Geoffrey Clayton Zahn (born December 19, 1945) is an American former professional
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...
. He pitched thirteen seasons in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
from 1973 to 1985. In his career, he had a
Win–loss record of 111–109, an
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
of 3.74, and 705
strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It means the batter is out, unless the third strike is not caught by the catcher and the batter reaches first base safe ...
s.
Playing career
Amateur and minors
Zahn played for
Toledo DeVilbiss High School and the
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...
. He was selected by the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
in the fifth round of the January
1968 Major League Baseball draft. After signing with the Dodgers, he played in the minor leagues for six years before making his major league debut on September 2, 1973.
Zahn served in the
Washington Air National Guard as a member of the
141st Air Refueling Wing. He reached the rank of
staff sergeant
Staff sergeant is a Military rank, rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services.
History of title
In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administr ...
at least.
Major leagues
During his major league career, Zahn pitched with the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
and
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
of the
National League
National League often refers to:
*National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada
*National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
and the
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...
and
California Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West Division. Since 1966, the team has pl ...
of the
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is the younger of two sports leagues, leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western L ...
. Geoff won ten or more games for six consecutive seasons (1977–82) with the Twins and Angels, totaling 81 wins over that span.
Zahn's best season came in 1982 when he compiled an 18–8 record, helping the Angels win the
American League Western Division crown. Zahn was selected as the left-handed pitcher on the ''
Sporting News
''The Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a ...
'' AL All-Star Team after the 1982 season.
Coaching career
Zahn was the head of
Michigan
Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
baseball from 1996 to 2001. He compiled a record 163–169–2 over six seasons, leading the Wolverines to a championship in the 1999 Big Ten Tournament. During the 1995 season, Zahn had served as an assistant coach at
Pepperdine.
Zahn Resigns as Michigan Baseball Head Coach
''mgoblue.com''
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zahn, Geoff
1945 births
Living people
Albuquerque Dodgers players
20th-century American sportsmen
United States Air Force non-commissioned officers
Albuquerque Dukes players
Arizona Instructional League Dodgers players
Baseball players from Baltimore
California Angels players
Chicago Cubs players
Daytona Beach Dodgers players
El Paso Dodgers players
Leones del Caracas players
American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
Los Angeles Dodgers players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Military personnel from Baltimore
Michigan Wolverines baseball coaches
Michigan Wolverines baseball players
Minnesota Twins players
Spokane Indians players
Wichita Aeros players
Washington National Guard personnel
Pepperdine Waves baseball coaches