- Pete Richert
Peter Gerard Richert (born
October 29 ,1939 inFloral Park, New York ) is a formerMajor League Baseball pitcher .Infobox MLB retired
bgcolor1=#000000
bgcolor2=#F87217
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
name=Pete Richert
position=Pitcher
bats=Left
throws=Left
birthdate=birth date and age|1939|10|29
debutdate=April 12
debutyear=by|1962
debutteam=Los Angeles Dodgers
finaldate=September 2
finalyear=by|1974
finalteam=Philadelphia Phillies
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=80-73
stat2label=Strikeout s
stat2value=925
stat3label=ERA
stat3value=3.19
teams=
*Los Angeles Dodgers (1962-1964, 1972-1973)
*Washington Senators (1965-1967)
*Baltimore Orioles (1967-1971)
*St. Louis Cardinals (1974)
*Philadelphia Phillies (1974)
highlights=
*World Series champions: 1970
*American League pennant: 1969, 1970, 1971
*All-Star in 1965, 1966A left-hander, Richert pitched for the
Los Angeles Dodgers (1962-64, 1972-73), Washington Senators (1965-67),Baltimore Orioles (1967-71),St. Louis Cardinals (1974) andPhiladelphia Phillies (1974).In his
Major league debut onApril 12 , by|1962 against theCincinnati Reds atDodger Stadium , Richert tiedKarl Spooner ’s record by striking out the first six batters he faced. This included a four-strikeout third inning; his victims wereFrank Robinson (his future Oriole teammate),Gordy Coleman (who reached first base on apassed ball byJohnny Roseboro ),Wally Post and Johnny Edwards. To date, he is the only player to record a four-strikeout inning in his Major League debut. Richert won the game in 3 1/3 innings of relief, giving up no hits or walks and striking out seven. That year, he went 5-4 as a spot starter in a rotation led by the future Hall-of-Fame duo ofDon Drysdale andSandy Koufax . In by|1963 he went 5-3 on a Dodger team that won the World Series; Richert did not pitch in the Series, which the Dodgers swept from theNew York Yankees .After the by|1964 season Richert, Frank Howard, and two other players were traded to the Washington Senators for two players (one of whom was fellow pitcher
Claude Osteen ) and $100,000 cash. Richert’s two full seasons with the Senators, by|1965 and by|1966, were the two best seasons of his career. In the former he won a career-high 15 games with a 2.60earned run average , also a career high. In the latter he went 14-14 with a 3.37 ERA and set a career-high with 195 strikeouts. He also struck out seven consecutive batters in anApril 24 game against theDetroit Tigers in the latter year, but still lost, 4-0. Richert was also an All Star during both seasons and was the losing pitcher in the latter game, giving up a single to ex-Dodger teammateMaury Wills , which scoredTim McCarver for the winning run in the 10th inning.After going 2-6 to start the by|1967 season Richert was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in the same deal that sent
Mike Epstein to Washington. Richert went 7-10 as an Oriole in this, his final season as a starter. In by|1968 he went 6-3 with a 3.47 earned run average in his first season as a relief pitcher.Richert pitched on an Oriole team that played in three consecutive
World Series from by|1969 to by|1971. In 1969 he went 7-4 with 12 saves and a 2.20 ERA. The Orioles lost the World Series in surprising fashion to theNew York Mets , and Richert was involved in a controversial play that ended Game Four. In the bottom of the tenth, with the game tied at 1-1,J. C. Martin laid down a bunt and was hit by Richert’s throw; the error allowedRod Gaspar to score the winning run from second. Television replays would later show that Martin had been running inside the baseline, which could have resulted in him being called out for interference.In by|1970 Richert went 7-2 with 13 saves and a 1.98 ERA. He was a member of the World Championship Orioles team that year, the Orioles defeating the
Cincinnati Reds in five games. Richert saved Game One of that Series in relief ofJim Palmer .In his 13 Major League seasons Richert won 80 against 73 losses, with a 3.19 ERA and 925 strikeouts in 1165 2/3
innings pitched .External links
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/r/richepe01.shtml Pete Richert’s career stats and analysis]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.