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 October 17, 1960) is a former American professional baseball player. He was a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1984 to 1987. Ken was picked by the Baltimore Orioles in 1980 right after high school. He played for the Orioles for several years. Later, he was traded to the Seattle Mariners, but he didn't get to play in the major leagues after that.
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Ken Dixon's Baseball Journey
Starting in the Minor Leagues
Ken Dixon was chosen by the Baltimore Orioles in the 1980 Amateur Draft. He started playing for their rookie team, the Bluefield Orioles. Ken then moved up through different minor league teams. Even though his win-loss record wasn't always the best, he was really good at striking out batters.
When he played for the Orioles' team in Charlotte, fans would hold up "K" cards. They did this every time he struck out an opposing player. Between Charlotte and another team in Rochester, Ken struck out 107 batters. This showed how powerful his pitching was.
Making it to the Major Leagues
Ken Dixon made his big league debut in 1984. He played in only two games that year. But he impressed the Orioles enough to be promoted. He skipped playing for the Triple-A team in Rochester. Instead, he went straight from Double-A to the major leagues. In Double-A, he had a great record of 16 wins and 8 losses. He also struck out an amazing 211 batters.
In 1985, Ken played the whole season with the Baltimore Orioles. He won eight games and struck out 108 batters.
A Memorable Game and Injury
In July 1986, Ken was part of a big on-field argument. It happened during a game between the Orioles and the Chicago White Sox. Ken, who was pitching for Baltimore, got into a disagreement with a White Sox coach. Both were sent out of the game.
The next season, Ken won 11 games and had 170 strikeouts. However, he started having problems with his shoulder. He was sent to Rochester to try and fix his arm issues. He played well there, winning four games without any losses. Then he returned to the major leagues.
After the Orioles
In December 1987, Ken was traded from the Orioles to the Seattle Mariners. He was traded for another pitcher named Mike Morgan. But Ken's arm problems continued. He never got to pitch for Seattle.
He was later released by the Mariners. Ken then signed with the Orioles again, playing for their Double-A team. After that, he signed with the Cleveland Indians. He played a few games for their Double-A team before being released again.
The Shoulder Mystery
Doctors later found that Ken's shoulder problem was caused by calcium deposits. It was a very rare condition. Even a famous sports surgeon said he had never seen anything like it. Ken worked hard to recover from his injury. But by the time his shoulder was better, his chance to return to the major leagues was gone.
In 1996, Ken tried to make one last comeback. He played for an independent league team called the Newburgh Night Hawks. He won 4 games and had 68 strikeouts. At 35 years old, he finally stopped playing 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. Their goal is to teach kids in the Washington D.C. area about baseball.
Today, Ken often appears at Baltimore Orioles games. He is an active member of the team's alumni association. He meets fans and signs autographs for them.
Pitching Stats
- 105 Games Played
- 26 Wins
- 28 Losses
- 377 Strikeouts
- 4.66 Earned Run Average (ERA)
