Juan Marichal
Encyclopedia
Juan Antonio Marichal Sánchez (born October 20, 1937 in Laguna Verde, Dominican Republic
) is a former right-handed pitcher
in Major League Baseball
. Playing for the San Francisco Giants
most of his career, Marichal was known for his high leg kick, pinpoint control and intimidation tactics, which included aiming pitches directly at the opposing batters' helmets. Marichal also played for the Boston Red Sox
and Los Angeles Dodgers
for the final two seasons of his career. Although he won more games than any other pitcher during the 1960s, he appeared in only one World Series
game and he was often overshadowed by Sandy Koufax
and Bob Gibson
in post-season awards. Marichal was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983
.
's delivery). Marichal maintained this delivery his entire career, and photographs taken near his retirement show the vertical kick only slightly diminished. The windup was the key to his delivery in that he was consistently able to conceal the type of pitch until it was on its way.
Marichal was discovered by Ramfis Trujillo
, the son of late Dominican dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo
. Ramfis was the primary sponsor of the Dominican Air Force
Baseball Team (Aviación Dominicana), which Marichal pitched a 2–1 victory game in his native Monte Cristi. From the very moment the game ended, Marichal was a member of Aviación Dominicana team, enlisted to the Air Force right on the spot by Ramfis' orders.
Marichal entered the major leagues on July 19, with the San Francisco Giants
as the second native pitcher to come from the Dominican Republic. He made an immediate impression: in his debut, on July 19, 1960
against the Philadelphia Phillies
, he took a no hitter into the eighth inning
only to surrender a two-out
single
to Clay Dalrymple
. He ended up with a one-hit shutout, walking one and striking out 12. He started 10 more games that season, finishing at 6–2 with a 2.66 ERA
. He improved his victory totals to 13 and 18 over the following two seasons, respectively, before finally cracking the 20-victory plateau in 1963
, when he went 25–8 with 248 strikeout
s and a 2.41 ERA. Marichal enjoyed similar success through the 1969
season, posting more than 20 victories in every season except 1967
, and never posting an ERA higher than 2.76. He led the league in victories in 1963
and 1968
when he won 26 games. He and Sandy Koufax
were the only two Major League pitchers in the post-war era (1946–present) to have more than one season of 25 or more wins. Each pitcher had three such seasons in their careers.
Marichal won more games during the decade of the 1960s (191) than any other major league pitcher, but did not receive any votes for the Cy Young Award
until 1970, when baseball writers started voting for the top three pitchers in each league rather than one per league (or, until 1967, only the top pitcher in MLB). Marichal finished in the top 10 in ERA seven consecutive years, starting in 1963 and culminating in 1969, in which year he led the league. During his career, he also finished in the top 10 in strikeouts six times, top 10 in innings pitched eight times (leading the league twice), and top 10 in complete games 10 times. He led the league twice in shutouts, throwing 10 of them in 1965.
Marichal exhibited exceptional control. He had 2,303 strikeouts with only 709 walks, a strikeout
-to-walk ratio of 3.25 to 1. This ranks among the top 20 pitchers of all time, ahead of such notables as Bob Gibson
, Nolan Ryan
, Steve Carlton
, Sandy Koufax
, Don Drysdale
, Walter Johnson
and Roger Clemens
, who each have strikeout-to-walk ratios of less than 3:1. Over his career, he led the league in the fewest walks per nine innings four times, and finished second three times – totaling eleven years in which he finished in the top 10, all while also finishing in the top 10 for strikeouts six years.
One regular-season game in Marichal's career deserves mention, involving him and Milwaukee Braves'
Hall of Famer Warren Spahn
in a night contest played July 2, , before almost 16,000 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The two great pitchers matched scoreless innings until Giants outfielder
Willie Mays
homered off Spahn to win the game 1–0 — in the 16th inning. Both Spahn and Marichal tossed complete games, something that almost certainly will never happen again in the big leagues. Marichal allowed eight hits in the 16 innings, striking out 10, and saddling eventual career home run king Hank Aaron with an 0-for-6 collar. Spahn permitted nine hits in 15 and one-third innings, walking just one (Mays intentionally, in the 14th, after Harvey Kuenn
's leadoff double) and striking out two. The game, almost the innings-duration of two contests, lasted only 4 hours, 10 minutes. (Information courtesy of Retrosheet
)
, in a game played against the Giants' arch-rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers
. Twice in the first three innings, Marichal had thrown near the head of Dodger leadoff batter Maury Wills
. As Marichal was batting against Sandy Koufax
in the last of the third inning, Dodger catcher Johnny Roseboro
's return throws to the mound flew too close to his head and one grazed his ear. Words were exchanged, and Roseboro, throwing off his catcher's helmet and mask, rose to continue the argument. Marichal responded by repeatedly hitting Roseboro's unprotected head with his bat. The benches cleared into a 14-minute brawl, while Giants captain Willie Mays
escorted the bleeding Roseboro (who would require 14 stitches) back to the clubhouse.
