Books and articles about Wilcy Moore

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Though occasionally used as a starting pitcher, Wilcy Moore was among the first to gain fame as a reliever. He developed a sidearm sinkerball after hurting his shoulder in the Sally League. As a 30-year-old rookie with the 1927 Yankees, he went 19-7 and led the league with 13 relief wins and 13 saves (his 2.28 ERA would also have led, had he qualified with the then-necessary ten complete games). After saving the opener of the 1927 World Series against the Pirates, he started and won the fourth and final game. He later claimed that overwork in 1927 caused the arm problems which sidelined him in 1928 and hampered his career. Even so, his 10 saves for the Red Sox in 1931 were the AL high. He returned to the Yankees in 1932, his relief win in the WS closing out another four-game sweep, this time of the Cubs. (JK)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 28, 1927: In his first starting assignment, New York's Wilcy Moore loses a heartbreaker to the Senators, 3–2, in the nitecap of a twinbill. Lou Gehrig is spiked at 1B by Bucky Harris as Firpo Marberry scores the winning run. The Yanks win the opener, 8–2, as Ruth corks his 12th homer of the year, a 3-run shot. Tris Speaker plays most of Game One despite fracturing his left thumb in batting practice. » July 22, 1928: P Red Faber of the White Sox comes up to bat in the eighth with two runners on base and the game with the Yankees tied 4-4. He swings twice righthanded against righty Wilcy Moore and misses. He then switches to the left side and knocks in the winning runs with a single to center. » September 17, 1928: Wilcy Moore, the Yankee pitching hero of 1927, goes home with an ailing arm after working just 60 innings. » August 2, 1931: The Red Sox and the third-place Yankees split a Sunday doubleheader before a record 40,000, played at Braves Field because of religious restrictions involving Fenway. Former Boston P Red Ruffing wins the first game 4–1, and ex-New Yorker Wilcy Moore blanks his former mates 1–0 in the nightcap. Moore allows just three singles in topping George Pipgras. The Yanks will go 308 games before being shut out again. » May 1, 1932: The New York Yankees reacquire relief ace Wilcy Moore from the Red Sox. » October 2, 1932: The demoralized Cubs lose 13-6, as the Yankees sweep the Series. Tony Lazzeri hits 2 HRs, and Earle Combs, one. Wilcy Moore gets the win in relief. Combs ties a WS record with 4 runs scored, and Bill Dickey ties another with 6 at bats. » September 23, 1933: The Yankees make seven errors, three by Frank Crosetti, but have enough firepower to outslug the Red Sox 16–12. Including in New York's 23 hits are homers by Ruth and Lou Gehrig, number 31 for each; Lou adds two doubles and a single. Byrd, Chapman, and Crosetti have three hits apiece, and reliever Wilcy Moore drives in the last run with his first hit of the year. The Red Sox chase winning pitcher Herb Pennock in the 6th and make the score 13–9, but fall short at the end. » September 7, 1951: The A's split a pair with the Red Sox, losing 8–5 to Bill Wight, before winning, 11–4. Billy Hitchcock has two triples and double in game two good for five RBIs. Bosox reliever Ellis Kinder makes his 54th appearance in the opener, breaking Wilcy Moore's club record set in 1931. Boston slips in the American League race to four games back. » June 10, 1978: The Yankees send former ace Ken Holtzman back to the Cubs, his first team, in exchange for minor leaguer Ron Davis. Holtzman proved a disappointment in New York, and he will not recapture his form in Chicago. Davis will blossom in 1979 when his 14–2 mark sets a record for most wins by a rookie reliever. The previous mark was 13 wins by Yankee Wilcy Moore.