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Knuckleballer Purkey was a top starter for the Reds in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Unlike most knuckleball specialists, one of his strengths was excellent control. He was usually hittable but his control helped him avoid big innings. In 1960 he pitched an 11-hit shutout. He lost a heartbreaker in Game Four of the 1961 WS when Roger Maris homered in the ninth inning to give the Yankees a 3-2 win. Twice Purkey won 17 games for the Reds, and in 1962 he led the NL in winning percentage (.821) with a sparkling 23-5 mark. (BC)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » December 16, 1957: The Reds land their 5th pitcher of the month when they acquire Harvey Haddix from the Phillies for OF Wally Post. A week ago they swapped pitchers with the Pirates, picking up veteran Bob Purkey for Don Gross. » August 1, 1959: P Bob Purkey of the Reds hits a grand slam off Johnny Buzhardt of the Cubs and wins 12–3. Purkey allows six hits. Glen Hobbie takes the loss. » August 15, 1960: In the first of two games at Crosley Field, Frank Robinson and Eddie Mathews exchange punches after Robbie slides in hard at 3B in the 7th inning. Robbie comes out on the short end with a swollen eye, bloody nose, and jammed thumb, but comes back in the nitecap with a double and homer to lead the Reds to a 4–0 win. Bob Purkey wins the shutout, despite allowing 11 hits. » August 28, 1960: In Los Angeles, the Reds drop nine runs—6 unearned—on the Dodgers in the 1st inning, then get shut out the rest of the way. The Reds win, 9–3, behind Bob Purkey. Roseboro's two run home run in the 5th followed by Irv Noren pinch solo are all the Dodger scoring. » September 13, 1960: Eighteen-year-old OF Danny Murphy becomes the youngest Cub to hit a home run when he clouts a 3-run homer off Bob Purkey, but the Reds win 8–6 in Cincinnati. Murphy will play just 49 games for the Cubs from 1960 to 1962. He will come back as a pitcher for the White Sox in 1969 and 1970. » August 16, 1961: Cincinnati takes the National League lead for good with a shutout sweep 6–0 and 8–0 at Los Angeles before 72,140, a record crowd for a NL doubleheader. Bob Purkey gives up four hits and Jim O'Toole just two in handing the Dodgers their 1st twinbill whitewash since July 18, 1935. » September 10, 1961: The Reds Bob Purkey allows just two hits in beating the visiting Cards, 5–2. » October 7, 1961: John Blanchard's pinch-hit home run ties the game in the 8th, and Roger Maris' 9th-inning home run off Bob Purkey is the difference in a 3–2 New York win for Luis Arroyo in game three of the World Series. » July 13, 1962: Cubs rookie Cal Koonce (8-2) stops the Reds on one hit, a single by Don Blasingame, to win, 1–0. It is the first of four times that the Dixie Blazer will collect the only hit in a game. The Cubs only run is unearned off Bob Purkey (14-3). » August 6, 1962: At Houston, reliever Johnny Klippstein belts a home run in the 13th inning to give the Reds a 1–0 win over the Colts. Klippstein relieved starter Bob Purkey in the 11th. » August 24, 1962: The Reds Bob Purkey wins his 20th game, defeating Houston, 4–2. » June 23, 1963: Dropping a 4–0 shutout to Bob Purkey in the first of two games at Cincinnati, the Colt 45s tie a major-league record with their 4th straight shutout loss. Houston finally breaks a 40-inning scoreless drought in the 2nd inning of the nightcap, but still loses 8–1. » December 14, 1964: St. Louis trades P Roger Craig and OF Charlie James to the Reds for P Bob Purkey.