Books and articles about Pedro Ramos

Ramos led the AL in losses four straight years, 1958-61, as the Senators finished last in 1958-59 and below .500 all four years. The Cuban also led in starts in '58 and '60, and set a since-broken AL record by surrendering 43 homers. The Washington franchise moved to Minnesota in 1961, and the Twins traded Ramos for Vic Power and Dick Stigman after that season; he went 10-12 on sixth-place Cleveland as the Twins climbed to third.

RELATED LINKS Submissions » Major League Leaders Who Weren't: 1961's Unbalanced Schedule by Fred Worth Around the Web » Pedro Ramos from baseball-reference.com Jump directly to Library content from any website!

Switching to relief partway through 1964, he finally played for a winner when the Yankees picked him up on September 5 for their tough pennant drive, surrendering Ralph Terry, Bud Daley, and $75,000. He proved well worth the cost, going 1-0 with a 1.25 ERA and saving eight games down the stretch. He was their bullpen stopper for the next two seasons, with 19 saves in 1965 and 13 in 1966, but the Yankees collapsed, finishing last in '66. After a stint in the NL, Ramos returned to Washington for his final season, playing for the franchise that had replaced the original Senators in the 1961 expansion.

Ramos was known for more than just his pitching. He hit 15 HR lifetime, tied for 20th among pitchers, and even hit a grand slam off Baltimore's Chuck Estrada on May 30, 1962. He also hit two in one game on July 31, 1963; in the sixth inning, his homer was the second of four straight by the Indians, the first AL team ever to accomplish that feat. He was also used frequently as a pinch runner, around ten times a season when he was with the Senators, and insisted that he was the fastest runner in the majors. He repeatedly challenged Mickey Mantle to a footrace in his attempt to prove his claim but was never granted the match. His switch to relief ended his pinch-running career. (SH)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 21, 1955: In a game marked by a fight between Maury McDermott and Jackie Jensen, the Senators top the Red Sox, 1–0, in 12 innings. In the 12th, Jensen is trapped off 1B but his way back to the bag is obstructed by first baseman Mickey Vernon: it is called by 2B ump Ed Runge but he makes no gestures and Jensen continues back to 1B. McDermott, waiting to put the tag on, is knocked over by Jensen, and Hank Soar at 1B calls the runner out. Soar is overruled and then the fight starts between Jensen and the pitcher and both are tossed. Pedro Ramos, who succeeds McDermott, draws a walk and scores the winning run. » May 30, 1956: Mickey Mantle hits one of the most memorable home runs in his career, in the 2nd game of a doubleheader with the Washington Senators. He tags a pitch from Camilo Pascual that comes within 18 inches of leaving Yankee Stadium, something never accomplished by any major leaguer. The ball was still climbing when it caromed off the upper-stand facade, about 396 feet from home plate. Estimates are that the ball could have traveled more than 600 feet. It is Mantle's 20th home run of the season; no one else has ever hit 20 home runs before June. Mantle also homers in the opener, off Pedro Ramos, with two on as New York sweeps, 4–3 and 12–5. » May 9, 1958: After six straight home rainouts, the Yanks play their first home night game of the year, against Washington. Mickey Mantle breaks a 2–2 tie in the 3rd with an inside-the-park solo homer off Pedro Ramos. New York rolls to a 9–5 win. » May 18, 1958: The Yanks score five in the 4th off Pedro Ramos to top the Senators, 5–2. » September 28, 1958: In a 6–4 Boston win over Washington, Ted Williams wins the American League batting title with a .328 mark, edging out teammate Pete Runnels by six points. Williams goes 2-for-4 against Washington with a home run and 2B against Pedro Ramos while Runnels is hitless. Williams hit .403 in his last 55 games. The Nationals finish the season with 13 straight losses. » July 31, 1959: Pedro Ramos holds Chicago to one hit in seven innings but leaves with a sore elbow, and the Sox score two in the 9th to beat the Senators, 2–1. It is Washington's 14th loss in a row. The Sox lead Cleveland by two games. » July 19, 1960: Senators ace Pedro Ramos pitches a one-hitter, bating Detroit, 5–0. Colavito's leadoff single in the 8th, a grounder that eludes SS Jose Valdivielso, is the lone safety. » July 23, 1960: Kansas City OF Whitey Herzog hits into the only all-Cuban triple play in ML history. The action goes from Washington P Pedro Ramos, to 1B Julio Becquer, to SS Jose Valdivielso. The win, however, goes to reliever Chuck Stobbs (7-2) as the Nats take an 8–3 decision. Killebrew has a 2-run homer. » September 18, 1960: The surprising 4th-place Senators fall to a game above .500 when Ted Williams' 2-run home run off Pedro Ramos gives Boston a 2–1 win. Muffett allows just three hits, including Jim Lemon's 38th home run, in a quick one hr: 40 minute win. A late collapse—15 losses in the