Ken Holtzman was a pitcher who threw two no-hitters with the Chicago Cubs and won three World Series with the Oakland A’s.
- Died: April 14, 2024 (Who else died on April 14?)
- Details of death: Died in St. Louis after battling heart issues at the age of 78.
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Ken Holtzman’s legacy
Holtzman grew up in St. Louis and played college baseball at the University of Illinois before being drafted by the Cubs in 1965. The left-hander joined the team’s starting lineup the following year. In 1969, Holtzman achieved his first major feat as a pitcher: He threw his first no-hitter in a game against the Atlanta Braves. His second no-hitter came in 1971, against the Cincinnati Reds. He was one of only 35 pitchers in Major League Baseball history to throw multiple no-hitters.
After the 1971 season, Holtzman was traded to the A’s, joining a team that was about to embark on a three-season streak of World Series victories. The first came in 1972, against the Reds; in 1973, they beat the Mets, and Holtzman notably started and won Games 1 and 7 in that series. Holtzman’s final World Series victory came in 1974 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he hit a home run in that game, the last pitcher to hit a World Series home run until 2008.
Holtzman later moved on to a brief career with the Baltimore Orioles, then was traded to the New York Yankees, where he spent parts of three seasons. He won a fourth World Series ring in 1977 with the Yankees, though he didn’t play in the postseason. After returning to the Cubs in 1978, Holtzman retired in 1979. Later, he briefly managed a team in the Israeli Baseball League. He is a member of the Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame and the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame, among others. With 174 wins, Holtzman was the winningest Jewish pitcher in MLB history.
Notable quote
“I’ve said many times my biggest thrill and accomplishment remains the first time I walked onto Wrigley Field in a Cubs uniform, because it validated all the hard work and sacrifices that I made to reach the big leagues. The other milestones were very satisfying but, in a sense, anti-climactic. Achieving a childhood dream is hard to surpass.” — from a 2016 interview for Jewish Baseball Museum
Tributes to Ken Holtzman
Full obituary: East Bay Times
