Jesse Jefferson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jesse Jefferson |
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: March 3, 1949 Midlothian, Virginia |
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| Died: September 8, 2011 (aged 62) Midlothian, Virginia |
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| debut | |||
| June 23, 1973, for the Baltimore Orioles | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 30, 1981, for the California Angels | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 39–81 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.81 | ||
| Strikeouts | 522 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Jesse Harrison Jefferson (born March 3, 1949 – died September 8, 2011) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played for several teams in Major League Baseball (MLB). These teams included the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates, and California Angels. Jesse batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
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Jesse Jefferson's Baseball Journey
Jesse Jefferson started his professional baseball career as a pitcher. He played for five different teams in Major League Baseball. Let's explore his journey through the big leagues.
Starting with the Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles picked Jesse Jefferson in the 1968 Major League Baseball draft. He was drafted right after high school in Midlothian, Virginia. Before joining the main team, he played for six seasons in the Orioles' minor league system. He had a record of 40 wins and 50 losses during this time.
Jesse made his big league debut in 1973. It was a special game on June 23. He pitched a full ten-inning game, which is called a complete game. In this game, he almost pitched a shutout, meaning the other team wouldn't score any runs. However, an opposing player hit a home run in the ninth inning. The Orioles scored a run in the tenth inning, giving Jesse the win.
His first year was his only winning season in MLB. He finished with 6 wins and 5 losses. He sometimes started games and sometimes pitched in the middle innings to help out. The Orioles won their division that year. Jesse was ready to pitch in the playoffs, but he didn't get into a game.
Moving to the Chicago White Sox
In 1975, Jesse was traded from the Orioles to the Chicago White Sox. This trade happened in June. With the White Sox, Jesse became a regular starting pitcher again. He had 5 wins and 9 losses with them that year.
In 1976, he split his time between starting games and pitching from the bullpen (as a relief pitcher). After this season, a new team, the Toronto Blue Jays, picked him in a special draft for new teams.
Time with the Toronto Blue Jays
Jesse Jefferson had some of his best career moments with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1977. He started 33 games and pitched 217 innings, which were both career highs for him. He also struck out 114 batters that year.
One of his most memorable games was on May 16, 1980. He pitched against Mike Norris and the Oakland A's. Jesse pitched 11 innings and only allowed four hits, striking out ten batters. The Blue Jays won the game in the 11th inning, giving Jesse another win.
After this great game, Jesse had a tough time. He lost his next five games. His last game for Toronto was on September 1. He was then put on waivers, which means other teams could claim him.
Later Career and Retirement
The Pittsburgh Pirates picked Jesse up on September 11, 1980. He only pitched in one game for them, but he won it.
After that season, he signed with the California Angels. He started the 1981 season as a starting pitcher. However, after five starts, he moved to the bullpen. He pitched much better as a relief pitcher, with 2 wins and 0 losses. He tried to make the Orioles team again in 1982 but didn't succeed.
Jesse's Final Years
Jesse Jefferson passed away in 2011. He died from prostate cancer.
