Books and articles about Frank Viola

Viola won the Cy Young Award with a 24-7 record in 1988, leading the AL in wins and winning percentage and finishing third in ERA (2.64) and strikeouts (193). The curly-haired changeup artist had already established himself as one of the AL's finest pitchers and the ace of an otherwise mediocre Minnesota staff, leading the Twins to the 1987 World Championship with a 17-10, 2.90 record. In postseason play that year, he won Game Four of the LCS after a no-decision in the Twins' Game One victory. He was the World Series MVP, winning Game One 10-1, losing Game Four 7-2, and coming back on three days' rest to triumph in Game Seven 4-2.

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Viola came up with the Twins in 1982. After posting a combined 11-25 record and a 5.38 ERA in his first two seasons, Viola posted two consecutive 18-win years in 1984 and 1985, adding a 16-13 record in 1986, when he led the league in starts. Key to Viola's success was a changeup taught to him by Twins pitching coach Johnny Podres; it gave Viola more confidence in his fastball, and would eventually become his signature pitch.

After going 24-7 for the second-place Twins in 1988, Viola got all but one of the 28 first-place votes for the Cy Young Award, beating out Dennis Eckersley, Dave Stewart, and Roger Clemens. His 93 wins in the period from 1984-1988 were the most of any pitcher in baseball.

Viola's humble and enthusiastic approach to the game earned him tremendous popularity in Minnesota. However, Twins fans were greatly offended when his agent wrote a "trade-me-or-pay-me" letter to Twins management in 1989. Local hero Kent Hrbek attacked Viola in the press and third baseman Gary Gaetti chimed in with his negative feelings regarding Viola's contract demands.

Not surprisingly, Twins management elected to give Viola's agent what he wanted, and Frank was dealt to the New York Mets on July 31 for Rick Aguilera, David West, and three prospects. Viola became the teammate of Ron Darling, whom he had bested in a famous NCAA playoff game between Yale and St. John's. Darling no-hit St. John's for 11 innings, but Viola and the Redmen won 1-0 in the 12th.

A native Long Islander, Viola found refuge in New York. In his first full season with the club, "Frankie V" went 20-12 with a 2.67 ERA, leading the league with 249 2/3 innings pitched. But the fickle New York fans soured on their new ace after various nagging injuries contributed to his terrible 2-11 record down the stretch in 1991, and Viola left for Boston via free agency after the season.

Viola's first year with the Red Sox featured one of his most memorable moments -- a no-hit bid against the Blue Jays on September 30, broken up by Devon White to lead off the ninth. Viola retired the next three hitters, taking a one-hit shutout with him. It was one of his team-high 35 starts.

