Lemaster seemed on the brink of stardom through most of his 11-season ML career but
never quite fulfilled his early promise. Signed by the Braves for a $60,000 bonus
in 1958, the hard-throwing lefty fanned 11 straight batters for Jacksonville in 1959
and led the Texas League in strikeouts the next year. After going 10-4 in half a
season at Louisville and apparently overcoming his early control problems, he joined
the Braves' rotation in mid-season. He struck out 190 with a 3.04 era in 1963 and
went 17-11 in 1964. The next year he developed a sore arm which bothered him intermittently
through the rest of his
career. Traded to Houston in 1968, he continued to show flashes
of brilliance and record excellent strikeout totals until his arm problems ended
his effectiveness in 1971.
(MC)
FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»September 11, 1964:
In a pitching duel between the Braves Denny Lemaster and the Reds Jim Maloney, Milwaukee scores a run in the 8th to win, 1–0. Gene Oliver doubles, the 2nd hit of the game off Maloney, and scores after a double steal and fly out. Leo Cardenas has the only hit off Lemaster.
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