Tom Glavine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tom Glavine |
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Glavine with the New York Mets in 2005
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: March 25, 1966 Concord, Massachusetts, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| August 17, 1987, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| August 14, 2008, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 305–203 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.54 | ||
| Strikeouts | 2,607 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 2014 | ||
| Vote | 91.9% (first ballot) | ||
Thomas Michael Glavine (born March 25, 1966) is a famous American former professional baseball pitcher. He played for 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He spent most of his career with the Atlanta Braves (1987–2002, 2008) and also played for the New York Mets (2003–2007).
Glavine was one of the best pitchers of his time. He won 164 games in the 1990s, more than almost any other pitcher in the National League. He won 20 games in a season five times and earned the Cy Young Award twice. He is one of only 24 pitchers in MLB history to reach 300 career wins.
In 1995, Glavine was named the Most Valuable Player when his team, the Braves, won the World Series against the Cleveland Indians. In 2014, he was chosen for the Baseball Hall of Fame in his very first year of eligibility. He received 91.9% of the votes.
Contents
Early Life and School Years
Tom Glavine was born in Concord, Massachusetts, and grew up in Billerica, Massachusetts. He went to Billerica Memorial High School. Tom was a great student and excelled in both ice hockey and baseball. He was on the honor roll for four years and was part of the National Honor Society.
In hockey, he scored 47 goals and 47 assists in just 23 high school games. In his senior year, he was named the Most Valuable Player in the Merrimack Valley. In baseball, he led his team to two championships in his senior year. He graduated from high school with honors in 1984. Later, in 1993, he was added to the Billerica Memorial/Howe High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
Tom Glavine's Professional Baseball Career
Tom Glavine was so talented that he was drafted by two different professional sports leagues in 1984. The Los Angeles Kings picked him for hockey, and the Atlanta Braves picked him for baseball. Glavine chose to play baseball. He made his first appearance in Major League Baseball on August 17, 1987.
Playing for the Atlanta Braves (1987–2002)
Glavine's first few years in the majors were a bit up and down. From 1987 to 1990, his record was 33 wins and 43 losses. But things changed for him in 1991. That year, he won 20 games and had a low earned run average (ERA) of 2.55. This was the first of three years in a row where he won 20 or more games. He also won his first National League Cy Young Award that year.
Glavine was a key pitcher for the 1991 Braves team. His strong pitching helped the Braves turn things around and reach the World Series. Even though they lost to the Minnesota Twins, it was a huge step for the team. Glavine was the last pitcher in Major League Baseball to win 20 games for three years in a row (1991–1993).
The Braves became one of the most successful teams in the 1990s. This was thanks to their amazing pitchers and strong hitters. After the Braves signed Greg Maddux in 1993, Glavine, Maddux, and John Smoltz formed one of the best pitching groups ever. Together, they won seven Cy Young Awards between 1991 and 1998. Glavine won his second Cy Young Award in 1998, with a record of 20 wins and 6 losses, and a 2.47 ERA.
In the 1995 World Series, the Braves beat the Cleveland Indians. Glavine was named the Series MVP for his outstanding performance. He won two games in that series, including Game 6, where he pitched eight innings and allowed only one hit. Besides the 1995 championship, Glavine also played in four other World Series with the Braves.
Playing for the New York Mets (2003–2007)
In 2003, Glavine left the Braves and joined their rival, the New York Mets. He signed a four-year contract. His first year with the Mets was tough, and he had a losing record of 9 wins and 14 losses.
In 2004, Glavine started strong, even pitching a one-hit shutout against the Colorado Rockies. He was also chosen for the National League All-Star team. In 2005, he improved his game after getting advice from his pitching coach. He finished the season with a 13–13 record and a good 3.53 ERA.
Glavine returned to his top form in 2006. He almost led the National League in wins and was again an All-Star. In August 2006, doctors checked his pitching shoulder for a blood clot, but it was treated with medicine. He finished the 2006 season with a great 15–7 record and a 3.82 ERA. The Mets won their division, and Glavine played in the playoffs for the first time since leaving the Braves. He pitched very well in the playoffs, helping the Mets win their first two series games.
