Books and articles about Steve Hamilton

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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)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » June 3, 1962: The Senators trade outfielder Willie Tasby to the Indians for pitchers Steve Hamilton and Don Rudolph. » July 20, 1962: Mickey Mantle homers in the first inning off Washington starter Steve Hamilton to propel New York to a 3–2 victory. Mantle goes 3-for-4 and his on-base percentage is now .516. » April 21, 1963: The Senators acquire P Jim Coates from the Yankees in exchange for P Steve Hamilton. The Yanks sell P Hal Brown to Houston. » August 4, 1963: After missing 61 games, Mickey Mantle returns to the Yankee lineup as a pinch hitter for Steve Hamilton. The Orioles are leading 10–9 in the 7th inning, when the stiff-legged Mantle golfs a line drive to tie the game at 10. The emotional Yankees win it, 11–10, after the O's take the opener, 7–2. » May 21, 1970: A generous Mel Stottlemyre hands out 11 walks to Washington in eight 1/3 innings, but the Senators are unable to score. Steve Hamilton gets the last two outs to preserve the 2–0 win. The 11 walks in a shutout ties Lefty Gomez, who did complete his 1941 shutout. Danny Cater's 2-run homer in the 5th accounts for the scoring off Dick Such, making his first ML start. » June 24, 1970: In a doubleheader with the Indians at Yankee Stadium, Bobby Murcer ties Lou Gehrig's record of four straight homers. The Yanks lose the opener 7–2, despite Murcer's 9th-inning home run off Sam McDowell. Murcer next connects off game 2's starter Mike Paul, hitting a solo shot in the 1st inning. A walk in the 4th, then a 2-run homer off Paul in the 5th, and a game-tying homer in the 8th, off Fred Lasher. New York scores in the bottom of the 9th to salvage a 5–4 win. Cleveland 1B Tony Horton hears a hoo and literally crawls back to the dugout after fanning on two of Yankee hurler Steve Hamilton's "folly floaters." Sensitive to fans' booing during the season, Horton will be hospitalized, and at 25, this is his last season. » July 1, 1972: Nolan Ryan allows five hits and strikes out 16 in pitching the Angels to a 5–3 victory over the Athletics. Ryan has an RBI single and is helped by homers from Ken Berry and Leo Cardenas, off Steve Hamilton.