Jimmie Le Roy McDonald (May 17, 1927 – October 23, 2004) was an American
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, ...
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 ...
who played for five different teams between
1950
Events January
* January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed.
* January 5 – 1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash, Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 ...
and
1958
Events
January
* January 1 – The European Economic Community (EEC) comes into being.
* January 3 – The West Indies Federation is formed.
* January 4
** Edmund Hillary's Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition completes the thir ...
. Listed at tall and , he batted and threw right-handed. The native of
Grants Pass, Oregon
Grants Pass is a city in and the county seat of Josephine County, Oregon, United States. The city is located on Interstate 5 in Oregon, Interstate 5, northwest of Medford, Oregon, Medford, along the Rogue River (Oregon), Rogue River. The populatio ...
, had a 16-year career (1945–1960) in 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 ...
.
McDonald attended
Modesto High School in
Modesto
Modesto ( ; ) is the county seat and largest city of Stanislaus County, California, United States. With a population of 218,069 according to 2022 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, it is the 19th-most populous city in California.
Modesto is locate ...
, California.
In the major leagues, McDonald worked a spot
starter and filled various roles coming out of the
bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if ...
as a
middle reliever and
set-up man. He debuted in the midst of the season with the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
, then joined the
St. Louis Browns
The St. Louis Browns were a Major League Baseball team that originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the Milwaukee Brewers. A charter member of the American League (AL), the Brewers moved to St. Louis, Missouri, after the 1901 season, where they ...
(1951),
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
(1952–1954),
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...
(1955) and
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 ...
(1956–1958). He went 3–4 with a 3.50
ERA
An era is a span of time.
Era or ERA may also refer to:
* Era (geology), a subdivision of geologic time
* Calendar era
Education
* Academy of European Law (German: '), an international law school
* ERA School, in Melbourne, Australia
* E ...
in 26 appearances for the Yankees champions, including five starts, but did not pitch during the
1952 World Series
The 1952 World Series featured the 3-time defending champions New York Yankees beating the Brooklyn Dodgers in seven games. The Yankees won their 4th consecutive title, tying the mark they set in 1936–1939 under manager Joe McCarthy, and Cas ...
. In , he posted career-highs in
wins (9),
complete game
In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
s (6),
shutouts
In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which the losing team fails to score. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball. Shutouts are usually seen as a result of ...
(2), and
innings pitched
In baseball, the statistic innings pitched (IP) is the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of Batter (baseball), batters and baserunners that have been put out while the pitcher is on the Baseball field#Pitcher's mou ...
(). He also was the
starter and winning pitcher in Game 5 of the
1953 World Series over the
Brooklyn Dodgers
The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1883 as the Brooklyn Grays. In 1884, it became a member of the American Association as the Brooklyn Atlantics before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brook ...
at
Ebbets Field
Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball stadium in the Flatbush, Brooklyn, Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York City, New York. It is mainly known for having been the home of the History of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Brooklyn Dodgers baseball tea ...
.
– 1953 World Series: Game 5 play by play In that game, McDonald allowed only two run (baseball), runs, both earned, over his first seven innings pitched, as the Yankees built a 10–2 advantage. McDonald faltered somewhat in the eighth, permitting four runs (three of them on a home run by Billy Cox) before he was relieved by left-hander Bob Kuzava. But the Yankees prevailed, 11–7, and won the Series in six games the following day.
In a nine-season MLB career, McDonald posted a 24–27 record with a 4.37 ERA in 136 games, including 55 starts, 15 complete game
In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
s, three shutout
In team sports, a shutout (North American English, US) or clean sheet (Commonwealth English, UK) is a game in which the losing team fails to score. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketba ...
s, 30 games finished
In baseball statistics, a relief pitcher is credited with a game finished (denoted by GF) if he is the last pitcher to pitch for his team in a game. A starting pitcher is not credited with a GF for pitching a complete game.
Mariano Rivera is the ...
, and one save. He allowed 489 hits
Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* '' H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block
* ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998
* ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014, a British compilation album s ...
and 231 bases on balls
A base on balls (BB), better known as a walk,
occurs in baseball when a batter receives four pitches during a plate appearance that the umpire calls '' balls'', and is in turn awarded first base without the possibility of being called out. The bas ...
, with 158 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, in 468 career innings pitched.
Transactions
*Before the 1945 season was signed by the Boston Red Sox as a free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...
.
*During the 1951 midseason, McDonald was sent by Boston, along with Matt Batts and Jim Suchecki, to the St. Louis Browns in exchange for Les Moss.
*Before the 1952 season was traded by St. Louis to the Yankees for Clint Courtney, who was the first catcher to wear glasses in major league history.
*In a 17-player trade before the 1955 season, the Yankees sent McDonald, Harry Byrd, Don Leppert, Bill Miller, Willy Miranda
Guillermo "Willy" Miranda Perez (May 24, 1926 — September 7, 1996) was a Cuban-born professional baseball player who played shortstop in the Major Leagues from 1951–1959. Though he was often dazzling in the field, he was a notoriously ligh ...
, Kal Segrist
Kal Hill Segrist (April 14, 1931 – June 26, 2015) was an American utility infielder in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees (1952) and Baltimore Orioles (1955). Listed at 6' 0", 180 lb., Segrist batted and threw right- ...
, Hal Smith, Gus Triandos
Gus Triandos (July 30, 1930 – March 28, 2013) was an American professional baseball player and scout. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher and a first baseman, most prominently as a member of the Baltimore Orioles where he was a fou ...
, Gene Woodling
Eugene Richard Woodling (August 16, 1922 – June 2, 2001) was an American professional baseball player, coach and scout. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder between and , most prominently as a member of the New York Yankees dyn ...
, and a minor leaguer to the Baltimore Orioles, in exchange for Mike Blyzka, Jim Fridley, Billy Hunter, Darrell Johnson, Dick Kryhoski, Don Larsen
Don James Larsen (August 7, 1929 – January 1, 2020) was an American professional baseball pitcher. During a 15-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, he pitched from 1953 to 1967 for seven different teams: the St. Louis Browns / Baltimore ...
and Bob Turley.
*In the 1955 midseason, was returned by Baltimore to the Yankees for Ed Lopat, but did not play for them.
*In 1956, he was dealt by New York to the Orioles, then purchased by the Chicago White Sox from Baltimore.
References
External links
Retrosheet
{{DEFAULTSORT:McDonald, Jim
1927 births
2004 deaths
Baltimore Orioles players
Baseball players from Oregon
Birmingham Barons players
Boston Red Sox players
Charleston Senators players
Chicago White Sox players
Denver Bears players
Indianapolis Indians players
Louisville Colonels (minor league) players
Lynn Red Sox players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Miami Marlins (International League) players
New York Yankees players
St. Louis Browns players
20th-century American sportsmen
Scranton Miners players
Scranton Red Sox players
Sportspeople from Grants Pass, Oregon
Vancouver Mounties players