Bill Currie
Encyclopedia
William Cleveland Currie (born November 29, 1928, at Leary, Georgia
) is a retired American
professional baseball
player. He was a right-handed pitcher
whose ten-year minor league
career was punctuated by a three-game stint in Major League Baseball
with the Washington Senators
.
From 1950–1959, the 6 ft (1.8 m), 175 lb (79.4 kg) Currie compiled a 92–72 win-loss record in minor league baseball, playing for at least six Major League organizations. His brief trial with Washington in April 1955, however, was marked by his rude treatment by the New York Yankees
in his MLB debut at Yankee Stadium
. Currie entered the game (the Senators' second of the year) in the fifth inning as his team's third pitcher of the day with New York already leading 7–0. He loaded the bases on two walks
and a hit batsman and gave up a two-run
single
to Whitey Ford
in his first inning. Then, in his next frame, he gave up back-to-back home runs to Yogi Berra
and Bill Skowron as the Yanks added on four more runs. Currie gave up five hits and five earned runs in two innings, with two bases on balls, one hit batter, and one wild pitch
in an eventual 19–1 Washington defeat.
Currie pitched much more effectively in his next two outings, also as a relief pitcher
, but he was sent back to the Double-A Southern Association
when the rosters were reduced from 28 to 25 players. In his three MLB games, he yielded seven hits and six earned runs in 4⅓ innings pitched
, with two walks and two strikeouts.
Leary, Georgia
Leary is a city in Calhoun County, Georgia in the United States. The population was 666 at the 2000 census. Seattle Mariners third baseman Chone Figgins was born in Leary.-Geography:Leary is located at ....
) is a retired American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player. He was a right-handed pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
whose ten-year minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
career was punctuated by a three-game stint in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
with the Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
.
From 1950–1959, the 6 ft (1.8 m), 175 lb (79.4 kg) Currie compiled a 92–72 win-loss record in minor league baseball, playing for at least six Major League organizations. His brief trial with Washington in April 1955, however, was marked by his rude treatment by the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in his MLB debut at Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
. Currie entered the game (the Senators' second of the year) in the fifth inning as his team's third pitcher of the day with New York already leading 7–0. He loaded the bases on two walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
and a hit batsman and gave up a two-run
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
to Whitey Ford
Whitey Ford
Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who spent his entire 18-year career with the New York Yankees. He was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.-Early life and career:...
in his first inning. Then, in his next frame, he gave up back-to-back home runs to Yogi Berra
Yogi Berra
Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra is a former American Major League Baseball catcher, outfielder, and manager. He played almost his entire 19-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
and Bill Skowron as the Yanks added on four more runs. Currie gave up five hits and five earned runs in two innings, with two bases on balls, one hit batter, and one wild pitch
Wild pitch
In baseball, a wild pitch is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, perhaps even the batter-runner on strike three or ball four, to advance.A wild pitch usually...
in an eventual 19–1 Washington defeat.
Currie pitched much more effectively in his next two outings, also as a relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
, but he was sent back to the Double-A Southern Association
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
when the rosters were reduced from 28 to 25 players. In his three MLB games, he yielded seven hits and six earned runs in 4⅓ innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
, with two walks and two strikeouts.