Tom Gordon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tom Gordon |
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Gordon with the New York Yankees in 2005
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: November 18, 1967 Sebring, Florida, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 8, 1988, for the Kansas City Royals | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 3, 2009, for the Arizona Diamondbacks | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 138–126 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.96 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,928 | ||
| Saves | 158 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Thomas Gordon (born November 18, 1967), known as "Flash", is a former American professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). After retiring, he became a radio color commentator for the Boston Red Sox.
Gordon played for many teams during his career. These included the Kansas City Royals (1988–1995) and the Boston Red Sox (1996–1999). He also played for the Chicago Cubs (2001–02), Houston Astros (2002), and Chicago White Sox (2003). Later, he joined the New York Yankees (2004–05), Philadelphia Phillies (2006–2008), and Arizona Diamondbacks (2009).
In 1998, he had a fantastic year. He won the Rolaids Relief Man Award and led the American League (AL) in saves. He also led the league in games finished. From 1998 to 1999, Gordon set an MLB record. He had 54 consecutive saves, which means he successfully closed out 54 games in a row.
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Early Life and Baseball Start
Tom Gordon grew up in Avon Park, Florida. He was one of several children. His family faced tough times and did not even have a telephone.
He went to Avon Park High School. There, he was a star player in baseball. In 1986, the Kansas City Royals picked him in the sixth round of the MLB Draft. He received a $38,000 bonus for signing with the team.
Tom Gordon's Professional Baseball Journey
Starting Strong with the Kansas City Royals
Gordon started his MLB career as a starting pitcher for the Kansas City Royals. He played his first five games in 1988 when he was just 20 years old. In 1989, his first full season, he became a big hit in Kansas City.
He had a great record of 17 wins and 9 losses. His ERA was 3.64. He finished second in the voting for the Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award. That year, he also got 153 strikeouts. This was the tenth highest in the American League, earning him the nickname "Flash".
Gordon continued to get many strikeouts in 1990 and 1991. However, his wins went down, and his ERA went up. In 1992, he had a tough season with a 6–10 record and a 4.59 ERA. He improved from 1993 to 1995, but he never quite reached his amazing rookie form. Before the 1996 season, Gordon left the Royals and joined the Boston Red Sox.
Becoming a Closer for the Boston Red Sox
In his first year with the Red Sox, Gordon had a 12–9 record. His ERA was 5.59, which was his highest at that time. But over the next two years, the Red Sox changed his role. They made him a closer, which is a pitcher who finishes games.
This change made his career shine again. In 1998, Gordon set a new team record for saves with 46. He also had 43 saves in a row. This success led him to be chosen for his first All-Star Team.
His success continued into 1999. In June, he set a major league record with his 54th consecutive save. However, an elbow injury limited him to only 21 games. He needed surgery, called Tommy John surgery, which made him miss all of the 2000 season.
His popularity in Boston was so high that writer Stephen King mentioned him. King's 1999 novel, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, features a young fan who loves Tom Gordon.
Moving to Other Teams
After his time with the Red Sox, Gordon played for several other teams.
- Chicago Cubs (2001–2002): The Chicago Cubs signed Gordon to a two-year contract in December 2000.
- Houston Astros (2002): In August 2002, the Cubs traded Gordon to the Houston Astros. He became a middle reliever for Houston. He finished the season healthy, which was a big achievement for him.
- Chicago White Sox (2003): Gordon signed with the Chicago White Sox in January 2003. He helped the team's bullpen. In September, another pitcher, Éric Gagné, broke Gordon's consecutive save record. Gordon was not upset, saying he didn't even know whose record he had broken. He had a strong season with 7 wins and 6 losses, a 3.16 ERA, and 12 saves.
Joining the New York Yankees
From 2004 to 2005, Gordon played for the New York Yankees. He was a very important part of their bullpen. He often served as a set-up pitcher for their famous closer, Mariano Rivera. He also worked as a middle reliever in tough game situations.
By this point, Gordon had achieved a lot in his career. He had 122 wins and 111 losses. He also had 1733 strikeouts, a 3.99 ERA, and 114 saves.
Time with the Philadelphia Phillies
Before the 2006 season, Gordon signed a three-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. He started as their closer in 2006. In May 2007, he had an arm injury and was placed on the disabled list. When he returned, Brett Myers had taken over as closer, and Gordon became a late-inning reliever.
Gordon was chosen for the 2006 National League All-Star Team. He was the leading vote-getter from the players. In 2008, he had another elbow injury. He missed the rest of the season but was still part of the team. He earned his only World Series ring when the Phillies won the 2008 World Series.
Final Season with the Arizona Diamondbacks
In 2009, Gordon signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He started the season on the disabled list to recover from his elbow injury. In May, shortly after returning, he injured his hamstring while playing. He had only made three appearances for the team.
In August, the Diamondbacks released him. Gordon did not want to retire. He felt he could still play and wanted to pitch in a World Series again.
Retirement from Baseball
On August 9, 2010, Tom Gordon announced his retirement. He said he was "fine" with it, even though he still felt he could compete.
He retired as the only pitcher in MLB history to have over 100 wins, over 100 saves, and over 100 holds. This shows how versatile and successful he was throughout his career.
Career Highlights and Achievements
- Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award (1998)
- Led the American League in saves (1998)
- Led the American League in games finished (69, 1998)
- Set an MLB record with 54 consecutive saves (1998–99)
- Led the American League in Holds (36) in 2004
- Three-time All-Star (1998, 2004, 2006)
- Only pitcher in MLB history with 100 wins, 100 saves, and 100 holds.
- World Series Champion (2008)
Tom Gordon's Family
Tom Gordon has five children: Tamasha, Devaris (Dee), Thomas, Thomana, and Nicholas (Nick).
His oldest son, Dee, is also a professional baseball player. He most recently played for the Washington Nationals. His youngest son, Nick, was picked fifth overall in the 2014 Major League Baseball draft by the Minnesota Twins. Nick joined the Twins' major league team in 2021.
Tom Gordon is also the guardian of Cleveland Guardians minor league pitcher Juan Hillman.
Some of Gordon's other family members also played professional baseball. His brother, Anthony Gordon, played seven minor league seasons. His cousin, Clyde "Pork Chop" Pough, played seven seasons in MiLB and more in other leagues.
Images for kids
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Gordon with the New York Yankees in 2005
See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders
