Larry Wayne Burchart (born February 8, 1946) is an American former

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 ...

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, ...

who appeared in 29

games A game is a Structure, structured type of play (activity), play usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an Educational game, educational tool. Many games are also considered to be Work (human activity), work (such as p ...

for 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 ...

College career

Burchart was a collegiate All American for

Oklahoma State University Oklahoma State University (informally Oklahoma State or OSU) is a public land-grant research university in Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States. The university was established in 1890 under the legislation of the Morrill Act. Originally known ...

, leading the Cowboys to two College World Series appearances. The Cowboys finished second in the nation during the 1966 campaign and fifth during the 1967 campaign. Burchart was inducted into the Oklahoma State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994.

Professional career

The ,

right-hander In human biology, handedness is an individual's preferential use of one hand, known as the dominant hand, due to and causing it to be stronger, faster or more dextrous. The other hand, comparatively often the weaker, less dextrous or simply le ...

was selected by the Dodgers in the third round of the secondary phase of the 1967

Major League Baseball draft The Major League Baseball draft (officially the Rule 4 Draft; also known as the first-year player draft or amateur draft) is the primary mechanism by which Major League Baseball (MLB) assigns amateur baseball players from high schools, colleg ...

out of Oklahoma State. He had been drafted the previous June by the Kansas City Athletics, who were unable to sign him. While with the Dodgers, Burchart led the

Ogden Dodgers The Ogden Dodgers were a Minor League Baseball team based in Ogden, Utah. The Ogden Dodgers played as members of the Pioneer Baseball League from 1966 to 1973. The Ogden Dodgers were an affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers (1966–1973). Future ...

, managed by

Tommy Lasorda Thomas Charles Lasorda (September 22, 1927 – January 7, 2021) was an American professional baseball pitcher and manager. He managed the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1976 through 1996. He was inducted into the Nation ...

, to the 1967 Pioneer League championship; Burchart was the winning pitcher in the clinching game, after which Lasorda commented that Burchart was one of the fiercest competitors he'd coached. After two successful seasons in the Dodger farm system, the Dodgers were unable to protect Burchart from being drafted by the Indians in the 1968

Rule 5 draft The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball (MLB) player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor lea ...

. The draft compelled Cleveland to keep Burchart on their Major League roster for the 1969 season or offer him back to the Dodgers. Working as a relief pitcher for the

Alvin Dark Alvin Ralph Dark (January 7, 1922 – November 13, 2014), nicknamed "Blackie" and "the Swamp Fox", was an American professional baseball shortstop and manager. He played fourteen years in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston/Milwaukee ...

-led Indians, Burchart allowed 42

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 24

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 ...

in 42⅓

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 ...

, with 26

strikeouts 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 ...

and no saves. Burchart experienced injuries during his 1969 season. He was seriously injured while covering first base against 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 ...

. George Scott of the Red Sox collided with Burchart, which led to the pitcher tearing the muscles of his shoulder and putting him on the disabled list. The Indians sent Burchart to their Triple-A

Wichita Aeros The Wichita Aeros were an American minor league baseball franchise based in Wichita, Kansas, that played in the Triple-A American Association from 1970 through 1984. The Aeros were established as an expansion franchise when the Association grew ...

affiliate, where he pitched in 1970–1971 before leaving the game.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burchart, Larry 1946 births Living people Albuquerque Dodgers players 20th-century American sportsmen Arizona Instructional League Dodgers players Cleveland Indians players Major League Baseball pitchers Ogden Dodgers players Oklahoma State Cowboys baseball players Baseball players from Tulsa, Oklahoma Wichita Aeros players