Richard Fred Drott (July 1, 1936 – August 16, 1985) was a
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
player who pitched for the
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
and the
Houston Colt .45s
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after s ...
. Drott, nicknamed "Hummer", started his major league career in 1957 with the Cubs. He won 15 games as a rookie, led the league in walks allowed, and finished third in balloting for Rookie of the Year. He graduated from
Western Hills High School in
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
,
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
.
On April 24, 1957, Drott was ejected from a game for using a wheelchair to wheel
Moe Drabowsky
Myron Walter Drabowsky (July 21, 1935 – June 10, 2006) was an American professional baseball pitcher, best-remembered for throwing scoreless innings of relief to win Game 1 of the 1966 World Series. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for ...
to first base after Drabowsky claimed he was hit on the foot by a pitch.
Arm injuries limited Drott's effectiveness after 1957. He was drafted during the regular phase of the
1961 MLB Expansion Draft
The 1961 MLB Expansion Draft was held by Major League Baseball on October 10, 1961, to fill the rosters of the New York Mets and the Houston Colt .45s, the new franchises which would enter the league in the 1962 season. The pool of players out of w ...
by the Houston Colt .45s. After posting a 2–12 record in 1963, Drott was sent back to the minor leagues. By 1965 he was finished playing professional baseball. Drott finished his career with a record of 27–46 with a lifetime 4.78 ERA in 176 games played.
Dick Drott died of
stomach cancer
Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, is a cancer that develops from the lining of the stomach. Most cases of stomach cancers are gastric carcinomas, which can be divided into a number of subtypes, including gastric adenocarcinomas. Lymph ...
at age 49.
References
External links
1936 births
1985 deaths
Baseball players from Cincinnati
Burlington Bees players
Deaths from cancer in Illinois
Cedar Rapids Indians players
Chicago Cubs players
Columbus Jets players
Deaths from stomach cancer
Des Moines Bruins players
Fort Worth Cats players
Houston Colt .45s players
Los Angeles Angels (minor league) players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Oklahoma City 89ers players
San Antonio Bullets players
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