Glavine signed with the Mets again for the 2007 season. He needed only 10 more wins to reach the amazing milestone of 300 career wins. On August 5, 2007, he achieved his 300th win against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. He became the 23rd pitcher and only the fifth left-handed pitcher to reach this milestone.
However, on September 30, 2007, Glavine had a very difficult game. He pitched in the final game of the season against the Florida Marlins. The Mets needed to win to make the playoffs, but Glavine allowed seven runs in less than an inning. The Mets lost and were eliminated from playoff contention. After the season, Glavine decided not to stay with the Mets.
Returning to the Atlanta Braves (2008) and Retirement
On November 18, 2007, Glavine rejoined the Braves, which felt like a full circle for his career. He signed a one-year contract. On April 18, 2008, Glavine was placed on the disabled list for the first time in his 22-year career.
On May 14, 2008, Glavine won his first game back with the Braves. This was his 304th career win. His last game was on August 14, 2008, where he struggled with a shoulder injury. He was placed on the disabled list again a few days later.
In February 2009, Glavine agreed to return to the Braves again, but the team released him in June. On February 11, 2010, he officially announced his retirement from baseball. After retiring, Glavine took a job as a special assistant to the Braves president. He also worked as a guest analyst for some Braves games.
The Braves honored Tom Glavine by retiring his jersey number, 47, on August 6, 2010. This means no other Braves player will ever wear that number again.
Tom Glavine's Pitching Style
Tom Glavine was a left-handed pitcher. As he got older, his pitches didn't go as fast. But he was still a very effective pitcher because of his amazing control and ability to trick hitters. He would change the speed of his pitches and place them exactly where he wanted, often just off the outside edge of the strike zone.
His main strategy was to start with his circle changeup pitch, making it look like it was going to be a strike but then moving it outside. Then he would mix in fastballs and changeups to confuse batters. Even though batters often hit his pitches, the way he made the ball move meant they usually hit soft ground balls or easy fly outs. Glavine was also known for how durable he was. From 1988 until his final season at age 42, he started at least 25 games every year and was never on the disabled list.
Besides his excellent changeup and controlled fastball, Glavine also had a good curve ball, a slider, and a two-seam fastball. Interestingly, even though he was left-handed, he was often more effective against right-handed batters. This might have been because he pitched from the far right side of the pitching rubber.
Glavine was also a good hitter for a pitcher. He had a career batting average of .186, which is good for a pitcher. In 1996, he hit his career best of .289. He was also good at getting walks, which meant he got on base often. This made it harder for opposing pitchers to treat him as an easy out. Glavine won four Silver Slugger Awards, which is a lot for a pitcher.
Tom Glavine's Role in the Players' Union
Starting in 1991, Tom Glavine was the Atlanta Braves' team representative for the Major League Baseball Players Association. This is the union that represents all MLB players. He took over from Braves legend Dale Murphy.
Before and during the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike, Glavine was very involved in talks between the players' union and the team owners. He often spoke to the press about these discussions. The strike caused the 1994 World Series to be canceled and lasted for seven and a half months. When games started again in 1995, some Braves fans booed Glavine because of his role in the strike.
Tom Glavine's Personal Life
Tom Glavine and his wife Christine got married in 1998. They have a blended family with five children. One of their sons, Peyton, was drafted by an MLB team in 2017 but chose to play baseball at Auburn University first. He now pitches for the Washington Nationals organization.
The Glavine family lives in Johns Creek, Georgia. Tom coaches his sons' hockey teams. He is a Roman Catholic and is a member of Catholic Athletes for Christ.
Tom Glavine is known for being humble about his achievements. He also loves to play golf. A friend once gave him golf balls that had his jersey number, 47, on one side and his career losses, 203, on the other. This gift was given around the time he found out he would be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
In July 2021, Glavine was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame's Board of Directors.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders
- Major League Baseball titles leaders
Images for kids
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Glavine signs autographs for fans in 2014
