Orioles Card "O" the Day

An intersection of two of my passions: baseball cards and the Baltimore Orioles. Updated daily?

Friday, November 6, 2009

Vintage Fridays: Dave Leonhard, 1972 Topps #527

It may sound cliche, but sometimes it truly is a small world. Right-handed pitcher Dave Leonhard earned a history degree from Johns Hopkins University, just 1.8 miles from the Orioles' Memorial Stadium digs at East 33rd Street. The local club signed the Arlington, VA native as an amateur free agent in 1963 and called him up to the majors in 1967 after he had earned the International League Pitcher of the Year award at AAA Rochester (15-3, 2.61 ERA). He spent his entire major league career (1967-1972) in Baltimore, posting a 3.15 ERA mostly in relief. He remains the only big leaguer in the modern era (post-1900) to come from JHU. Despite starting just 29 games in his career, he tossed four shutouts, including a one-hitter, a two-hitter, a three-hitter (on weekend leave from the National Guard!), and a five-hitter.

That's Dave Leonhard in a nutshell...interesting guy.

3 comments:

Commishbob said...

Bob: "I'll take obscure Orioles for $200, Alex."

Alex: "The answer is: Jim Hutto"

Bob: "Uhhhh... What player never got a single hit for the O's even though they traded for him TWICE including once for Dave Leonard."

Alex: "Correct!"

Dinged Corners said...

Pitching for the cycle...

Kevin said...

Bob - "Jim Hutto" sounds like a Star Wars character.

Dinged Corners - If only that five-hitter had been a four-hitter...