Jim O'Toole facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jim O'Toole |
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: January 10, 1937 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Died: December 26, 2015 (aged 78) Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 26, 1958, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| July 22, 1967, for the Chicago White Sox | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 98–84 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.57 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,039 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
James Jerome O'Toole (born January 10, 1937 – died December 26, 2015) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox. His career lasted 10 years.
Contents
Jim O'Toole: A Baseball Star
Early Days and Minor League Success
After finishing high school in Chicago, Jim O'Toole went to the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He joined Major League Baseball with the Reds after playing only one season in the minor leagues. In 1958, he played for the Nashville Vols. He was a top player there, leading his league in wins (20), innings pitched, strikeouts, and walks.
Pitching for the Cincinnati Reds
Jim O'Toole was a very important pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds. From 1961 to 1964, he won many games each year. He helped the Reds win the National League championship in 1961. That year, he won 19 games and had a great earned run average (ERA) of 3.10. This ERA was the second best in the National League.
He was named the Player of the Month for September. He had a perfect 5–0 record and a low 2.53 ERA. He also had 37 strikeouts that month. He finished 10th in the voting for the MVP award.
In the 1961 World Series, O'Toole pitched very well, with an ERA of 3.00. However, he lost both of his games to Whitey Ford of the New York Yankees. The Yankees won the series against the Reds in five games.
In 1963, Jim O'Toole was chosen to be the starting pitcher for the National League in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. This was his only time playing in the All-Star Game. He pitched for 2 innings and allowed only 1 earned run. He later said that being chosen to start by manager Alvin Dark was one of the proudest moments of his career.
In 1964, he continued to be an excellent pitcher. He had his best career ERA of 2.66, which was the 6th best in the National League. His win-loss percentage was also very high, ranking third in the league. He was behind only Sandy Koufax and Juan Marichal, who are both famous players in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Later Career and Life
O'Toole played for the Cincinnati Reds until his last season in 1967. He finished his career playing for his hometown team, the Chicago White Sox. However, he had arm problems and could not pitch as well. He tried to return to baseball in 1969 with the Seattle Pilots, but he was cut from the team before the season began.
After his baseball career, Jim O'Toole had a successful job selling real estate in Cincinnati. He stayed active in his community. He supported many charities and took part in local events. In 2015, he was even the grand marshal for the St. Patrick's Day parade.
Jim O'Toole passed away on December 26, 2015, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was 78 years old and died from cancer.