The veteran left-hander had a decent season for Boston in 1993 (11-8, 3.14) but made just six starts in 1994 due to a serious elbow injury that required reconstructive "Tommy John" surgery and appeared to have ended his career. In July 1995, Viola made a comeback attempt with the Cincinnati Reds, who signed the 35-year-old to a minor-league contract. Viola made just three starts for the Reds, and six for Toronto in 1996; his last win came in May at Kansas City's Kauffman Stadium, the site of his very first. (NJ/JGR)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 21, 1981: In what is billed as the greatest college pitching duel ever takes place in the first round of the NCAA as Yale's Ron Darling and St. John's Frank Viola match zeroes through 11 innings. Darling allows no hits while striking out 16. In the 12th, St. John's Steve Scafa hits an opposite field scratch single, then steals 2B and 3B. The next batter reaches on an error and, when he tries to steal 2B, Scafa breaks for home scoring the only run. St. John's wins, 1–0. » June 16, 1982: Twins rookie Frank Viola allows one run in seven innings to record his first ML win, 5–2, over the Royals. » May 4, 1984: At Minnesota, Oakland's Dave Kingman hits a pop up that collides with the Metrodome, 180 feet up, and stays there. The ball is dislodged tomorrow. Frank Viola pitches seven 2/3 scoreless innings in the Twins 3–1 win. » June 9, 1984: Greg Luzinski becomes the 10th player in ML history to hit grand slams in consecutive games when he connects off the Twins Mike Walters in the 7th inning of an 8–4 White Sox victory. The previous day, Luzinski sparked the Sox to a 6–1 win with a first-inning grand slam off Frank Viola. » July 1, 1984: Minnesota's Frank Viola stops the Tigers, 9–0 on four hits in front of 53,484 at Detroit. Kent Hrbek has three hits, including a homer, and four RBIs. » August 4, 1985: In a day of milestones, Tom Seaver becomes the 17th pitcher to win 300 games and Rod Carew becomes the 16th player ever to collect 3,000 career hits. Seaver pitches the White Sox to a 4–1 six-hit victory on Phil Rizzuto Day at Yankee Stadium as 54,032 New Yorkers cheer him on, while Carew bloops a single to left off Frank Viola in the 3rd inning of the Angels 6–5 win over the Twins. » October 25, 1987: Series MVP Frank Viola and reliever Jeff Reardon hold the Cardinals to six hits as the Twins capture game seven 4–2 to win their first World Championship in Minnesota. The franchise's last World Championship came in 1924 as the Washington Senators. » April 5, 1988: Before 55,802 at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees score six runs off Frank Viola in five innings to top the Twins, 8–0. Rick Rhoden allows three hits in nine innings for the win. Roberto Kelly and Willie Randolph each have three hits, while Mike Pagliarulo and Rickey Henderson belt homers. » April 4, 1989: Before 52,394 at Minneapolis, the Yankees spoil the Twins Opening Day game by winning, 4–2. 45-year-old Tommy John, pitching in his 26th season, allows the Twins two run in seven innings of work, defeating Frank Viola. Roberto Kelly is 4-for-4 for New York, including the game's only homer. » July 31, 1989: The Twins trade American League Cy Young Award winner Frank Viola to the Mets for five players, including pitchers Rick Aguilera, David West and minor leaguer Kevin Tapani. Viola is the first Cy Young Award winner to be traded during the following season. Tapani will blossom into a Cy Young Award contender in 1991. » August 28, 1989: Frank Viola and the Mets outduel Orel Hershiser and the Dodgers 1–0 in the first-ever regular-season matchup of defending Cy Young Award winners. » October 3, 1990: At Pittsburgh, Frank Viola wins his 20th when the Mets beat the Pirates 6–3. In front of his hometown fans, New York's Chris Jelic homers, his first, last, and only hit in the majors. It comes off Doug Bair on his last at bat. Buc Jerry Reuss, in his only start this year, gives up one earned run, a home run to Tim Teufel in the 6th, but gets no decision in his last appearance in the majors. Reuss, with four appearances this year, joins the exclusive 4-decade club (1969-90) and also closes out his career with 220 wins, but never 20 in a season, a ML record. Milt Pappas also won 200 that way as did Frank Tanana this year. Tanana will end his career with 233 wins and no 20-win seasons. » January 2, 1992: The Red Sox sign free agent P Frank Viola. » April 2, 1993: In the final spring training game for the Red Sox, Frank Viola and Cory Bailey combine to no-hit the Phillies, winning 10–0. » May 17, 1994: Pitcher Frank Viola undergoes surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left elbow and will be out for the year. » April 28, 1996: Veteran Frank Viola, brought up yesterday from the minors, is rocked for 10 runs in four innings by the Indians. who roll to a 17–3 win over the Blue Jays. Sandy Alomar hits a 3-run homer and Albert Belle adds a solo shot and drives in three runs. » April 2, 2000: Texas Ranger starter Kenny Rogers ties Frank Viola for third place in consecutive home wins when he defeats the Chicago White Sox in Arlington. Rogers has won 19 consecutive home games and hasn't lost on his own turf since June 28, 1997, a span of 1,012 days (through April 4). Ray Kremer of the Pittsburgh Pirates holds the record of 22 consecutive home wins set in 1926-27: Lefty Grove of Boston (1938-41) is 2nd with 20 straight home wins.