baseball born mike november january nicknamed big bear mexican mike american right handed pitcher major_league_baseball mlb grew entered minor league baseball age season joined served years following military discharge returned baseball promoted mlb played major league seasons cleveland_indians joined indians big pitching staff historians consider big greatest starting pitching baseball history seasons big compiled record wins losses win seasons led american_league earned run average era twice best season came indians won league record games baseball historian said best pitcher year remained indians success achieved seasons cleveland finished losing records times leaving indians spent season chicago_white_sox season retired baseball developed diabetes years suffered kidney disease heart problems death died outside cleveland age buried home state california member big elected included list greatest indians inducted baseball experts teammates commented pitching fine control low era early life born california grew ranch california mexican father moved family mike years old mike father raised horses mike race participated race thrown horse played years high school baseball years pitching baseball cleveland indians scout noticed california butler signed amateur free agent organization class farm team earned win loss record spent years united_states_army world war discharged military age returned cleveland organization played class indians era strikeouts led league earned wins joined cleveland_indians spring training assigned class barons cleveland coach finished season wins era pitched double earned wins major_league career early career debuted indians october indians played world series allowed hits runs innings struck batter indians won world series games franchise second world series victory world series appearance nicknamed big bear teammate large frame listed feet inch career said actual playing weight acquired nickname mexican mike press minority status novelty indians signed black player american_league team add manager latino players squad included mexican player early paired room signed team speak english served translator season returned indians newspaper article predicted fill big needs cleveland bullpen saw action starter relief pitcher year starting regular season appearances finished rookie season record league leading era strikeouts fellow pitcher said beginning mike quick pitcher big guy certainly mobile year removed rookie season expectations indians general manager pitching coach key piece indians rotation great pitcher reason reach greatness season said finished season season media sources given nickname big pitching combination learned control harder taught spring training harder said terrific fastball good pitcher learning working control cleveland sportswriter wrote day died tell success owed harder admitted throwing occasional illegal pitch maybe dozen life sure plenty great pitchers said pitched hit complete game june cleveland win helping indians beat new_york_yankees pitcher time years game record season improved season mark august reached career high wins victory recorded second career home run won games finished fifth saves star seasons consecutive star teams indians battled american_league pennant heading september began month consecutive game indian win streak indians faced yankees september associated_press columnist labeled big game loss gave earned runs hits innings finished season record strikeouts best saves second league era games innings pitched lemon wins right lemon pair tied league lead starts finished ninth mvp voting lemon named pitchers star squad team selected game mvp finished season pitched career high complete games strikeouts era like previous season lemon finished second american_league innings pitched labeled hardest throwing pitchers game dominance faded career lemon increasingly referred big pitched hitter indians win called finest game career selected final star game american_league manager added lemon american_league roster featured vote late july exhibition game learned father died age son michael born day missed games year broken blood vessel throwing hand managed appearances season entering final regular season game wins received bonus collected wins pitching innings left score tied tigers won innings earning decision failed reach win mark assured receive bonus won games pitched innings seven august appearances earned wins appearances pitched seven innings appearances team finished win total broke game season record team lowest team era dead ball era season strikeouts leading era world series heavily favored indians defeated new_york_giants started game replaced pinch hitter inning trailing author described progression game throwing error struggled opening frame allowing panic began municipal stadium time year giants won game win game claim series final years indians finished losing records seasons season represented losing record season era era leader finished era indians finished second place games yankees repeated losing mark season time career finished consecutive losing seasons tied second place season fellow indian score cleveland finished games place went yankees replaced manager spring training season observed league best pitching staff carry team ended season era indians finished sixth american_league finish club losing record replaced manager begin season spring training game march slipped wet pitcher mound injured regular season appearance april underwent surgery june disc finished season record appearances innings work month fired manager replaced indians player indians finished elected free agent offseason returned indians saying home dry cleaning business cleveland equal sign indians decide able pitch friendly city like said spring training game march hit knee line drive carried field taken hospital season start allowed hits earned runs complete game loss finished record era innings pitched twelfth final season indians chicago white washington senators signed chicago_white_sox season reuniting manager indians owner team president said reports mike real good help appeared games pitched innings era record july expansion signed year old contract senators placed end season finished record pitched innings games earned era finished major league career record strikeouts era saves games starts innings outside baseball married january children served sponsor cigarettes playing days raced cars baseball career injured index finger throwing hand working car late wound repaired lasting effects illness death developed diabetes result suffered kidney disease heart damage years life faced times week joined teammates fundraising events medical expenses died ohio january age died thirty fifth wedding anniversary buried hometown california annual salary greater died outstanding medical bills legacy selected member normal window eligibility closed elected decision hall baseball historian dismissed low era cold time pitcher mound higher white cliffs dover referring great seasons baseball historian countered famous teammates enjoyed home field advantage recorded staff lowest era seasons wrote shame disregarded career deserve fade away memory overall baseball public cleveland sportswriter hall_of_fame voter wrote pitched long probably hall_of_fame teammates recalled difficulty presented opposing hitters road trips seasons described big strong powerful pitcher threw heavy ball describes pitches similarly hitting pitch like hitting lemon said lemon commented control mike sneak physical size fine control said lemon named greatest indians march inducted august year indians organization gives area high school student demonstrates outstanding success classroom field community
Mike Garcia (baseball, born 1923)