Bill Harrelson facts for kids

William Charles Harrelson, born on November 17, 1945, is a former American baseball player. He was a pitcher who played for the California Angels in Major League Baseball (MLB) in 1968. Bill, as he was known, threw the ball with his right hand and could bat from both sides of the plate. He was quite tall, standing 6 feet 5 inches, and weighed 215 pounds.

Bill Harrelson's Baseball Journey

Early Life and Start in Baseball

Bill Harrelson was born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. He is a member of the Cherokee Nation. In 1964, when he was 18, the California Angels baseball team signed him. This was the start of his professional baseball career.

He played in several minor leagues in 1964 and 1965. These included the Pioneer League, California League, and Midwest League. He worked hard to improve his skills during these early years.

Rising Through the Minor Leagues

In 1966, Bill started to find more success. He played in the New York–Penn League. He won 8 games and lost 11, with a good earned run average (ERA) of 3.31. An ERA shows how many runs a pitcher allows per nine innings.

His best season in the minor leagues was in 1967. He played for the San Jose Bees in the California League. That year, he won 7 games and lost 4, with an even better ERA of 2.48. This strong performance helped him move up to higher levels of minor league baseball. He played in Class AA and Class AAA before finally reaching the major leagues in 1968.

Playing in Major League Baseball

Bill Harrelson made his first appearance in Major League Baseball on July 31, 1968. He was pitching for the California Angels. His first game was a tough one, as he faced Catfish Hunter, a pitcher who would later become famous. Both pitchers allowed only one run through seven innings. Bill gave up only four hits, but he eventually lost the game.

Almost a month later, on August 27, Bill earned his only MLB victory. He pitched 5 and two-thirds innings against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. He did not allow any runs during his time on the mound. He gave up only one hit but walked six batters. He left the game with his team leading 1–0. Another pitcher, Andy Messersmith, finished the game. The Angels won 2–0, and Bill got his first and only MLB win.

End of His Major League Career

Bill Harrelson played his last major league game on September 18, 1968. In total, he played in ten big-league games. He started five of those games as a pitcher. His final record was 1 win and 6 losses. He also completed one game by himself.

During his time in the MLB, he pitched 33 and two-thirds innings. He allowed 28 hits and walked 26 batters. He also struck out 22 batters.

Back to the Minor Leagues

After his time in the major leagues, Bill returned to the minor leagues in 1969. He played in the Texas League and Pacific Coast League. On January 14, 1970, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds team. He played for their minor league teams in 1970 and 1971. After these seasons, Bill Harrelson retired from playing professional baseball.