Books and articles about Vinegar Bend Mizell

RELATED LINKS Book Excerpts » 1960: The Last Pure Season by Kerry Keene

A big starter with control problems, Mizell was consistent but unspectacular. He led the NL in walks as a rookie, and from 1952 to 1960 he never won 15 games despite only one ERA above 3.75. On September 1, 1958, he shut out the Reds on four hits despite allowing nine walks and five stolen bases. Mizell was traded to Pittsburgh in May 1960 and helped the Pirates to the pennant with a 13-5 mark, but retired only one batter in his lone WS start in Game Three, surrendering five runs and taking the loss. He later served several terms as a Republican congressman from Mississippi. (FK)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 13, 1951: At Ft. Worth, ex-Dodger Rex Barney walks 16 Houston batters in seven 2/3 innings to set a Texas League record. Barney faces 41 batters and is behind on all but seven off them, and adds two wild pitches. He leaves with a 2–1 score after walking across a run in the 8th, and ends up losing 6–2 to Vinegar Bend Mizell. » May 4, 1953: Busch Stadium bans bottles from the park during a game due to fans tossing soda bottles during a 7–6 Browns loss to the Yankees on April 28th. Meanwhile, at Pittsburgh, the Cards' Vinegar Bend Mizell shuts out the Bucs, 5–0. » May 30, 1956: Gus Bell, Ted Kluszewski, and Frank Robinson hit consecutive homers for the Reds against the Cards' Vinegar Bend Mizell. The homers do little however, as they come with two outs in the 9th and the Reds trailing, 9–0. » July 18, 1957: Dodger slugger Gil Hodges hits his 12th career grand slam to tie the NL record of Rogers Hornsby and Ralph Kiner, as the Dodgers edge the Cards 10-9. St. Louis remains a game behind the Phils. The slam comes against the Cardinals Wilmer Mizell. » September 1, 1958: The Cardinals' Vinegar Bend Mizell beats the Reds, 1–0, while walking a record (for a shutout) nine batters. The Reds also swipe five bases. The Reds come back to win the 2nd game of the doubleheader, 9–3. » April 12, 1959: At St. Louis, the Giants break a 3-3 tie when, with two out in the 9th, Jim Davenport bunts safely off Vinegar Bend Mizell. Orlando Cepeda follows with a triple and Felipe Alou homers. Giants win, 6–3. » May 27, 1960: Pittsburgh acquires 29-year-old lefty Wilmer "Vinegar Bend" Mizell from the Cardinals, along with LF Dick Gray, for minor leaguers Julian Javier and Ed Bauta. Javier will start at 2B for the Cards for a dozen years. » May 6, 1962: The Mets acquire Vinegar Bend Mizell from the Pirates for Jim Marshall, then send Don Zimmer to Cincinnati for P Bob Miller and infielder Cliff Cook. » June 13, 1974: Henry Aaron addresses the House of Representatives in a special Flag Day ceremony. In the chamber is Representative Wilmer Mizell of North Carolina, who, as a southpaw hurler for the Cardinals, served up home run #61 in 1956 and #161 in 1959.