Jack Harshman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jack Harshman |
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Harshman in 1958
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| Pitcher / First baseman | |||
| Born: July 12, 1927 San Diego, California, U.S. |
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| Died: August 17, 2013 (aged 86) Georgetown, Texas, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 16, 1948, for the New York Giants | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 1, 1960, for the Cleveland Indians | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 69–65 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.50 | ||
| Strikeouts | 741 | ||
| Batting average | .179 | ||
| Home runs | 21 | ||
| Runs batted in | 65 | ||
| Teams | |||
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John Elvin Harshman (July 12, 1927 – August 17, 2013) was an American baseball player. He played as a pitcher for several Major League Baseball teams, including the New York Giants, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, and Cleveland Indians from 1948 to 1960. He was a left-handed hitter and pitcher.
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Jack Harshman's Early Career
Jack Harshman was born in San Diego, California, in 1927. He started his professional baseball journey at age 17 in 1945. His first team was the San Diego Padres in the minor league Pacific Coast League. For his first five seasons, Jack was trained to be a strong hitter, not a pitcher.
From Hitter to Pitcher
In 1946, Jack played for the Modesto Reds, hitting well before returning to San Diego. The next year, 1947, was very busy for him. He played 151 games for the Victoria Athletics, hitting 36 home runs. Even though his hitting slowed down at the end of the year, the New York Giants bought his contract in December 1947, seeing him as a promising first baseman.
In 1948, Jack played for the Jersey City Giants. He hit 24 home runs and had 76 RBI. He also got a short chance to play for the New York Giants.
The year 1949 was a big one for Jack as a hitter. Playing for the Minneapolis Millers, he hit 40 home runs and had 111 RBI. But in 1950, things changed. His hitting struggled, and the Giants started thinking about a new role for him. During this tough season, he pitched in two games for the first time, winning one and losing one.
In 1951, Jack got back to hitting well, smashing 47 home runs for the Nashville Volunteers. However, his manager still wanted to try him as a pitcher, letting him pitch in five games. He again had a 1–1 record, but his pitching showed improvement.
By 1952, the team decided Jack would do both: pitch and sometimes hit. He pitched in 26 games, starting 14 of them. He threw 131 innings, had 78 strikeouts, and finished with a 6–7 win–loss record. The year 1953 was his true breakout season as a pitcher. Playing for the Nashville Volunteers, Jack had an amazing 23–7 record.
Playing for the Chicago White Sox
Even after becoming a successful pitcher, the Giants sold Jack Harshman's contract to the Chicago White Sox. Jack made his White Sox debut on April 14, 1954. After a couple of tough starts, he moved to the bullpen.
Harshman's Strong Pitching
On June 6, Jack got another chance to start a game. He pitched a complete game, allowing no runs and only seven hits. On July 25, he struck out 16 Boston Red Sox hitters, including the famous player Ted Williams. This was the most strikeouts ever at Fenway Park at that time. Jack finished his first full season with impressive numbers: a 14–8 record, a low 2.95 ERA, and 134 strikeouts.
In 1955, Jack continued to do well, with an 11–7 record. On June 21, 1956, Jack and the opposing pitcher, Connie Johnson, both threw one-hit complete games. This was a very rare event in baseball history. Jack won the game 1-0. He went on to throw three more shutouts that season, ending with a 15–12 record and 143 strikeouts.
Time with the Baltimore Orioles
The 1956 season was Jack Harshman's last really strong year. After an 8–8 season in 1957, Jack was traded to the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles found out that Jack had a back problem (a slipped disc). The baseball commissioner then ordered the White Sox to send another player or money to the Orioles to complete the trade.
In 1958, many of Jack's pitching numbers improved. His ERA was a career-best 2.89, which was the third lowest in his league. He also had a career-high 161 strikeouts and three shutouts. However, his team didn't score many runs for him, so he ended the season with a 12–15 record.
Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians
In 1959, Jack played for three different teams. He started with a tough record before being traded to the Boston Red Sox on June 15, 1959. Jack only stayed with the Red Sox for one month.
The Cleveland Indians bought Jack's contract on July 30, 1959. For the rest of that season, he pitched very well, with a 5–1 record and a low 2.59 ERA.
The 1960 season was Jack's last in the major leagues. His back problems were getting worse. He had to go on the disabled list in April and it took three months before he could pitch again. When he returned, he struggled to find his rhythm. He ended his final season with a 2–4 record.
In October, the Indians released Jack. In 1961, he tried to make the Los Angeles Angels team but ended up playing for the AAA Pacific Coast League San Diego Padres, where he had started his career. He only pitched in four games before retiring.
Later Life and Passing
Jack Harshman passed away on August 17, 2013, in Georgetown, Texas, where he lived. He was 86 years old. He was buried in the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California.
Family Connections
Jack Harshman was married to Virginia. He was related to the actress Margo Harshman and also to Marv Harshman, a basketball coach at Washington State University and the University of Washington.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball all-time leaders in home runs by pitchers
