Books and articles about LaMarr Hoyt

Hoyt was an unknown pitcher struggling in the Yankee farm system sent to the White Sox along with Oscar Gamble and Bob Polinsky on April 5, 1976. In return the Yanks received Bucky Dent. The deal was roundly criticized in Chicago, but it ultimately paid dividends. Hoyt began his ML career in 1980 in Chicago's bullpen. In 1982 he was put into the rotation with startling success. He won his first nine decisions to equal a White Sox record set by Lefty Williams in 1917 and Orval Grove in 1943, and finished 19-15, leading the AL in wins. As a starter, his already sharp control became almost unbelievable; he walked only 48 batters in 239.2 innings.

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As good as he'd been, Hoyt improved in every way to lead Chicago to the AL West title in 1983. He was 15-2 after the All-Star break, en route to a landslide Cy Young Award. Hoyt walked just 31 batters that year, four of which were intentional. The total was just three more than Cy Young's record of 28, set in 1904. His 24 victories paced the AL for the second year in a row, and in the ALCS he tossed a five-hitter against Baltimore in the opener to claim Chicago's only win.

Hoyt faltered along with the rest of the White Sox team in 1984. He did fire a one-hitter against the Yankees on May 2 in Comiskey Park, allowing only a scratch single to Don Mattingly. Hoyt gave fh x x up 31 homers in 1984, second-highest in the league, and after the season he was traded to San Diego with two minor leaguers for Tim Lollar, Ozzie Guillen, Bill Long, and Luis Salazar.

Hoyt was 16-8 in his first season with the Padres, and started the 1985 All-Star Game for the NL. By 1986, however, a lingering drug problem came to light, and he was suspended by Commissioner Peter Uebberoth for one year in 1987. Hoyt was invited to try out for the White Sox in 1988 following his 45-day stay in prison, but he was arrested again after law-enforcement officials uncovered a cache of marijuana and cocaine in his Columbia, South Carolina apartment. He began his second prison term on February 21, 1988. (NLM)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » April 5, 1977: The White Sox trade SS Bucky Dent to the Yankees for OF Oscar Gamble, and minor league pitchers LaMarr Hoyt and Bob Polinsky, and an estimated $200,000. Gamble will have a fine season in Chicago and Hoyt will blossom into the ace of the White Sox staff in the early 1980's. » May 18, 1982: In Chicago, the White Sox top Texas 10–2 behind LaMarr Hoyt's 13th straight win stretching back to 1981. Hoyt's record at Comiskey Park is now 15–0. » May 24, 1982: LaMarr Hoyt picks up his 14th straight win and runs his 1982 record to 9–0 by beating the Royals 3–1 in Chicago. » May 29, 1982: The Indians beat the White Sox 5–2, handing pitcher LaMarr Hoyt his first loss of the season. Hoyt had started the season 9-0 and had won 14 consecutive decisions since last August 27th. » April 15, 1983: Detroit P Milt Wilcox is one out away from a perfect game when pinch hitter Jerry Hairston singles, and Wilcox settles for a 4–0 one-hitter over White Sox ace LaMarr Hoyt. This is only the 3rd time in ML history a perfect bid has been stopped with one out to go. » September 11, 1983: LaMarr Hoyt (20-10) becomes the major leagues' first 20-game winner this season by beating California 5–4 in 10 innings. » September 30, 1983: In a 9-4 win over the Mariners, Chicago's LaMarr Hoyt records his 13th win in a row to raise his record to 24-10, and Greg Luzinski hits his 32nd home run to set a new single-season record for designated hitters. » October 5, 1983: Five-hit pitching by LaMarr Hoyt is the margin in the 2–1 White Sox victory over the Orioles in Game One of the ALCS. » October 25, 1983: White Sox pitcher LaMarr Hoyt, who led the American League with 24 wins but whose 3.66 ERA was not among the league's 15 best, wins the AL Cy Young Award, beating out the Royals Dan Quisenberry and the Tigers Jack Morris. » April 21, 1984: At home before 34,395 fans, the Tigers beat the White Sox 4–1, ending LaMarr Hoyt's personal 15-game winning streak. Dave Rozema pitches six shut out innings for the win, while Lou Whitaker has a homer and three runs scored. » May 2, 1984: LaMarr Hoyt faces 27 batters in a 3–0 one-hitter against the Yankees. New York's only hit is Don Mattingly's opposite-field blooper in the 7th inning, which is followed by a double play. » August 7, 1984: The White Sox and Yankees split a doubleheader with Chicago's 6–3 triumph in Game One stopping New York's 8-game win streak. LaMarr Hoyt is the winner. Ron Guidry strikes out 13 to win the nitecap, 7–0. He finishes with a flourish, striking out the side on nine pitches in the 9th. » December 6, 1984: The White Sox trade 1983 American League Cy Young Award winner LaMarr Hoyt and two minor leaguers to the Padres for P Tim Lollar, IF-OF Luis Salazar, and minor leaguers Ozzie Guillen and Bill Long. SS Guillen will win the AL Rookie of the Year Award next season and hold down the Sox shortstop spot till the end of the 1990s. Workhorse Hoyt will be out of baseball in two years, amidst rumors of drug use. » April 14, 1985: At Atlanta, the Braves defeat the Padres 3-1 behind Rick Mahler and 2B Glenn Hubbard, who as a ML-record tying 12 assists. Second base also sees action on the Pads side as Tony Gwynn throws out two runners there. LaMarr Hoyt gives up the three Braves runs in four innings of work. In six days, on April 20, Juan Samuel, second sacker of the Phillies will be the next to match the 12 assists in a 7-6 Philadelphia win over the New York Mets. Monte Ward, for Brooklyn in 1892, was the first to make 12 assists. » July 16, 1985: The National League beats the American League 6–1 at Minnesota's Metrodome for its 13th win in the last 14 All-Star Games. San Diego's LaMarr Hoyt allows one unearned run in three innings and is named MVP. » July 20, 1985: LaMarr Hoyt gives up five hits in eight innings to record his 11th straight win as the Padres beat the Pirates, 4–2. » July 28, 1985: Porter drives in three runs with a double and homer to lead the Cards to a 4–2 win over the Padres. LaMarr Hoyt loses after winning 11 straight. » February 27, 1986: Nine days after being arrested on drug possession charges for the 2nd time in a month, LaMarr Hoyt checks into a drug rehabilitation program and will miss most of the Padres' spring training. Hoyt was 16-8 with a 3.47 ERA last season. » October 29, 1986: Padres pitcher LaMarr Hoyt is arrested at the U.S.-Mexico border for possession of illegal drugs, the 3rd time he has been arrested on drug charges. He will be sentenced to 45 days in jail on December 16th. » February 25, 1987: In the wake of three drug-related incidents over the past 12 months, LaMarr Hoyt is banished from baseball for the 1987 season by Commissioner Ueberroth. On June 16th an arbitrator will reduce Hoyt's suspension to 60 days and order the Padres to reinstate him.