Jack Aker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jack Aker |
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Aker in 1973
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: July 13, 1940 Tulare, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| May 3, 1964, for the Kansas City Athletics | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 27, 1974, for the New York Mets | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 47–45 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.28 | ||
| Strikeouts | 404 | ||
| Saves | 124 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Jackie Delane Aker (born July 13, 1940) is a former American professional baseball player. He was a special kind of pitcher called a relief pitcher. Jack played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for many teams. These included the Kansas City / Oakland Athletics, Seattle Pilots, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, and New York Mets.
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Playing Career Highlights
Jack Aker started his baseball journey as an outfielder. He was first signed by the Kansas City Athletics team. In 1959, his first year, he led the Nebraska State League in stolen bases. Before the 1960 season, he changed his role to become a pitcher.
Aker became a major league pitcher known for his unique "side-arm" throwing style. He also threw a "sinkerball," which is a pitch that drops suddenly. He played for 11 years in professional baseball. During this time, he earned 47 wins and 123 saves. He also had 404 strikeouts and a 3.28 earned run average (ERA).
Early Days in MLB
Jack Aker made his first appearance in Major League Baseball on May 3, 1964. He pitched for the Kansas City Athletics. In that game, he pitched for 3 and 1/3 innings as a relief pitcher. His team won the game 8–7 against the Minnesota Twins.
In 1964, Aker played in nine games for Kansas City. He had an 0–1 record and an ERA of 8.81. On September 10, 1965, he pitched six innings of relief. He helped his team win 10–5 against the Baltimore Orioles.
Best Season and Records
Aker's best year was in 1966 with the Athletics. He led the American League in saves with 32. This was a major league record until 1970. He also led the league in games finished with 57.
During this amazing season, he had a very low ERA of 1.99. He was even voted 13th for the MVP award. The Sporting News newspaper named him the AL Fireman of the Year. This award goes to the best relief pitcher.
On September 7, 1966, Aker earned his 30th save of the season. He pitched 3 and 2/3 innings without allowing any runs. This was against the California Angels.
Memorable Moments
On April 29, 1967, Jack Aker pitched for a very long time in one game. He pitched the last 8 and 1/3 innings of a 15-inning game. He struck out a career-high eight batters.
On April 24, 1968, Aker played in one of the first baseball games at the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum. He pitched the last five innings. He did not allow any runs and helped his team win in 11 innings.
Moving to New Teams
After some disagreements with the Athletics' owner, Jack Aker was chosen by the Seattle Pilots in 1969. On April 8, 1969, Aker earned a save in the Pilots' first game ever. However, he soon faced challenges with the Pilots.
On May 20, Aker was traded to the New York Yankees. After this trade, he pitched 33 innings in a row without giving up any runs. This is still a record for the Yankees during the regular season. He led the Yankees in saves in 1969 and 1970.
Aker stayed a key player for the Yankees until 1972. He was then traded to the Chicago Cubs. He played almost three seasons in the National League. He was even in the bullpen when Hank Aaron hit his famous 715th home run in 1974.
After Playing Baseball
After his playing career, Jack Aker became a manager in the minor leagues. He managed teams from 1975 to 1985. In 1982, he won the Governor's Cup with the Tidewater Tides team. He also worked as the Cleveland Indians pitching coach from 1985 to 1987.
Aker left professional baseball in 1988 to teach children. For 20 years, he ran "Jack Aker Baseball" academy. He offered camps, clinics, and baseball lessons. In 1997, President Bill Clinton honored him with a "Giant Steps Award." This was for his work teaching Native American children on reservations in Arizona and New Mexico.
Jack Aker is of Potawatomi ancestry.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in games finished
