Books and articles about Art Mahaffey

RELATED LINKS Submissions » Major League Leaders Who Weren't: 1961's Unbalanced Schedule by Fred Worth

Mahaffey had an unusually effective pickoff move. Called up to the Phillies in 1960, he vowed to pick off his first baserunner. He picked off his first three: the Cardinals' Curt Flood and Bill White during one relief appearance, and the Giants' Jim Marshall in the next. His move toward second was also deceptive, because no one would be covering the bag. He would whirl and fake a throw so convincingly that the runner would either freeze or set out for third. On April 23, 1961, Mahaffey fanned 17 Cubs (winning 6-0) to tie the since-broken NL record for strikeouts in a day game. He finished the year with a league-high 19 losses. He went 19-14 in 1962, but lost his fastball to an arm injury in 1963. (NLM)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » July 30, 1960: Just as he predicts, Philadelphia P Art Mahaffey, just called up from Buffalo, picks off the first batter to get a hit against him. Then with the next batter to get a hit, he does it again. Curt Flood and Bill White are the base runner victims, but St. Louis still wins 6–3. In his next game, the first batter to get a hit off Mahaffey will be Jim Marshall, and Mahaffey will pick him off as well. » April 23, 1961: Art Mahaffey fans a batter in each inning and 17 in all, a Phillies' record, while beating the Cubs, 6–0. The Phils win the first game 1-0 behind Frank Sullivan. » August 17, 1961: It takes the Phils 11 innings at County Stadium, but they finally lose to the Braves, 7–6 when Al Spangler singles home the winner. For Philadelphia, it is their 20th loss in a row, a modern ML record. The Phils lose a 6–4 lead in the 8th when Joe Adcock slams a 2-run homer off Art Mahaffey to tie. » April 29, 1962: In the Mets' 7-run 4th inning, Frank Thomas is twice hit by pitches, from Art Mahaffey and Frank Sullivan of the Phils. Two plunks in an inning are the major-league record set in 1959 by the only other player to whom it has happened—Reds pitcher Willard Schmidt. The Mets win 8–0, then lose the 2nd game 10–2. » June 6, 1962: Cal McLish and Art Mahaffey pitch Philadelphia to a sweep of the Mets, 2–0 and 2–1, giving New York 17 straight losses. Craig and Jackson are the losing pitchers. » August 2, 1962: Phils P Art Mahaffey gives up two home runs to Frank Thomas and two more to Marv Throneberry, but negates those with a grand slam of his own in the 3rd inning. Mahaffey tops the Mets 9–4 at New York. » September 8, 1964: Phils' first baseman Frank Thomas fractures his right thumb sliding back into 1B in the 3–2 loss to the Dodgers. The Phils are six games ahead, but Thomas's loss will be felt keenly when the Phils begin to slide. Art Mahaffey takes the loss, lasting just a 1/3 of an inning. Thirty-six-year-old Jim Brewer wins his first ML start. » September 21, 1964: John Tsitouris hurls a 1–0 shutout for the Reds over Art Mahaffey and the first-place Phillies, launching a 10-game Phils' losing streak. Rookie Chico Ruiz scores the only run when, with Frank Robinson at bat, he steals home with two out in the 6th inning. » September 26, 1964: At Shibe Park, the Braves and Phillies set a major-league record by using 43 players in a 9-inning game. The Braves' 25 match the 9-inning high mark for National League clubs. Eight of the 25 are pitchers, tying a league mark, but still the stumbling Phils drop their 6th in a row 6–4. The topper is Rico Carty's 3-run triple in the top of the 9th against reliever Bobby Shantz, in for starter Art Mahaffey. Torre again has three hits for Milwaukee, which shaves the Phils' lead to a half-game. » September 27, 1965: A week after sending veteran Ken Boyer to the Mets, St. Louis trades SS Dick Groat, 1B Bill White and C Bob Uecker to the Phillies for P Art Mahaffey, OF Alex Johnson and C Pat Corrales. » October 27, 1965: C Bob Uecker, 1B Bill White, and SS Dick Groat are traded by St. Louis to Philadelphia for P Art Mahaffey, OF Alex Johnson, and C Pat Corrales.