Books and articles about Jerry Lynch

Lynch's outstanding pinch hitting (19-for-47, .404) was a major factor in the 1961 Reds' surprising NL pennant. Overall, he had career-high averages of .315 (batting) and .624 (slugging) for the season, with 13 HR and 50 RBI in only 181 at-bats. When he retired, the poor-fielding outfielder ranked first all-time in pinch HR (18) and second in pinch hits (116) and was tied for first in pinch at-bats (447). The lefthanded-hitting Lynch led the NL in pinch hits twice (19 in both 1960 and 1961).

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Lynch joined the Reds after missing most of the 1956 season due to illness. With Pittsburgh, he had been a part-time outfielder and occasional catcher, but not a very successful pinch hitter (9-for-49, .184, over three seasons). He was a semi-regular outfielder in 1958 and '59, reaching bests of 17 HR (1959, 379 at-bats) and 68 RBI (1958, 420 at-bats). He returned to the Pirates in mid-1963. (SFS)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » April 27, 1954: In a slugfest featuring back-to-back homers three times, the Reds edge the Pirates, 8–7. Ted Kluszewski bangs a pair of 2-run homers, both off cousin Max Surkont. Jim Greengrass follows Klu's first homer with one of his own. Toby Atwell and Jerry Lynch go back-to-back in both the 6th and 8th innings for the Buccos, the only Pirates to accomplish the feat in the 20th century. Corky Valentine, with relief help from Smith, gains his first ML victory. » September 21, 1957: The Cardinals tie a record by using 8 pitchers in one game, but lose 9-8 in 10 innings to the Redlegs and slip 5 games off the pace. Jerry Lynch's 8th-inning HR ties the game; the Redlegs set the NL mark with their 11th pinch-hit HR of the year. » April 18, 1959: The Phils get 15 hits, including a grand slam by pinch hitter Gene Freese, to outslug the Reds, 14-9. Don Newcombe loses for the 2nd time to the Phils this year, with the win going to reliever Al Schroll. The Reds get homers from Frank Robinson, Roy McMillan and pinch hitter Jerry Lynch. » May 3, 1959: At Crosley Field, Jerry Lynch cracks a 3-run homer in the bottom of the 9th and the Reds top the Dodgers, 6–3. » April 26, 1961: Cincinnati's Jerry Lynch becomes the 6th player in National League history to hit two consecutive pinch-hit home runs. This one today is not enough as Chicago wins 3–2. » September 26, 1961: Cincinnati clinches its first National League pennant since 1940. Homers by Frank Robinson and pinch hitter Jerry Lynch, a tie breaker in the 8th, give the Reds a 6–3 win at Chicago. » May 23, 1963: Pittsburgh trades OF Bob Skinner to the Reds for OF Jerry Lynch. » July 21, 1963: Jerry Lynch's ML record-tying 14th pinch-hit home run, a 3-run shot off the Cubs Lindy McDaniel in the 9th inning, ties the game, and the Bucs win 6–5 in 14 innings. The Cubs take the opener 5–1. » August 21, 1963: Jerry Lynch's ML-record 15th pinch-hit home run gives the Pirates a 7–6 win in Chicago. » August 12, 1966: At Crosley Field, long-ball lovers enjoy 11 home runs in one game, tying the most in any contest and setting a major-league record for an extra-inning contest. Art Shamsky hits three for Cincinnati, including two in extra innings. But Pittsburgh prevails 13–11, scoring three in the 13th inning. Shamsky, who did not enter the game until the 8th, when he hits a 2-run homer to put the Reds up 8–7. His solo homer in the 9th ties the score at 9-9, as does his 2-run homer in the 11th. Shamsky's pair of extra-inning homers is a first in the National League, and just the 3rd time ever in the Majors (Vern Stephens, 1943: Willie Kirkland, 1963). Also going deep are Rose, Deron Johnson, Bob Bailey (2), Clemente, Jesse Gonder, and Jerry Lynch. For Lynch, it is his 18th pinch-hit home run, a ML record. » October 2, 1983: Rusty Staub's 2-run pinch double with two out in the bottom of the 9th gives the Mets a 5–4 win over the Expos in their season finale and gives Staub 25 RBI as a pinch hitter this season, tying the major-league record shared by Joe Cronin and Jerry Lynch. After the game the Mets fire manager Frank Howard. » August 5, 1984: Toronto's Cliff Johnson hits his 19th career pinch home run, breaking the major-league record of 18 he had shared with Jerry Lynch. Johnson's 8th-inning blast gives the Blue Jays a 4–3 win over the Orioles.