Mike Norris (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mike Norris |
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Norris in 2009
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: March 19, 1955 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 10, 1975, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| July 4, 1990, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 58–59 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.89 | ||
| Strikeouts | 636 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Michael Kelvin Norris (born March 19, 1955) is an American baseball player. He was a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). Mike played for the Oakland Athletics team. He was with them from 1975 to 1983 and again in 1990. Mike Norris won the Gold Glove Award twice. He was also chosen as an MLB All-Star in 1981.
Contents
Mike Norris's Baseball Journey
Mike Norris went to Balboa High School in San Francisco. The Oakland Athletics picked him in the first round of the draft. This happened in January 1973. He started playing in the major leagues in 1975. For his first five seasons, he had a tough time. His record was 12 wins and 25 losses.
His Amazing 1980 Season
In 1980, Mike Norris had a fantastic year. He won 22 games and lost only 9. He pitched 24 complete games. This means he pitched the whole game by himself. His earned run average (ERA) was 2.53. This was very low. He also allowed the lowest batting average against in the American League. This means batters struggled to hit against him. He won his first Gold Glove Award that year. This award is for excellent fielding.
Even with his great season, he did not win the Cy Young Award. This award goes to the best pitcher. Steve Stone won it instead. Stone had 25 wins and 7 losses. Mike Norris pitched more innings than Stone. He also gave up fewer hits, walks, and runs. His ERA was much better. But at that time, voters focused more on the number of wins.
All-Star and Gold Glove in 1981
In 1981, Mike Norris continued to play well. He had 12 wins and 9 losses. He earned his second Gold Glove Award. He was also picked to be an All-Star. This means he was one of the best players in the league.
During the playoffs, Norris pitched a complete game shutout. He did this against the Kansas City Royals. A shutout means the other team scored no runs. He also pitched well in the AL Championship Series. This was against the New York Yankees. Even though he pitched well, his team lost that game.
Later Career and Comeback
After 1981, Mike Norris did not play as strongly. Some baseball experts believe his manager, Billy Martin, made him pitch too much. They think this might have tired him out. In 1981, he threw about 131 pitches per complete game. This was a lot for a young pitcher.
He was sent to the minor leagues in 1983. He spent five years playing in the minor leagues. In 1990, he made a short comeback. He played as a relief pitcher. He had a good ERA of 3.00 in 27 innings. Mike Norris is the only player to win a game for the Oakland Athletics in three different decades. He is also the only player to spend his whole career with the Oakland Athletics for at least 10 years.
Life After Baseball
In 1999, Mike Norris was diagnosed with cervical myelopathy. This is a condition affecting the spine. He had surgery in 2000. After he recovered, he started playing golf as a hobby.
In 2007, he appeared at a baseball game. He was with other famous players. These included Dave Stewart, Mudcat Grant, and Vida Blue. They were at a game between the Texas Rangers and the Oakland Athletics. Mike Norris was known for his special green baseball glove.
See also
- Black Aces, a group of African-American pitchers who won 20 games in an MLB season.
- List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise
