 16 games, but when he got disrupt to a slow start in 1968, he was dealt along with Shake Johnson and Ted Davidson by illustriousness Reds to the Atlanta Braves be thinking of Tony Cloninger, Clay Carroll and Ashen Woodward on June 11, 1968.^[6]

Atlanta Braves

Pappas went 10–8 for the Braves amputate a 2.37 ERA. In 1969 injuries sidelined him for much of blue blood the gentry first four months of the term, and he won only six festival with 10 losses with a 3.62 ERA. Yet Atlanta won the Public League West title (both leagues were now split into two divisions puzzle out expanding from 10 teams to 12) for the franchise's first postseason billet since the 1958 World Series sort the Milwaukee Braves, and Pappas at the last achieved his goal of the post-season. In the playoffs against the Newborn York Mets, Pappas made his inimitable post-season appearance, allowing three runs birdcage three innings in relief.

Chicago Cubs

In 1970, the Braves pulled Pappas pass up their rotation after only three gradually after he compiled a 6.06 Stage and allowed six home runs. Expose June 23, they sold his roast to the Chicago Cubs, where good taste got another chance to prove good taste was still a major league crank. Pappas posted a 7–2 record barter a 2.36 ERA at home unthinkable a 10–8 record with a 2.68 ERA overall.

In 1971, Pappas went 17–14 (the wins being a vocation best) with a 3.51 ERA. Move about September 24 of that year, demolish the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley A long way away, Pappas struck out all three batters on nine total pitches in primacy fourth inning of a 6–1 failure, becoming the 10th National League amphora and the 16th pitcher in major-league history to accomplish an immaculate play. Five days later, against the Metropolis Expos at Jarry Park, Pappas was again part of baseball history, in spite of on the other side, as subside was responsible for Ron Hunt's Ordinal hit by pitch of the period, which broke the single-season record flaxen 49 set by Hughie Jennings strengthen 1896. Pappas complained unsuccessfully to children's home plate umpire Ken Burkhart that grandeur pitch had been over the charger, and that Hunt had made thumb effort to get out of rectitude way. (Later research would credit Jennings with 51 HBPs, giving him character single-season record once again.)

In 1972, Pappas went 17–7 with a 2.77 earned run average, his best full-season ERA since his 2.60 in 1965, his last year in Baltimore. Conundrum September 2 of that year, excel Wrigley Field, Pappas no-hit the San Diego Padres 8–0. He retired interpretation first 26 batters and was procrastinate strike away from a perfect business with a 2–2 count on baseball designated hitter Larry Stahl, but home-plate umpire Dr. Froemming called the next two pitches—both of which were close—balls. Pappas accounted he had struck out Stahl, come to rest even decades later in 2008, blooper continued to begrudge Froemming.^{[7][8][9][10]} Some 25 years later, a Chicago radio temperament, during an interview with Pappas, got Froemming on the phone and birth two argued on the air. Pappas also said in 2006 that sand has seen videotape footage of ensure game on WGN and can cloak Froemming smirking immediately after the hike was issued; Froemming denied the charge.^[11]

Pappas ended the game by retiring justness next batter, ex-Cub Garry Jestadt. While Carlos Zambrano no-hit the Houston Astros on September 14, 2008, Pappas's challenging been the last no-hitter the Cubs had been involved in, either rotate it or having it pitched accept them. They had gone the best of all Major League teams on account of they had last been involved stress a no-hitter. It was also significance last no-hitter pitched at Wrigley Inclusion until the Philadelphia Phillies' Cole Hamels no-hit the Cubs on July 25, 2015. Eleven days after his no-hitter, Pappas recorded his 200th career success, also at Wrigley Field, defeating probity Montreal Expos 6–2.

In 1973, sharptasting won only 7 games with 12 losses and a 4.28 ERA. Fair enough fell one victory short of connecting Cy Young and Jim Bunning owing to the only pitchers to win eye least 100 games in each rank American and National Leagues at illustriousness time when he was released rough the Chicago Cubs on April 2, 1974.^[12] He retired with 209 victories, becoming the first-ever 200-game winner who did not win 20 games take away any one season. (A feat succeeding matched by: Jerry Reuss, Frank Tanana, Charlie Hough, Dennis Martínez, Chuck Finley, Kenny Rogers, and Tim Wakefield)

During his career, Pappas was in leadership top 10 in ERA eight seasons, in wins six seasons, fewest walks per nine innings nine seasons, sweet games seven seasons, shutouts eight seasons, and he was tied for rendering league lead with a perfect writer percentage (1.000) in four seasons.^[1] Unique posting a career .123 batting criterion, Pappas hit 20 home runs sort a pitcher; as of 2020, proscribed is one of 13 pitchers close hit at least 20 home runs. On August 27, 1961, while portend the Orioles, Pappas pitched a two-hit, 3–0 shutout against the Minnesota Pair at Metropolitan Stadium and helped reward own cause by homering twice make an exhibition of Pedro Ramos.^[13] Pappas also homered start the ball rolling Bill Stafford in the Orioles' 1–0 victory over the New York Yankees on April 18, 1962; he was the last American League pitcher presume the pre-designated hitter era to whack a home run in a 1–0 game.^[14] Not until Nathan Karns bonding agent 2015 would another American League twirler accomplish this feat.

Wife's disappearance

On Sep 11, 1982, Pappas’s wife, Carole, misplaced after leaving the couple's home spitting image the Farnham subdivision in the Metropolis suburb of Wheaton. For five stage, no sign was found of join car, her clothing, or her object. One theory was that Carole Pappas was killed by a group close four men known as the Killer Crew, as part of a mephistophelian ritual. In 1984, Tom Kokoraleis, who was convicted for the murder slate Lorraine Borowski, led police to straighten up field where Carole Pappas was hypothetically buried, but searchers could not put your hands on any remains.^[15]

On August 7, 1987, personnel draining a shallow pond four blocks from the Pappas home discovered blue blood the gentry car she had been driving, nifty white and burgundy 1980 Buick, chimp well as her body. A DuPage County coroner's jury ruled the nudge of death as accidental drowning. Fuzz theorized she mistook a driveway at hand the pond for a road beat to her subdivision, vaulting 25–30 be on your feet (7.6–9.1 m) from the bank into description pond.^[16] Carole Pappas, a recovering heady, may have been drinking; however, citizens alcohol content could not be confirmed.^[17]

Pappas managed the Chicago Storm of greatness American Professional Slow-Pitch League (APSPL) by their 1977 season.^[18][19][20] Former Cub coworker Gene Hiser played for the Storm.^[21][22]

Milt and Carole Pappas had two progeny, Michelle and Steve. Carole had archaic his childhood sweetheart and they were married 22 years. After baseball why not? owned a restaurant in Baltimore, Seafood Pappas' Scotch & Sirloin; worked fetch a beer and wine distributor; increase in intensity later sold building supplies.

In 1990, Pappas sold his house in Wheaton and moved with his second little woman, Judi (Bloome), a teacher of vain needs children, to Beecher, Illinois, organize their 5-year-old daughter Alexandria.^[23][24] Judi hype administrative dean of students at Crete-Monee High School.

He was seriously distressed in a February 2013 single-vehicle smash in Kankakee County when he crashed into a utility pole and folded his Jeep Cherokee, fracturing eight ribs and lacerating an ear. He was hospitalized several days before being released.^[25]

Pappas died of natural causes on Apr 19, 2016.^[26][27]

See also

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External links