Derek Jeter Career Highlights

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

The Detroit Tigers Mickey Lolich

In the 1968 World Series southpaw Mickey Lolich registered three complete game wins, and walked away with the MVP trophy. He sparked the Tigers to comeback from a 3 games to 1 deficit to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals.  He his three complete game victories haven't been matched in World Series play since. It wasn't until 2001, when another southpaw Randy Johnson would get three World Series wins. In game two of the World Series (8-1 Tiger win), he would hit the only home run of his career.

Lolich would sign with the Detroit Tigers out of high school and toiled in their farm system for five seasons until making his major league debut in the fifth season in 1963, when he went 5-9 splitting time between being a starter and reliever. It all changed in when he had a won-loss record of 18-9, tossed six shutouts finished with an ERA of 3.26.  Lolich would be a consistent starter for the Tigers, he won 14 or more games in 11 consecutive seasons.  From 1969 through 1974, Lolich would strike out 200 or more in six consecutive seasons. His best season would be in 1971, when he would lead MLB with 25 wins, 308 strike outs, 45 starts, 29 complete games, 376 innings pitched. He was an American League all-star three times in 1969, and 1971-1972. He would follow up the 1971 with 22 wins in 1972, and sending the Tigers into postseason as the American League East champions.

Lolich would be traded after the 1975 season to the New York Mets. He went 8-13 with a 3.22 ERA, and retired at the end of the season. After sitting out the 1977 season, he signed as a free agent with the San Diego Padres pitching two seasons making only seven starts in 47 appearances. 

He retired with a career won-loss record of 217-191 with an ERA of 3.44, and 2,832 strike outs. 

Roberto Clemente Baseball Star And Humanitarian

April 17, 1955. Roberto Clemente begins his Hall of Fame career with a single off Johnny Podres of the Dodgers. Clemente would bang out 2,999 more hits before he tragically lost his life in a plane crash on December 31, 1972. Clemente was bringing relief supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua when the plane he was in crashed. His career slash line was .317/.359/.475 with 240 home runs and 1305 RBI. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in1973 via of a special election.

Clemente was an All-Star 12 times in 18 seasons of play, and saw action in 15 games . He was the National League MVP in 1966, and World Series MVP in 1971, 12 times he won the Gold Glove award from 1961 to 1972.  He won four batting titles in 1961,  1964,  1965,  and 1967. His number #21 was retired by the Pittsburgh Pirates. 

He will be remembered not only for his play on the field, but his charity work that participated in the off-season. 

The Pirates Willie "Pops" Stargell

1979 was a banner year for the Pittsburgh Pirates and slugger Willie Stargell. Stargell would be named National League MVP, NLCS MVP, and World Series MVP in winning the three awards he became the only player to take home the awards. More remarkable he did it at age 39. He hit 32 home runs and had 82 RBI.

Overcoming racial prejudices in the minors leagues Stargell, he would make his debut with the Pirates in 1962 with his official rookie season in 1963. He spent 21 seasons with the Pirates. He hit 475 home runs and had 1540 RBI. After his award winning career in 1979, Stargell career went into decline. When Stargell retired in 1982, the Pirates retired his #8. 

Stargell was a seven-time National League all-star. The Pirates would win the World Series championship in 1971 and 1979. In 1971, he would hit a league leading 48 home runs with 125 RBI both would be career highs. In 1988 he would be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. 

Baseball History: Mariners Acquire Randy Johnson

April 25, 1989, the Seattle Mariners trade their starter Mark Langston, and minor league player Mike Campbell to the Montreal Expos for Brian Holman, Gene Harris, and a lefty named Randy Johnson. Johnson would anchor the Mariners staff for the next ten seasons. He would finish with a 130-74 record with a 3.42 ERA in Seattle. He would be a ten time All-Star, win five Cy Young Awards, a World Series Most Valuable Player Award, pitched both a no-hitter and a perfect game. He also pitched for the New York Yankees, Houston Astros, Arizona Diamondbacks, and San Francisco Giants. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015.