Ken Dixon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ken Dixon |
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: October 17, 1960 Monroe, Virginia, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 22, 1984, for the Baltimore Orioles | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 14, 1987, for the Baltimore Orioles | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 26–28 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.66 | ||
| Strikeouts | 377 | ||
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Kenneth John Dixon, born on October 17, 1960, is a former American professional baseball player. He was a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1984 to 1987. The Baltimore Orioles drafted him in 1980 from Amherst County High School. Dixon played for the Orioles before being traded to the Seattle Mariners. However, he did not pitch in the major leagues after the trade.
Contents
Ken Dixon's Baseball Journey
Starting His Professional Career
The Baltimore Orioles picked Ken Dixon in the third round of the 1980 Amateur Draft. He began his professional journey with the Bluefield Orioles. This team was a rookie league affiliate in the Appalachian League.
Dixon's early career had some challenges. He moved between rookie league and single-A teams. Despite a 6–14 record, he showed great potential.
Impressive Strikeouts and Promotions
Even with losing records for Orioles teams in Charlotte and Rochester, Dixon was known for his strikeouts. Fans in Charlotte would even hold up "K" cards when he struck out a batter. Between Charlotte and Rochester, he struck out 107 batters.
Dixon made his MLB debut in 1984. He played in only two games that year. He had a 4.16 ERA and struck out 8 batters.
Life in the Major Leagues
The Orioles were impressed and promoted him directly from Double-A Charlotte. He skipped Triple-A Rochester. In Double-A, Dixon had a 16–8 record and struck out 211 batters.
Dixon spent the entire 1985 season with Baltimore. He won eight games and lost four. He also struck out 108 batters that year.
In July 1986, Dixon was involved in a big on-field argument. It happened during a game between Baltimore and the Chicago White Sox. Orioles catcher Rick Dempsey was hit by a pitch from White Sox pitcher Gene Nelson.
Dempsey then charged towards Nelson. Dixon, who was pitching for Baltimore, got into an argument with White Sox coach Doug Rader. Both men exchanged punches. After the argument ended, Dixon, Dempsey, and Rader were all removed from the game.
Orioles manager Earl Weaver protested the game. He felt the umpires unfairly singled out Dixon. He also thought Nelson should have been removed for starting the incident.
The next season, Dixon had 11 wins and 13 losses. He also recorded 170 strikeouts. However, he started having problems with his shoulder. He was sent to Rochester in 1987 to work on his shoulder issues. He had a 4–0 record there before returning to the major leagues.
Dealing with Injuries and Retirement
Dixon was traded to the Seattle Mariners in December 1987 for pitcher Mike Morgan. Unfortunately, Dixon's arm problems continued. He never pitched for Seattle.
He was later released by the Mariners. He then signed with the Orioles again, playing for their Double-A team in Hagerstown. Dixon was released mid-season and signed with the Cleveland Indians. He played a few games for their Double-A team in Canton before being released again.
It was later discovered that calcium deposits were causing Dixon's shoulder problems. This was a very rare condition. Even Dr. James Andrews, a famous sports surgeon, had not seen it before. Dixon worked hard to recover from his shoulder injury. However, by the time he was healthy, his chance to return to the major leagues was gone.
In 1996, Dixon tried to make a comeback. He played for the Newburgh Night Hawks, an independent league team. He had 4 wins and 2 losses, with 68 strikeouts. At 35 years old, he finally retired from baseball for good.
Diamond Dream Foundation
After his baseball career, Ken Dixon teamed up with his friend Bob Duff. They created the Diamond Dream Foundation. This foundation helps bring the game of baseball to young people in the Washington D.C. area.
Dixon still attends Baltimore Orioles games. He is an active member of the team's alumni association. He often meets fans and signs autographs.
Pitching Statistics
- 105 Games played
- 26 Wins
- 28 Losses
- 377 Strikeouts
- 4.66 ERA
