Allen Ripley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Allen Ripley |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||
| Pitcher | |||
| Born: October 18, 1952 Norwood, Massachusetts, U.S. |
|||
| Died: November 7, 2014 (aged 62) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| April 10, 1978, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 14, 1982, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 23–27 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.52 | ||
| Strikeouts | 229 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
Allen Stevens Ripley (born October 18, 1952 – died November 7, 2014) was a professional baseball player. He was a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). Allen played for three different teams between 1978 and 1982. He was tall, standing at 6 feet 3 inches, and he threw and batted with his right hand. Allen was born in Norwood, Massachusetts, and went to North Attleboro High School. Interestingly, his father, Walt Ripley, was also a pitcher in the major leagues!
Contents
Playing Baseball in the Major Leagues
Allen Ripley spent about five and a half years playing in the Boston Red Sox's Minor League system. This was before he made it to the big leagues. During his time in the minor leagues, he usually won about 10 games each season.
He joined the Major Leagues in 1978 with the Boston Red Sox. He played for them for parts of two seasons. After that, he played for the San Francisco Giants from 1980 to 1981. His last team was the Chicago Cubs in 1982.
Pitching Style and Achievements
Allen was mostly a starting pitcher, which means he would begin the game on the mound. He also earned one "save" in his career. A save happens when a pitcher finishes a close game without letting the other team score too much. His save happened on July 7, 1979, when he pitched the last three innings of a Red Sox win.
His best season in the Major Leagues was in 1980 with the San Francisco Giants. That year, he won 9 games and lost 10. He had a good earned run average (ERA) of 3.54. The ERA shows how many runs a pitcher allows per nine innings. He was part of a strong pitching team that year.
Over his five seasons in MLB, Allen Ripley played in 101 games. He started 67 of those games. He finished 4 games all by himself, which is called a "complete game." He also had 229 strikeouts. A strikeout is when a pitcher gets a batter out by throwing three strikes.
Minor League Success
Before his time in the Major Leagues, Allen had a very successful minor league career. From 1973 to 1980, he won 72 games and lost only 41. His ERA in the minor leagues was 3.28. He also struck out 619 batters in the minor leagues.
Career Highlights and Records
One of Allen Ripley's most impressive seasons was in 1977. He was playing for the Pawtucket Red Sox, which was the Red Sox's top minor league team. That year, he won 15 games and had an amazing ERA of just 1.40. He won eight games in a row! His winning percentage that season was .789, which means he won almost 79% of his games. These were team records that still stand today.
On April 22, 1978, something rare happened during a game at Fenway Park. A player from the Cleveland Indians, Andre Thornton, managed to "hit for the cycle." This means he hit a single, a double, a triple, and a home run all in the same game. Allen Ripley was one of the four Red Sox pitchers who gave up one of those hits.
Later Life and Passing
Allen Ripley passed away in 2014 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was 62 years old. He died due to complications from leukemia, which is a type of cancer.
See also
- List of second-generation Major League Baseball players
