An important Yankee reliever who had played pro basketball with the Minneapolis Lakers,
the 6'6" Hamilton threw a nasty slider with a three-quarter sidearm motion that froze
lefthanded hitters. He saved the sixth game of the 1964
World Series. In 1965, he
recorded a 1.39 ERA in 46 games, and in 1968 saved a career-high 11. Late in his
career he added a
blooper pitch, thrown with a hesitation delivery, fashioned after
Rip Sewell's "Eephus" ball. Hamilton called it the "Folly Floater," and it helped
extend his career. He recorded 42 ML saves.
(GDW)