Marichal was ejected, suspended for nine days and fined $1,750. He was also barred from attending the Giants' final series with the Dodgers, in Los Angeles on September 6–7. Photos of the incident (Official Baseball Guide 1966, Sporting News, p. 19) also show Tito Fuentes
(who was in the on-deck circle) wielding a bat threateningly, but Fuentes did not actually hit Roseboro and was not ejected. Roseboro sat out the next couple of games and returned to the lineup on the 25th. Roseboro filed a lawsuit against Marichal, but eventually settled out of court, supposedly for $7,000. Marichal and Roseboro would eventually go on to become close friends, reconciling any personal animosity and even autographing photographs of the brawl.
Many people protested the apparently light punishment meted out, since it would cost Marichal only one or two starts. The Giants were in a tight pennant race with the Dodgers (as well as the Pirates, Reds, and Braves) and the race was decided with only two games to play. The Giants, who ended up winning the August 22 game and were down only 1/2 game afterward, eventually lost the pennant by 2 games. Ironically, the Giants went on a 14 game win streak that started during Marichal's absence and by then it was a two-team race as the Pirates, Reds, and Braves fell further behind. But then the Dodgers won 15 of their final 16 games (after Marichal had returned) to win the pennant. Marichal won in his first game back, 2–1 vs. the Astros on September 9, (the same day Koufax pitched his perfect game vs. the Cubs,) but lost his last three decisions as the Giants slumped in the season's final week.
, Marichal experienced a severe reaction to penicillin which led to back pain and chronic arthritis. Marichal's career stumbled in , when he only posted 12 wins and his ERA shot up to 4.12, before straightening itself out with a stellar 1971
season in which he won 18 games and his ERA dropped below 3.00. It was his final great season, however, as he posted 6–16 and 11–15 records in 1972
and 1973
respectively.
After the 1973 season, the Giants sold Marichal to the Boston Red Sox
. He had a fairly solid 1974
, going 5–1 in 11 starts, but was released after the season. He then signed with the Dodgers as a free agent
. Dodger fans had never forgiven Marichal for his attack on Roseboro 10 years earlier, and it took a personal appeal from Roseboro to calm them down. However, Marichal's 1975
didn't last long; he was lit up for nine runs, 11 hits and a 13.50 ERA in only two starts before retiring. He finished his career with 243 victories, 142 losses, 244 complete games, 2,303 strikeouts and a 2.89 ERA over 3,507 innings pitched. He played in the 1962 World Series
against the New York Yankees
(one start, a no decision) and the 1971 National League Championship Series
against the Pittsburgh Pirates
(losing his only start). Between 1962 and 1971, the Giants averaged 90 wins a season, and Marichal averaged 20 wins a year.
on June 15, , and was named to nine All-Star
teams. He was selected the Most Valuable Player
of the 1965 game
. His All-Star Game record was 2–0 with a 0.50 ERA.
during his first four years of eligibility, by all accounts because the Baseball Writers Association of America
voters still held his attack on Roseboro against him. However, after a personal appeal by Roseboro, Marichal was elected in 1983
, and thanked Roseboro in his induction speech. His uniform number 27 has been retired by the Giants. In , Marichal, who was working as a broadcaster for Spanish radio, was on hand to see his son-in-law at the time, José Rijo
, win the World Series
Most Valuable Player Award.
In , he ranked #71 on The Sporting News
list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team
. He was honored before a game between the Giants and Oakland Athletics
with a statue outside AT&T Park
in 2005
, and was named one of the three starting pitchers on Major League Baseball's Latino Legends Team
. In 1976, sportswriter Harry Stein published an "All Time All-Star Argument Starter", consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. Marichal was the right-handed pitcher on Stein's Latin team.
The Giants honored him by commemorating a statue of him in his pitching motion. The Giants also honored him by wearing jerseys that said "Gigantes." Marichal was inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum
Hall of Fame on July 20, 2003 in pregame on field ceremony at Pac Bell Park.
in the Dominican Republic along with New York Mets
pitcher Pedro Martínez
. The incident caused controversy in the United States, but Martinez defended their attendance at the cockfight by saying "I understand that people are upset, but that is part of our Dominican culture and is legal in the Dominican Republic". He added "I was invited by my idol, Juan Marichal, to attend the event as a spectator, not as a participant."
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
) is a former 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...
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...
. Playing for the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
most of his career, Marichal was known for his high leg kick, pinpoint control and intimidation tactics, which included aiming pitches directly at the opposing batters' helmets. Marichal also played for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
and Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
for the final two seasons of his career. Although he won more games than any other pitcher during the 1960s, he appeared in only one World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
game and he was often overshadowed by Sandy Koufax
Sandy Koufax
Sanford "Sandy" Koufax is a former left-handed baseball pitcher who played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers...
and Bob Gibson
Bob Gibson
Robert "Bob" Gibson is a retired American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "Hoot" and "Gibby", he was a right-handed pitcher who played his entire 17-year Major League Baseball career with St. Louis Cardinals...
in post-season awards. Marichal was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983
Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 1983
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1983 followed the system in place since 1978.The Baseball Writers Association of America voted by mail to select from recent major league players andelected two, Juan Marichal and Brooks Robinson....
.
Playing career
Marichal's delivery was renowned for one of the fullest windups in modern baseball, with a high kick of his left leg that went nearly vertical (even more so than Warren SpahnWarren Spahn
Warren Edward Spahn was an American Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career in the National League. He won 20 games each in 13 seasons, including a 23-7 record when he was age 42...
's delivery). Marichal maintained this delivery his entire career, and photographs taken near his retirement show the vertical kick only slightly diminished. The windup was the key to his delivery in that he was consistently able to conceal the type of pitch until it was on its way.
Marichal was discovered by Ramfis Trujillo
Ramfis Trujillo
Lieutenant General Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Martínez , better known as Ramfis Trujillo, was the son of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina and María Martínez...
, the son of late Dominican dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo
Rafael Leónidas Trujillo
Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina , nicknamed El Jefe , ruled the Dominican Republic from 1930 until his assassination in 1961. He officially served as president from 1930 to 1938 and again from 1942 to 1952, otherwise ruling as an unelected military strongman...
. Ramfis was the primary sponsor of the Dominican Air Force
Dominican Air Force
The Air Force of the Dominican Republic or Fuerza Aérea Dominicana, is one of the three branches of the Military of the Dominican Republic, together with the Army and the Navy.- History :...
Baseball Team (Aviación Dominicana), which Marichal pitched a 2–1 victory game in his native Monte Cristi. From the very moment the game ended, Marichal was a member of Aviación Dominicana team, enlisted to the Air Force right on the spot by Ramfis' orders.
Marichal entered the major leagues on July 19, with the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
as the second native pitcher to come from the Dominican Republic. He made an immediate impression: in his debut, on July 19, 1960
1960 San Francisco Giants season
The San Francisco Giants season involved the team moving their home games from Seals Stadium to the new Candlestick Park. In their third season in the Golden Gate City, the Giants finished in fifth place in the National League, 16 games behind the World Champion Pittsburgh Pirates.- Offseason :*...
against the Philadelphia Phillies
1960 Philadelphia Phillies season
The 1960 Philadelphia Phillies season was the 78th in franchise history. The team finished in eighth place in the National League with a record of 59-95, 36 games behind the NL and World Series Champion Pittsburgh Pirates.- Offseason :...
, he took a no hitter into the eighth inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
only to surrender a two-out
Out (baseball)
In baseball, an out occurs when the defensive, or fielding, team effects any of a number of different events, and the umpire rules a batter or baserunner out. When a player is called out, he is said to be retired...
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 Clay Dalrymple
Clay Dalrymple
Clayton Errol Dalrymple was a professional baseball catcher who played in the Major Leagues for the Philadelphia Phillies and Baltimore Orioles . Dalrymple was known for his strong throwing arm and solid defensive skills...
. He ended up with a one-hit shutout, walking one and striking out 12. He started 10 more games that season, finishing at 6–2 with a 2.66 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
. He improved his victory totals to 13 and 18 over the following two seasons, respectively, before finally cracking the 20-victory plateau in 1963
1963 San Francisco Giants season
- Offseason :* November 30, 1962: Manny Mota and Dick LeMay were traded by the Giants to the Houston Colt .45s for Joey Amalfitano.* December 15, 1962: Stu Miller, Mike McCormick, and John Orsino were traded by the Giants to the Baltimore Orioles for Jack Fisher, Jimmie Coker and Billy Hoeft.-...
, when he went 25–8 with 248 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s and a 2.41 ERA. Marichal enjoyed similar success through the 1969
1969 San Francisco Giants season
The San Francisco Giants season was the franchise's 87th season and 12th season in San Francisco. The team finished second in the newly-established National League West with a record of 90-72, 3 games behind the Atlanta Braves.- Offseason :...
season, posting more than 20 victories in every season except 1967
1967 San Francisco Giants season
The 1967 San Francisco Giants season saw the Giants finish in second place in the National League with a record of 91 wins and 71 losses, 10½ games behind the NL and World Series champion St...
, and never posting an ERA higher than 2.76. He led the league in victories in 1963
1963 San Francisco Giants season
- Offseason :* November 30, 1962: Manny Mota and Dick LeMay were traded by the Giants to the Houston Colt .45s for Joey Amalfitano.* December 15, 1962: Stu Miller, Mike McCormick, and John Orsino were traded by the Giants to the Baltimore Orioles for Jack Fisher, Jimmie Coker and Billy Hoeft.-...
and 1968
1968 San Francisco Giants season
- Offseason :* January 27, 1968: 1968 Major League Baseball Draft**Garry Maddox was drafted by the Giants in the 2nd round.**George Foster was drafted by the Giants in the 3rd round....
when he won 26 games. He and Sandy Koufax
Sandy Koufax
Sanford "Sandy" Koufax is a former left-handed baseball pitcher who played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers...
were the only two Major League pitchers in the post-war era (1946–present) to have more than one season of 25 or more wins. Each pitcher had three such seasons in their careers.
Marichal won more games during the decade of the 1960s (191) than any other major league pitcher, but did not receive any votes for the Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
until 1970, when baseball writers started voting for the top three pitchers in each league rather than one per league (or, until 1967, only the top pitcher in MLB). Marichal finished in the top 10 in ERA seven consecutive years, starting in 1963 and culminating in 1969, in which year he led the league. During his career, he also finished in the top 10 in strikeouts six times, top 10 in innings pitched eight times (leading the league twice), and top 10 in complete games 10 times. He led the league twice in shutouts, throwing 10 of them in 1965.
Marichal exhibited exceptional control. He had 2,303 strikeouts with only 709 walks, a strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
-to-walk ratio of 3.25 to 1. This ranks among the top 20 pitchers of all time, ahead of such notables as Bob Gibson
Bob Gibson
Robert "Bob" Gibson is a retired American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "Hoot" and "Gibby", he was a right-handed pitcher who played his entire 17-year Major League Baseball career with St. Louis Cardinals...
, Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
, Steve Carlton
Steve Carlton
Steven Norman Carlton , nicknamed "Lefty", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1965-1988 for six different teams in his career, but it is his time with the Philadelphia Phillies where he received his greatest acclaim as a professional and won four Cy Young Awards...
, Sandy Koufax
Sandy Koufax
Sanford "Sandy" Koufax is a former left-handed baseball pitcher who played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers...
, Don Drysdale
Don Drysdale
Donald Scott "Don" Drysdale was a Major League Baseball player and Hall of Fame right-handed pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was one of the dominant starting pitchers of the 1960s, and became a radio and television broadcaster following his playing career...
, Walter Johnson
Walter Johnson
Walter Perry Johnson , nicknamed "Barney" and "The Big Train", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Washington Senators...
and Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...
, who each have strikeout-to-walk ratios of less than 3:1. Over his career, he led the league in the fewest walks per nine innings four times, and finished second three times – totaling eleven years in which he finished in the top 10, all while also finishing in the top 10 for strikeouts six years.
One regular-season game in Marichal's career deserves mention, involving him and Milwaukee Braves'
1963 Milwaukee Braves season
- Offseason :* October 11, 1962: Ron Hunt was purchased from the Braves by the New York Mets.* November 26, 1962: Ellis Burton was drafted from the Braves by the Houston Colt .45s in the 1962 rule 5 draft.* November 26, 1962: 1962 first-year draft...
Hall of Famer Warren Spahn
Warren Spahn
Warren Edward Spahn was an American Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career in the National League. He won 20 games each in 13 seasons, including a 23-7 record when he was age 42...
in a night contest played July 2, , before almost 16,000 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The two great pitchers matched scoreless innings until Giants outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
homered off Spahn to win the game 1–0 — in the 16th inning. Both Spahn and Marichal tossed complete games, something that almost certainly will never happen again in the big leagues. Marichal allowed eight hits in the 16 innings, striking out 10, and saddling eventual career home run king Hank Aaron with an 0-for-6 collar. Spahn permitted nine hits in 15 and one-third innings, walking just one (Mays intentionally, in the 14th, after Harvey Kuenn
Harvey Kuenn
Harvey Edward Kuenn was an American player, coach and manager in Major League Baseball. As a shortstop and outfielder, he played with the Detroit Tigers , Cleveland Indians , San Francisco Giants , Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies . He batted and threw right-handed...
's leadoff double) and striking out two. The game, almost the innings-duration of two contests, lasted only 4 hours, 10 minutes. (Information courtesy of Retrosheet
Retrosheet
Retrosheet is a non-profit organization whose website features major league baseball box scores and play-by-play narratives for almost every contest from 1871–1872, 1874, 1911 NL, and 1918–2010...
)
Johnny Roseboro incident
Marichal is also remembered for a notorious incident that occurred on August 22, 19651965 San Francisco Giants season
- Offseason :* Prior to 1965 season: Merritt Ranew was acquired by the Giants from the Milwaukee Braves.- Regular season :- Opening Day lineup :*Jesús Alou*Tom Haller*Jim Ray Hart*Harvey Kuenn*Hal Lanier*Juan Marichal*Willie Mays*Willie McCovey...
, in a game played against the Giants' arch-rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers
1965 Los Angeles Dodgers season
The Los Angeles Dodgers finished the regular-season with a 97–65 record, which earned them the NL pennant by just two games over their arch-rivals, the San Francisco Giants...
. Twice in the first three innings, Marichal had thrown near the head of Dodger leadoff batter Maury Wills
Maury Wills
Maurice Morning "Maury" Wills is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and switch-hitting batter who played most prominently with the Los Angeles Dodgers , and also with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Montreal Expos...
. As Marichal was batting against Sandy Koufax
Sandy Koufax
Sanford "Sandy" Koufax is a former left-handed baseball pitcher who played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers...
in the last of the third inning, Dodger catcher Johnny Roseboro
Johnny Roseboro
John Junior Roseboro was a Major League Baseball catcher and coach, who was born in Ashland, Ohio.-Career:A left-handed-hitter, Roseboro had a lifetime .249 batting average with 104 home runs and 548 RBI in 1585 games played with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers , Minnesota Twins and...
's return throws to the mound flew too close to his head and one grazed his ear. Words were exchanged, and Roseboro, throwing off his catcher's helmet and mask, rose to continue the argument. Marichal responded by repeatedly hitting Roseboro's unprotected head with his bat. The benches cleared into a 14-minute brawl, while Giants captain Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
escorted the bleeding Roseboro (who would require 14 stitches) back to the clubhouse.
Marichal was ejected, suspended for nine days and fined $1,750. He was also barred from attending the Giants' final series with the Dodgers, in Los Angeles on September 6–7. Photos of the incident (Official Baseball Guide 1966, Sporting News, p. 19) also show Tito Fuentes
Tito Fuentes
Rigoberto "Tito" Fuentes Peat is a retired second baseman who played for 13 seasons in the Major Leagues between 1965 and 1978...
(who was in the on-deck circle) wielding a bat threateningly, but Fuentes did not actually hit Roseboro and was not ejected. Roseboro sat out the next couple of games and returned to the lineup on the 25th. Roseboro filed a lawsuit against Marichal, but eventually settled out of court, supposedly for $7,000. Marichal and Roseboro would eventually go on to become close friends, reconciling any personal animosity and even autographing photographs of the brawl.
Many people protested the apparently light punishment meted out, since it would cost Marichal only one or two starts. The Giants were in a tight pennant race with the Dodgers (as well as the Pirates, Reds, and Braves) and the race was decided with only two games to play. The Giants, who ended up winning the August 22 game and were down only 1/2 game afterward, eventually lost the pennant by 2 games. Ironically, the Giants went on a 14 game win streak that started during Marichal's absence and by then it was a two-team race as the Pirates, Reds, and Braves fell further behind. But then the Dodgers won 15 of their final 16 games (after Marichal had returned) to win the pennant. Marichal won in his first game back, 2–1 vs. the Astros on September 9, (the same day Koufax pitched his perfect game vs. the Cubs,) but lost his last three decisions as the Giants slumped in the season's final week.
1970–75
In 19701970 San Francisco Giants season
The San Francisco Giants season was the franchise's 88th season overall and 13th season in San Francisco. The Giants went 86-76, which was good for third place in the National League West, 16 games behind the NL Champion Cincinnati Reds.- Offseason :...
, Marichal experienced a severe reaction to penicillin which led to back pain and chronic arthritis. Marichal's career stumbled in , when he only posted 12 wins and his ERA shot up to 4.12, before straightening itself out with a stellar 1971
1971 San Francisco Giants season
-Offseason:* December 30, 1970: Ron Hunt was traded by the Giants to the Montreal Expos for Dave McDonald.-Regular season:The Giants battled their arch rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers, throughout the season for the NL West Division lead. The Giants led by 8.5 games on September 1. In mid September...
season in which he won 18 games and his ERA dropped below 3.00. It was his final great season, however, as he posted 6–16 and 11–15 records in 1972
1972 San Francisco Giants season
The San Francisco Giants season was the 90th season in franchise history. The Giants finished with a record of 69-86. It was their first losing season in San Francisco and the franchise's first losing season since 1957, which was the franchise's final year in New York.- Offseason :* November 29,...
and 1973
1973 San Francisco Giants season
The 1973 San Francisco Giants season was the franchise's 91st season and 16th season in San Francisco. The team finished third in the National League West with a record of 88-74, 11 games behind the Cincinnati Reds.- Offseason :...
respectively.
After the 1973 season, the Giants sold Marichal to the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. He had a fairly solid 1974
1974 Boston Red Sox season
The Boston Red Sox season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Red Sox finishing third in the American League East with a record of 84 wins and 78 losses.- Offseason :...
, going 5–1 in 11 starts, but was released after the season. He then signed with the Dodgers as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. Dodger fans had never forgiven Marichal for his attack on Roseboro 10 years earlier, and it took a personal appeal from Roseboro to calm them down. However, Marichal's 1975
1975 Los Angeles Dodgers season
The Los Angeles Dodgers finished in second place, 20 games behind the Cincinnati Reds in the Western Division of the National League.- Offseason :...
didn't last long; he was lit up for nine runs, 11 hits and a 13.50 ERA in only two starts before retiring. He finished his career with 243 victories, 142 losses, 244 complete games, 2,303 strikeouts and a 2.89 ERA over 3,507 innings pitched. He played in the 1962 World Series
1962 World Series
The 1962 World Series matched the defending American League and World Series champions New York Yankees against the National League champion San Francisco Giants, who had won their first NL pennant since 1954 and first since moving from New York in 1958, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in a...
against 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...
(one start, a no decision) and the 1971 National League Championship Series
1971 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 2, 1971 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, CaliforniaWith aces Gaylord Perry and Steve Blass taking the mound for their respective teams, Game 1 looked to be a pitchers duel. It sort of was for four innings; the Pirates struck for two in the top of the third when Dave...
against the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
(losing his only start). Between 1962 and 1971, the Giants averaged 90 wins a season, and Marichal averaged 20 wins a year.
No-hitter and All-Star performances
Marichal pitched a no-hitterNo-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
on June 15, , and was named to nine All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
teams. He was selected the Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of the 1965 game
1965 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1965 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 36th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was played on July 13, 1965 at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota...
. His All-Star Game record was 2–0 with a 0.50 ERA.
Honors
Marichal was passed over for election to the Baseball Hall of FameNational Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
during his first four years of eligibility, by all accounts because the Baseball Writers Association of America
Baseball Writers Association of America
The Baseball Writers' Association of America is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying Web sites. The BBWAA was founded on October 14, 1908, to improve working conditions for sportswriters in the early part of the 20th century...
voters still held his attack on Roseboro against him. However, after a personal appeal by Roseboro, Marichal was elected in 1983
Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 1983
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1983 followed the system in place since 1978.The Baseball Writers Association of America voted by mail to select from recent major league players andelected two, Juan Marichal and Brooks Robinson....
, and thanked Roseboro in his induction speech. His uniform number 27 has been retired by the Giants. In , Marichal, who was working as a broadcaster for Spanish radio, was on hand to see his son-in-law at the time, José Rijo
José Rijo
José Antonio Rijo Abreu is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who spent the majority of his career with the Cincinnati Reds .-Playing career:...
, win the World Series
1990 World Series
- Game 1 :Tuesday, October 16, 1990 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioUntil , this was the last World Series to be scheduled to begin play on a Tuesday, and the first since . The schedule called for the seven-game series to be held Tue–Wed, Fri–Sat–Sun, Tue–Wed. Games 5, 6, and 7, however...
Most Valuable Player Award.
In , he ranked #71 on The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team
Major League Baseball All-Century Team
In 1999, the Major League Baseball All-Century Team was chosen by popular vote of fans. To select the team, a panel of experts first compiled a list of the 100 greatest Major League Baseball players from the past century...
. He was honored before a game between the Giants and Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
with a statue outside AT&T Park
AT&T Park
AT&T Park is a ballpark located in the South Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, California. Located at 24 Willie Mays Plaza, at the corner of Third and King Streets, it has served as the home of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball since 2000....
in 2005
2005 Major League Baseball season
Click on any series score to link to that series' page.Higher seed had home field advantage during Division Series and League Championship Series.The American League champion had home field advantage during the World Series as a result of the AL victory in the 2005 All-Star...
, and was named one of the three starting pitchers on Major League Baseball's Latino Legends Team
Latino Legends Team
The Latino Legends Team was an all-time all-star baseball team selected in 2005 to honor the history of Latin American players in Major League Baseball. The players were chosen by fan voting. Ballots were available both online at MLB.com and at Chevrolet dealerships, and over 1.6 million total...
. In 1976, sportswriter Harry Stein published an "All Time All-Star Argument Starter", consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. Marichal was the right-handed pitcher on Stein's Latin team.
The Giants honored him by commemorating a statue of him in his pitching motion. The Giants also honored him by wearing jerseys that said "Gigantes." Marichal was inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum
Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum
The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame, Inc., was founded in San Francisco, California, in June 1999 by its founder Mr.Gabriel "Tito" Avila, Jr., as a way to honor the greatest Hispanic baseball players of all time. The organization is a not-for-profit institution...
Hall of Fame on July 20, 2003 in pregame on field ceremony at Pac Bell Park.
Controversy
In 2008, Marichal was filmed at a cockfightCockfight
A cockfight is a blood sport between two roosters , held in a ring called a cockpit. Cockfighting is now illegal throughout all states in the United States, Brazil, Australia and in most of Europe. It is still legal in several U.S. territories....
in the Dominican Republic along with New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
pitcher Pedro Martínez
Pedro Martínez
Pedro Jaime Martínez is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He is an eight-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and 2004 World Series champion...
. The incident caused controversy in the United States, but Martinez defended their attendance at the cockfight by saying "I understand that people are upset, but that is part of our Dominican culture and is legal in the Dominican Republic". He added "I was invited by my idol, Juan Marichal, to attend the event as a spectator, not as a participant."
Pronunciation
The popular media tended to pronounce his surname "MARE-i-shall". West coast broadcasters tended to pronounce his name more like proper Spanish diction, "mahr-ee-CHAHL".See also
- Bay Area Sports Hall of FameBay Area Sports Hall of FameThe Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame honors sports figures who have made a significant impact in the San Francisco Bay Area. The organization is a section 501 non-profit, that was created by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce in 1979.-Inductees:...
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball ERA champions
- List of Major League Baseball wins champions
- Top 100 strikeout pitchers of all timeTop 100 strikeout pitchers of all timeIn baseball, a strikeout occurs when the batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. Strikeouts are associated with dominance on the part of the pitcher and failure on the part of the batter....
- List of Major League Baseball no-hitters