Mike Marshall, 1st reliever to win Cy Young, dies at 78
He was not on the list.
Mike Marshall, who became the first reliever to win the Cy Young Award when he set a major league record by pitching 106 games in a season for the Los Angeles Dodgers, has died. He was 78.
Marshall died Monday night at home in Zephyrhills, Florida, where he had been receiving hospice care, according to the Dodgers, who spoke Tuesday to his daughter, Rebekah. She did not give a cause of death.
The team planned a moment of silence for Marshall before a game against St. Louis.
Marshall pitched in the majors from 1967 to 1981 for nine teams, compiling a record of 97-112 and 3.14 ERA. He recorded 880 strikeouts and 188 saves.
Marshall won the NL Cy Young Award in 1974, going 15-12 with a 2.42 ERA and 21 saves. The right-hander nicknamed “Iron Mike” set major league records that season for most appearances, relief innings (208 1/3), games finished (83) and consecutive games pitched (13).
He was an All-Star with the Dodgers in 1974 and ’75. He jogged to the mound from the bullpen, common for relievers today, rather than be driven in a cart as was customary then.
In the 1974 postseason, Marshall pitched in two NL Championship Series games and all five World Series games, in which the Dodgers lost 4-1 to Oakland. He saved the Dodgers’ lone win, preserving a 3-2 victory in Game 2 by picking off speedy pinch-runner Herb Washington at first base in the ninth inning.
Marshall still holds the American League record for games pitched in a season with 90 for the Minnesota Twins in 1979. He led his league in games pitched four times, saves three times and games finished five times.
He was known for throwing the screwball, an elusive pitch that breaks in the opposite direction of a slider or curveball. Depending on the pitcher’s arm angle, the ball could also have a sinking action. Fernando Valenzuela later won the Cy Young throwing the same difficult pitch for the Dodgers.
Screwballs like Marshall’s have fallen out of favor with big league pitchers in recent generations. In fact, the only player to throw one in the majors this season is related to Marshall. Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Brent Honeywell Jr. learned the screwball from his father who was Marshall’s cousin.
Marshall won the National League Cy Young Award in 1974 as a member of the Dodgers, as well as being named the NL Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News. During the 1974 season he set a Major League record for most appearances by a relief pitcher, appearing in 106 games. He was a member of the National League All Star Team in 1974 and 1975. Marshall was also named Fireman of the Year by TSN with three different teams: in the NL in 1973 with the Montreal Expos, in 1974 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and a third time in 1979 in the American League with the Minnesota Twins (sharing the award with Jim Kern). He was voted the Montreal Expos Player of the Year in 1972 and 1973, and was also an original member of the Seattle Pilots.
Marshall was born in Adrian, Michigan, on January 15, 1943. He attended Adrian High School in his hometown, before studying at Michigan State University. He was signed as an amateur free agent by the Philadelphia Phillies on September 13, 1960
Teams
Detroit Tigers (1967)
Seattle Pilots (1969)
Houston Astros (1970)
Montreal Expos (1970–1973)
Los Angeles Dodgers (1974–1976)
Atlanta Braves (1976–1977)
Texas Rangers (1977)
Minnesota Twins (1978–1980)
New York Mets (1981)
Some of his notable teammates, managers, coaches, club owners and commentators were: Mayo Smith, John Fetzer, Jim Campbell, George Kell, Steve Barber, Al Kaline, Willie Horton, Norm Cash, Dick McAuliffe, Bill Freehan, Mickey Lolich, Earl Wilson, Denny McLain, Dewey Soriano, Joe Schultz, Tommy Davis, Don Mincher, Billy Williams, Tommy Harper, Gene Brabender, Gordy Lund, Spec Richardson, César Gerónimo, Jimmy Wynn, César Cedeño, Joe Morgan, Bob Watson, Gene Mauch, Charles Bronfman, Jean-Pierre Roy, Rusty Staub, Mack Jones, Bill Stoneman, Steve Renko, Don Drysdale, Jackie Robinson, Bob Bailey, Bill Stoneman, Larry Doby, Ken Singleton, Ron Fairly, Felipe Alou, Mike Jorgensen, Dave Van Horne, Walter Alston, Walter O’Malley, James Mulvey, Al Campanis, Jerry Doggett, Vin Scully, Steve Yeager, Charlie Manuel, Tommy Lasorda, Don Sutton, Geoff Zahn, Tommy John, Charlie Hough, Ron Cey, Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Buckner, Bill Russell, Tom Paciorek, Andy Messersmith, Willie Crawford, Joe Ferguson, Juan Marichal, Doug Rau, Burt Hooton, Jaime Jarrín, Rudy Hoyos, Dusty Baker, Rick Sutcliffe, Ted Turner, Dave Bristol, Dale Murphy, Cito Gaston, Darrell Evans, Jerry Royster, Phil Niekro, Jeff Burroughs, Gary Matthews, Skip Caray, Ernie Johnson, Pete Van Wieren, Bradford G. Corbett, Bert Blyleven, Toby Harrah, Mike Hargrove, Jim Fregosi, Gaylord Perry, Calvin Griffith, Rod Carew, Dan Ford, Roy Smalley, Dave Goltz, Roger Erickson, John Castino, Ken Landreaux, Butch Wynegar, Jerry Koosman, Marty Pattin, Hubie Brooks, Jesse Orosco, Joe Torre, Dave Kingman, Jeff Reardon, Mike Scott, Bob Gibson, Mookie Wilson, Lee Mazzilli and Wally Backman.
