Bob Veale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bob Veale |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Veale in 1966
|
|||
| Pitcher | |||
| Born: October 28, 1935 Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
|||
| Died: January 5, 2025 (aged 89) Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| April 16, 1962, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 8, 1974, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 120–95 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.07 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,703 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
|
|||
Robert Andrew Veale (October 28, 1935 – January 5, 2025) was an American professional baseball pitcher and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a left-handed pitcher. His career lasted from 1962 to 1974. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Boston Red Sox.
Veale was known as one of the best strikeout pitchers in the National League. He was chosen for the All-Star Game twice. In 1964, he led the National League in strikeouts. He was part of the Pirates teams that won three straight division titles from 1970 to 1972. He also helped them win the World Series in 1971.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Dreams
Bob Veale was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He went to Holy Family High School there. His father was also a pitcher, playing for the Homestead Grays in the Negro National League.
As a boy, Veale worked at the concession stand at Rickwood Field. This was a famous baseball park in Birmingham. Piper Davis, who was a player-manager for the Birmingham Black Barons, noticed him. Davis made Veale the team's batboy. He even let Veale pitch during batting practice. In 1948, Davis let Veale pitch in a Black Barons game. Since he was too young, his appearance was not officially recorded. In 1955, Veale left Birmingham to attend Benedictine College in Kansas. He went there on a sports scholarship.
Starting in the Minor Leagues
In 1958, Veale signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He joined them as an amateur free agent, meaning he wasn't drafted. In 1959, he played for the Wilson Tobs. This team was in the Carolina League, a minor league. He led the league with 187 strikeouts in 147 innings. He also pitched a no-hitter, where no opposing batter gets a hit.
His great performance led to a promotion. He moved up to the Columbus Jets in the International League. In 1961, he became known as a strikeout pitcher. He led that league by striking out 208 batters in 201 innings.
Veale made his first appearance in Major League Baseball on April 16, 1962. He was 26 years old. In only his second MLB game, he pitched a complete game victory. This means he pitched the entire game without needing a relief pitcher. However, he struggled after that. He was sent back to the Columbus Jets on May 25. On August 10, he set an International League record. He struck out 22 batters in one game against the Buffalo Bisons. He was called back to the Pirates in September. He had struck out 179 batters in 134 innings in the minors.
Major League Success
In August 1963, Pirates manager Danny Murtaugh made Veale a starting pitcher. Veale did very well in September. He pitched three complete games, including two shutouts. A shutout means the opposing team scores no runs.
On September 22, 1964, Veale set a Pirates team record. He struck out 15 Milwaukee Braves in a nine-inning game. This broke a record from 1909. He led the National League with 250 strikeouts in 1964. He finished the season with 18 wins and 12 losses. His earned run average (ERA) was 2.74. ERA measures how many earned runs a pitcher allows per nine innings.
Veale's skill at striking out batters earned him a spot in the 1965 All-Star Game. On June 1, he struck out 16 batters against the Philadelphia Phillies. This broke his own team record. In 1965, he had a career-high 276 strikeouts. This is still a Pirates modern-era team record. He finished the season with 17 wins and 12 losses. His ERA was 2.84.
In 1966, Veale was a key part of the Pirates' pitching staff. He had 16 wins and 12 losses with a 3.02 ERA. He was also named to the 1966 All-Star Game. The 1966 Pirates team had future Hall of Famers like Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell. They fought for the pennant but finished third. Veale started the 1967 season strong. He won his first six starts. He ended the season with 16 wins and 8 losses.
In 1968, an elbow injury made him change how he pitched. This lowered his strikeout numbers. He had a losing record of 13 wins and 14 losses. However, his ERA was an impressive 2.05. This was the lowest ERA for a pitcher with a losing record since 1914. In 1969, he had his last season with over 200 strikeouts. In 1970, his ERA went up to 3.92.
For seven years, from 1964 to 1970, Veale pitched over 200 innings each season. Before the 1971 season, there were rumors he might be traded. Instead, manager Murtaugh moved him to the bullpen. This meant he would pitch in relief, not as a starter.
The 1971 season was very successful for the Pirates. They won the National League Eastern Division. Veale had 6 wins and 0 losses in 37 relief appearances. On September 1, 1971, the Pirates made history. They became the first MLB team to start a lineup of all minority players. Veale entered that game in the third inning. The Pirates then beat the San Francisco Giants in the playoffs. They went on to face the Baltimore Orioles in the 1971 World Series. Veale made one appearance in the World Series. The Pirates won the World Series in seven games.
On May 10, 1972, the Pirates released Veale. He then joined the Pirates' Triple-A team in Charleston. On September 1, the Boston Red Sox signed Veale. He played for them as a relief pitcher. He played his last major league game on September 8, 1974. He was 38 years old.
Career Highlights and Records
In his thirteen-season MLB career, Bob Veale had 120 wins and 95 losses. He recorded 1,703 strikeouts. His ERA was 3.07 in 1,926 innings pitched. He also had 20 shutouts and 78 complete games.
His career ratio of 7.96 strikeouts per nine innings is still a Pirates team record. It ranks fifth all-time for pitchers with over 1,500 innings pitched. His 16 strikeouts in a single game also remains a Pirates team record. When he retired in 1974, he was the only Pirates pitcher to have 200 strikeouts in a season. He ranks second in Pirates career strikeouts, behind Bob Friend.
Life After Baseball
After he stopped playing, Veale worked as a pitching instructor. He taught young players in the minor leagues for the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees. He also worked as a groundskeeper at Rickwood Field, where he had worked as a boy.
In 2006, Bob Veale was honored. He was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.
Personal Life
Bob Veale married Eredean Sanders in 1973. She was his high school sweetheart.
Veale passed away on January 5, 2025, at the age of 89.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders
