Calvin Coolidge Julius Caesar Tuskahoma McLish (December 1, 1925 – August 26, 2010), nicknamed "Bus", was an American professional

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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, ...

and coach, who played 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 ...

(MLB) between 1944 and 1964 for seven different teams including four seasons with the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...

and three seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies. He was a switch hitter and threw right-handed. In a 15-season major-league career, McLish posted a 92–92 win–loss record, with 713 strikeouts, and a 4.01 earned run average (ERA), in 1,609 innings pitched. His coaching career spanned 1965 to 1982.

Background

McLish was born in Anadarko, Oklahoma, on December 1, 1925. McLish's parents were John E. and Lula McLish. His father is listed as "Choctaw by Blood" with a blood quantum of 1/8th on the Dawes Rolls. He was the seventh of eight children. He was named for Calvin Coolidge,

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...

, and Tuskahoma, Oklahoma. He stated that the origin of his lengthy name is that his father was given permission to name the newborn, after not getting to name his previous six children, and he took full advantage of the opportunity. He was raised in

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...

, and went to its Central High School.

Playing career

McLish signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers before the 1944 season. He made his

debut with the Dodgers that year, the first time he played organized baseball. He spent 1945 in the

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, and was deployed in the Western Front of World War II. He returned to baseball in 1946, playing for the Dodgers. On May 3, 1947, the Dodgers traded McLish, Hank Behrman, Kirby Higbe, Dixie Howell, and Gene Mauch to the

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...

for Al Gionfriddo and $100,000 ($ in current dollar terms). In addition to pitching for Pittsburgh in 1948, he also pitched for the

Indianapolis Indians The Indianapolis Indians are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and play their home games at Victory ...

of the Class AAA American Association (AA). With McLish, the Indians won the AA pennant. After the 1948 season, the Pirates traded McLish and Frankie Gustine to the

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 ...

for Cliff Chambers and Clyde McCullough. He played in the minor leagues for the

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of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League (PCL) in 1949. McLish won 20 games for the Angels during the 1950 season. The Cubs sold McLish to the San Diego Padres, also in the PCL, in 1955. In 1956, McLish returned to MLB, pitching for the

. He had a 16-8 win–loss record for Cleveland during the 1958 season, with a 2.99 earned run average (ERA). In the 1958 and 1959 seasons, McLish set a major league record with 16 consecutive wins in road games. This was later surpassed by Greg Maddux. In 1959, McLish had a 19–8 win–loss record with a 3.62 earned run average. He appeared in the 1959 MLB All-Star Game, earning the save for 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 ...

. Despite having a chance for his 20th win, Indians management asked McLish to forgo his final start of the season so that Herb Score could pitch, as he returned from injury. After the 1959 season, the Indians traded McLish with Gordy Coleman and Billy Martin to the Cincinnati Redlegs for Johnny Temple. Disappointed by the trade, McLish said that Indians'

general manager A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...

Frank Lane "never did like me". McLish played for the Redlegs in 1960. After the season, they traded McLish and Juan Pizarro to the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...

for Gene Freese. Before the 1962 season, the White Sox sent McLish to the Philadelphia Phillies when Andy Carey, who they had traded to Philadelphia, refused to report. Carey instead went to the Dodgers, and McLish was sent to the Phillies. In 1963, McLish had a 13–11 win–loss record in 211 innings pitched, the most on the team. He suffered from an injured shoulder the next season, and the Phillies released McLish in July 1964. McLish also pitched for the Leones del Caracas of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League, posting a 14–12 record with a 2.69 ERA and 147 strikeouts in parts of two seasons spanning 1953–1956. He also helped himself with the bat, hitting .358 (54-for-151) with three home runs and 14 runs batted in, being used occasionally as a

pinch hitter In baseball, a pinch hitter (PH) is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead (not in active play); the manager may use any player who has not yet entered the game as a substitute. Unlike basketball, A ...

Coaching and scouting career

After his playing career, McLish became a major league pitching coach for the Phillies, under Mauch, the Phillies' manager. He coached for the Phillies in 1965 and 1966, and then spent the next two years scouting for the Phillies. He then followed Mauch to the expansion

Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos () were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in the National League (baseball), National League ...

in 1969, where he served as pitching coach and developed pitchers Bill Stoneman, Carl Morton, Steve Renko, and Ernie McAnally. He was ill in 1973 with bronchial pneumonia, and team doctors sent him home to recuperate. The Expos fired Mauch and McLish after the 1975 season. He was soon thereafter hired to coach the Milwaukee Brewers. He coached the Brewers from 1976 through 1982. He then served as a

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for the Brewers. He worked in professional baseball through 2005, when he was an instructor for the

Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...

Personal life

McLish was inducted to the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. McLish and his wife, Ruth, were married for 60 years. He had a daughter, three sons, and thirteen grandchildren. McLish died of leukemia at his home in Edmond, Oklahoma.

References

External links