Books and articles about Clay Carroll

Carroll was the mainstay of the "Big Red Machine" bullpen. The chunky stopper recorded 88 relief wins and 143 saves, including 37 in 1972, then a single-season record. His performance won him the Fireman of the Year award.

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Carroll came up through the Braves farm system and led the NL with 73 appearances in 1966. The good-natured country boy went to Cincinnati in a mid-1968 deal and never had a losing season. He threw mostly fastballs, and also had a variety of effective breaking pitches. Johnny Bench explained, "Clay tells you he can do the job and then he goes out and does it." Carroll appeared in more than 50 games in each of his eight seasons in Cincinnati, and led the NL with nine relief wins in 1970.

The Reds lost the 1970 WS to Baltimore in five games, but Carroll had Cincinnati's only win and appeared in four games without allowing a run. He maintained his WS effectiveness in 1975, winning the seventh game over Boston. (JCA)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » June 11, 1968: The Reds send P Milt Pappas, pitchers Ted Davidson, and IF Bob Johnson to the Braves for pitchers Tony Cloninger and Clay Carroll and IF Woody Woodward. Davidson, who made 54 relief appearances in 1966, has never been the same since his estranged wife shot him in the stomach prior to the 1967 season. » July 25, 1968: Reds pitchers George Culver and Clay Carroll allow 13 hits between them but still shut out the Pirates, 2–0. Culver allows eight hits in six innings and Carroll gives up five hits in three innings. » July 28, 1968: At Shea Stadium, Reds pitchers Jim Maloney and Clay Carroll combine on a one hit, 5–3, victory. Maloney gives up a run scoring double to Cleon Jones in the first inning and then is lifted in the 6th after walking three batters. Carroll gives up two run-scoring grounders, but pitches four hitless frames. » May 30, 1969: Reds pitcher Clay Carroll pitches three innings of hitless relief and belts a 10th inning home run off Bob Gibson to win at St. Louis, 4–3. It is Carroll's only career homer. » May 28, 1971: At Riverfront Stadium, Don Gullett (10 IP) and Clay Carroll combine to beat the Astros, 1–0, in 13 innings. Lee May hits a single to drive in the game-winner. » June 23, 1971: In a singular performance, Phillie pitcher Rick Wise no-hits the Reds 4–0 and bangs two home runs in the game, a dinger each off Ross Grimsley and Clay Carroll. Wise gets Pete Rose for the last out. It is the 2nd no-hitter against the Reds this month. » September 1, 1972: The Reds edge the Expos, 1–0, in 12 innings on Johnny Bench's single. Ross Grimsley and Clay Carroll combine on the shut out. » October 1, 1972: Reds pitchers Don Gullett and Clay Carroll combine on a 2-hitter as the Reds beat the Dodgers, 1–0. The first hit is a single by Bill Russell off Gullett in the 8th. » July 9, 1973: In a record-setting walkathon between the Reds and Expos, 25 base on balls are handed out as Montreal strolls to an 11–6 win. Well off the American League's two-team mark of 30, this tops the National League record of 23, last reached on July 7, 1911. Six Montreal pitchers walk 16, one short of the record for an NL team, while Reds pitchers Clay Carroll and Tom Hall walk 9. Hal King pinch hits a grand slam for the Reds in the 6th inning, his 2nd pinch dinger in nine days. » June 16, 1974: Reds reliever Clay Carroll makes a rare start (3 this year) and pitches eight shutout innings in beating the Phillies, 5–0. » December 12, 1975: After being a White Sox for two days, Dick Ruthven goes to Atlanta, along with Danny Osborn. Chicago receives Ralph Garr and Larvell Blanks. Blanks is then dealt to Cleveland for 2B Jack Brohamer. The Sox then trade P Rich Hinton and C Jeff Sovern to the Reds for P Clay Carroll, and finish the day by shipping Lee Richard to the Cards for Buddy Bradford and P Greg Terlecky.