Mickey McDermott facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mickey McDermott |
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McDermott in about 1953.
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: April 29, 1929 Poughkeepsie, New York, U.S. |
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| Died: August 7, 2003 (aged 74) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 24, 1948, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| August 10, 1961, for the Kansas City Athletics | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 69–69 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.91 | ||
| Strikeouts | 757 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Maurice Joseph "Mickey" McDermott Jr. (April 29, 1929 – August 7, 2003) was a talented left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for several teams from 1948 to 1961. Mickey was known for his powerful pitching and exciting games.
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Early Baseball Days
Mickey's father, Maurice Sr., loved baseball. He had played in the minor leagues. Maurice dreamed that one of his sons would become a baseball player.
Mickey first played first base, like his dad. But his coach at St. Mary's Grammar School noticed something special. Mickey's throws had a natural curve. He became a pitcher.
High School Star
By the time Mickey played for St. Patrick's High, he was amazing. He often got twenty strikeouts in a game. At just 13, he played for a semi-pro team. He even played against adults and some major league players.
Mickey had his first tryout at age 13 with the Brooklyn Dodgers. A scout named Mule Haas wanted to sign him. But Mickey was too young. It was against the rules.
Joining the Red Sox
When Mickey was 15, his father changed his birth certificate. It made Mickey seem 18 years old. But Joe Cronin, the general manager for the Red Sox, found out the truth.
Cronin and Mickey's father worked out a deal. Mickey's dad received a $5,000 signing bonus. He also got two truckloads of Ballantine Beer. This allowed Mickey to join the Red Sox.
Professional Career
Mickey McDermott began his professional baseball journey in the minor leagues. He quickly showed his talent. Later, he moved up to play in Major League Baseball.
Minor League Success
Mickey started with the Scranton Red Sox. This was a Double-A team for the Red Sox. He had a great first season. He finished with 16 wins and 6 losses. He also had a 3.29 ERA. He struck out 136 batters in 175 innings.
On July 14, 1946, Mickey was only 17. He threw a no-hitter against the Albany Senators. This made him possibly the youngest pitcher to throw a no-hitter in the high minor leagues.
The next year, he moved to the Triple-A Louisville Colonels. He struggled with his control there. So, he went back to Scranton to improve. He found his form again. He went 12–4 with four shutouts. He also struck out almost one batter per inning.
Another No-Hitter
During the playoffs, Mickey threw his second minor league no-hitter. He was playing against the Utica Blue Sox. In the ninth inning, he walked a batter. Then, a mistake happened. Mickey threw a fastball when his catcher expected a curve. The ball went past the catcher. The other team scored the only run. Mickey lost the game, even with a no-hitter.
Major League Debut
Mickey joined the Red Sox in 1948. He played in seven games. He had 16 strikeouts but also 35 walks. He was sent back to Scranton to get more experience. While there, he threw his third minor league no-hitter.
In 1949, Mickey was with the Louisville Colonels again. On May 24, he set a new record. He struck out 20 St. Paul Saints batters. This record was never broken in the American Association. Over his next four games, he struck out 19, 18, 17, and 19 batters. This set a record for the most strikeouts in five games, with 93.
The Red Sox brought Mickey up to the major leagues. He got his first big league win. He pitched eight shutout innings. He finished the season with 5 wins and 4 losses. He also had two shutouts.
Career Highlights
On May 29, 1952, Mickey pitched a one-hitter. He beat the Washington Senators 1–0. Only one batter got a hit against him. His best season was in 1953. He won 18 games and lost 10.
The next year, he was traded to the Senators. He finished his career with a 69–69 record. He played for several different teams. Mickey was also a good hitter for a pitcher. He had a .252 batting average in his career. He hit 9 home runs and had 74 RBI.
After Baseball
After his playing days, Mickey McDermott worked in baseball. He was an assistant pitching coach for the California Angels in 1967. He also threw batting practice.
Later, his former teammate Billy Martin hired him. Mickey became a scout for the Oakland A's. He wrote the first report on future star Mark McGwire.
Mickey also worked as an agent for baseball players. He helped recruit players. He represented players like Tony Armas and Marty Barrett.
Mickey became good friends with actor Paul Gleason and writer Jack Kerouac. He wrote a book about his life in baseball. It was called A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cooperstown. The book was released in April 2003. Mickey passed away on August 7, 2003, in Phoenix.
Images for kids
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Norman Rockwell's "The Rookie", a picture based on McDermott making the Red Sox roster. The "rookie" in the painting was Sherman Safford, a high school athlete who modeled for the painting.
