Books and articles about Claude Osteen

Osteen won in double figures each year from 1964 through 1973. Obtained from Washington in a seven-player deal for Frank Howard in December 1964 after winning 15 for the ninth-place Senators, he became the Dodgers' third starter behind Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale. After Drysdale and Koufax lost Games One and Two of the 1965 World Series, Osteen put Los Angeles on track by shutting out Minnesota in Game Three. Don Sutton's arrival in 1966 gave the Dodgers one of the most dominant rotations ever, with four pitchers who each threw at least 40 lifetime shutouts. Typical of Osteen's hard luck, his 40 shutouts were topped by the 47 thrown against him.

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Gomer (so named for his resemblance to TV's Gomer Pyle) helped carry the Dodger staff through the lean years from 1967 to 1973. After losing a league-high 18 games in 1968, the deliberate worker went 20-15 in 1969, despite allowing the most hits in the NL. His best year was 1972, when he went 20-11 (2.64) and finished strong with seven complete-game victories in his last nine starts. He pitched three shutout innings to win the 1970 All-Star Game, and threw two more scoreless innings in the 1973 contest. He became a pitching coach for the Cardinals and Phillies. (TG)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » September 16, 1961: The Senators acquire Claude Osteen from the Reds for 1B Dave Sisler and cash. » September 5, 1962: Washington's John Kennedy pinch hits against the Twins and becomes the 9th American League player to debut with a home run in his first at bat. His blow breaks up a no-hit bid by Dick Stigman, and the Nats rally to tie the game at 7–7 in the 9th, The Twins win 9–7 in 11 frames, then drop the nitecap, 3–0, as Claude Osteen fires a three hitter. The split leaves the Twins two 1/2 games behind the Yankees. » May 6, 1964: The Yanks hit four home runs -- two by Hector Lopez and one apiece by Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris -- to back Jim Bouton's 9–2 opening win over the Senators. Washington comes back from a 4–0 deficit to win the nitecap, 5–4, despite a three-run Mantle homer off starter Claude Osteen. » December 4, 1964: The Dodgers trade OF Frank Howard, P Phil Ortega, P Pete Richert, and 3B Ken McMullen to the Senators for P Claude Osteen, IF John Kennedy, and cash. » July 17, 1965: Los Angeles returns to first place, as Claude Osteen beats the Cubs 7–2. » September 2, 1965: The Dodgers Claude Osteen tops the Pirates, 7–1,beating 14-game winner Bob Veale. The Bucs will next lose a pair to the Braves to drop Pittsburgh from the race. » September 16, 1965: Claude Osteen launches a Dodgers' winning streak as he shuts out the Cubs 2–0. The Dodgers will win their next 3, all by shutouts, in St. Louis. » October 9, 1965: Dodgers P Claude Osteen, 5-0 versus Minnesota while with the Senators, remains perfect against the Twins, winning 4–0 in game three at Chavez Ravine. » July 20, 1969: San Francisco's Gaylord Perry connects for his first hit of the year, and his first ML homer to beat the Dodgers, 7–3. The victim of Perry's dinger is Claude Osteen. Last year, Alvin Dark had remarked to sports writer Harry Jupiter about Perry's hitting, "They'll put a man on the moon before he hits a home run." Perry's homer comes about 20 minutes after the club house receives word that Neil Armstrong has set foot on the moon. » July 14, 1970: At Riverfront Stadium, the National League wins its 8th straight All-Star Game, a thrilling 12-inning 5–4 victory in Cincinnati. Pete Rose crashes into Cleveland catcher Ray Fosse to score the controversial winning run on Jim Hickman's single. Fosse, who never had the ball, hurts his right shoulder and is taken to the hospital. The game is scoreless until the 6th, with the NL limited to three hits in the first eight innings. In the 9th, the NL tees off on Catfish Hunter, driving in three runs to tie. Dick Dietz hits a leadoff home run in the inning. Claude Osteen pitches the 10th for the win. » April 6, 1971: At Houston, Claude Osteen allows four hits and rookie Bill Buckner's homer accounts for all the scoring as the Dodgers beat the Astros, 2–0. Don Wilson takes the loss. Osteen was 6–0 last year against Houston. » December 6, 1973: The Astros trade OF Jim Wynn to the Dodgers for P Claude Osteen and Dave Culpepper.