final 18 games—will drop Washington to 5th place, but that will still be the club's best finish in seven years. The club will continue its improvement in Minnesota. » October 2, 1960: Washington drops a 2–1 decision to Baltimore in the last game ever played by the original-franchise Senators. Pedro Ramos takes the loss for Washington. The O's clinch 2nd place. » April 11, 1961: At Yankee Stadium, the Yankees, led by new manager Ralph Houk, are shut out by Minnesota's Pedro Ramos, 6–0. Ramos has a two-run single and allows just three singles in beating Whitey Ford. Ford, however, will finish the season at 25–4. » May 9, 1961: Jim Gentile becomes the 3rd player to hit grand slams in consecutive innings (Tony Lazzeri in 1936, Jim Tabor in 1939: Rudy York in 1946 also hit two grand slams, but not in consecutive innings) when he belts one off Pedro Ramos in the first and adds another off Paul Giel in the 2nd. His eight RBI in consecutive innings set a ML record. Gentile also tacks on a sacrifice fly to give him a club record nine RBI in the 13–5 drubbing of the Twins. » May 12, 1961: At Minnesota, Angels P Eli Grba hits a 5th-inning solo home run off P Pedro Ramos, who then returns the favor in bottom of the inning. Ramos wins 5–4. » August 6, 1961: Mickey Mantle leads the Yankees to a doubleheader sweep of the Twins, going 5-for-9 with three home runs and a double. His four RBIs gives him an even 100 for the year and his homer total is now 43. In the opener, Mantle's had two home runs off his favorite pitcher Pedro Ramos, but it is Johnny Blanchard's homer in the 10th that ties the game at 6–6. In the 15th, Yogi Berra hits a bases loaded grounder and just beat the throw at first to give the Yanks the win. The Yankees win the nitecap by a run as well, when Clete Boyer drives in Mantle in the 9th inning to break a 2–2 tie. New York now leads Detroit by two 1/2 games. » April 2, 1962: The Twins trade P Pedro Ramos to Cleveland for 1B Vic Power and P Dick Stigman. » September 12, 1962: In Cleveland, Whitey Ford and Mickey Manetlylead the way to a Yankee win, 5–2. Mantle hits a 3-run homer in the 5th off Pedro Ramos, his 2nd favorite all-time cousin (12 homers allowed). » May 15, 1963: Down 4–0 to the Twins, Mickey Mantle hits a two run homer off Pedro Ramos to put the Yankees on the board. Mantle later scores the winning run as New York wins, 4–3. » July 31, 1963: The Indians become the first American League club to hit four straight home runs. Number eight hitter Woody Held begins with a 2-out blast off Paul Foytack, P Pedro Ramos follows with his 2nd of the game, Tito Francona makes it three straight, and rookie SS Larry Brown's first ML 4-bagger finishes the string. Foytack sets a dubious ML record—the only pitcher to give up four straight home runs. The Indians win 9–5 in the opener of two with the Angels. » August 10, 1963: In the A's 6–3 win, A's pinch-hit star George Alusik suffers a broken wrist when hit by the Indians' Pedro Ramos's pitch. » October 12, 1963: In the first (and last) Hispanic American major league all-star game, the National League team beats the American League 5–2 at the Polo Grounds. The game features such names as Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva, Roberto Clemente, Orlando Cepeda, Julian Javier, Felipe Alou, Luis Aparicio, and Zoilo Versalles. Vic Power receives a pregame award as the number-one Latin player. NL starter Juan Marichal strikes out six in four innings, though reliever Al McBean is the winner. Pinch hitter Manny Mota drives in two against loser Pedro Ramos. » May 9, 1964: At Cleveland, Pedro Ramos gives up four home runs to New York -- Tony Kubek, Mickey Mantle, Joe Pepitone, and Hector Lopez -- as the Yankees win 6–2. » September 5, 1964: Sound familiar? The Yanks acquire veteran P Pedro Ramos from the Indians as pennant insurance. The Indians get two players to be named later: Ralph Terry on October 12, and Bud Daley on November 27. » September 23, 1964: The sizzling Yanks win their 9th in a row, defeating the Tribe, 4–3 in 11 innings and 6–4. Elston Howard's homer off Louie Tiant snaps a tie in the opener. John Romano homers in each game for the Indians while recently acquired Pedro Ramos finishes up both games for New York. Ramos, however, will not be eligible for the World Series. » April 12, 1965: In Minnesota, the Yankees drop their second straight 11th inning opener, as the Twins win 5–4. Twins starter Jim Kaat, stranded because of the ice and snow, is brought to Metropolitan Stadium by helicopter. Kaat is matched by Jim Bouton, who goes five innings, giving up two earned runs. Bob Allison's wind-blown fly ball in the 11th drops untouched for a three-base error by Hector Lopez, one of eight errors the two teams combine for. Cesar Tovar's 2-out single scores the winner off Pedro Ramos. » December 8, 1966: Five years after breaking Babe Ruth's record, the Yankees trade OF Roger Maris to the Cardinals for journeyman 3B Charlie Smith. In two days, the Yanks send Pedro Ramos the Phils for P Joe Verbanic.