Scipio Spinks facts for kids

Scipio Ronald Spinks (born July 12, 1947) is a former professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Houston Astros and St. Louis Cardinals from 1969 to 1973.

Scipio Spinks: A Baseball Journey

Early Career Highlights

Scipio Spinks was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was a very talented baseball player from a young age. He graduated from Harlan High School in Chicago. The Houston Astros baseball team picked him in the 1966 draft.

In August 1966, he set an amazing record. While playing in the Northern League, he struck out 20 batters in one game. This means he got 20 players out by throwing pitches they couldn't hit.

In 1968, he had a great season in the Carolina League. He won 9 games and lost 6. His earned run average (ERA) was 2.27, which is very good for a pitcher. An ERA measures how many earned runs a pitcher gives up per nine innings.

Spinks was known for throwing the ball very fast. He sometimes had trouble controlling where his pitches went. However, he was also very good at striking out batters. In the American Association, he struck out about one batter for every inning he pitched.

Joining the Cardinals

On April 15, 1972, Scipio Spinks was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. He moved from the Houston Astros along with another player, Lance Clemons. In return, the Astros received pitcher Jerry Reuss.

Spinks started the 1972 season playing for the Cardinals' main team. He pitched very well that year. By the middle of the season, he was one of the best in the National League for strikeouts. Only famous pitchers Steve Carlton and Tom Seaver had more strikeouts than him. He finished the season with a strong 2.67 ERA.

A Career-Changing Injury

Scipio Spinks was very fast for a pitcher. Because of his speed, the Cardinals often used him as a pinch runner. A pinch runner is a player who comes into the game just to run the bases for another player.

On July 4, 1972, a major event changed his career. While running from first base to score a run, he collided with Cincinnati Reds catcher Johnny Bench. This happened at home plate, which is the final base a player must touch to score. Spinks did score the run, but he seriously injured his right knee. He tore ligaments, which are strong tissues that connect bones. This injury made him miss the rest of the 1972 season.

In 1973, he tried to come back and pitched in only eight games. Unfortunately, he then got a shoulder injury. These injuries made it very hard for him to pitch like he used to.

Just before spring training in 1974, Spinks was traded again. He went to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Jim Hickman. He spent the next three years playing for different teams' minor league clubs. These included teams in the Cubs, New York Yankees, and Astros organizations. However, he never fully recovered from his injuries. He finally retired from playing baseball in 1976.

After Professional Baseball

After his playing career ended, Scipio Spinks stayed involved in baseball. He became a scout, which means he travels to watch new players and find talent for teams. He also worked as a pitching coach, helping other pitchers improve their skills.

He worked for the San Diego Padres and Houston Astros organizations. As of 2016, he was a professional scout for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He currently lives in the Houston area with his wife. He is also the head coach for the University of Houston-Downtown Gators baseball team.