Meet 1968 AL MVP & Cy Young Award Winner Denny McLain on June 4th
Published on May 30, 2014 under International League (IL1)
Charlotte Knights News Release
(Uptown Charlotte, NC) - Former American League MVP and two-time Cy Young Award winner Denny McLain will meet fans and sign autographs at BB&T Ballpark on Wednesday, June 4th as the Charlotte Knights host the Rochester Red Wings in a doubleheader starting at 6:05 p.m.
McLain won 131 games over his 10-year Major League career, but is best known as being the last pitcher in Major League Baseball history to win 30 games in a season. The three-time American League All-Star won a career-best 31 games in 1968 as a member of the World Series winning Detroit Tigers. He won game six of the seven-game World Series, which went to the Tigers over the St. Louis Cardinals.
It was a special year for McClain in 1968 -- and it turned out to be one of the finest pitching performances in Major League history. He compiled a marvelous 31-6 record with a minuscule 1.96 ERA in a league-high 41 games (all starts). He also led the league that season in complete games (28), and innings pitched (336.0). He was arguably the American League's best pitcher from 1965-1969. He won back-to-back Cy Young Awards (1968-1969) and was a three-time AL All-Star over that span.
A native of Chicago, IL, McLain was originally signed by the Chicago White Sox as an amateur free agent in 1962, however he never played for the White Sox. McLain was selected off waivers by the Detroit Tigers on April 8, 1963 and made his Major League debut on September 21, 1963 as a 19-year-old. In his first Major League game, McLain tossed a complete game and also hit an opposite-field home run in the fifth inning to beat the White Sox 4-3.
Gates are set to open at 5:30 p.m. and McLain will sign autographs as fans enter the ballpark. First pitch of game one of the doubleheader is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. The Knights and Red Wings will play two seven-inning games. Fans holding tickets for June 4th at BB&T Ballpark will be able to use those for admission into both games.
After the conclusion of game one, there will be a 30-minute intermission before game two, which the Knights will play as the away team.
The Charlotte Knights and Rochester Red Wings were scheduled to play an 11:35 a.m. game from Frontier Field in Rochester, NY on Tuesday, April 29, but due to inclement weather, the game was postponed. Since it was the final scheduled game between the two teams in Rochester, the game is being made up at BB&T Ballpark as part of Wednesday's twin bill.
Single-game tickets for the 2014 season at BB&T Ballpark are available by phone at 704-357-8071, online at www.charlotteknights.com, or in person at the BB&T Ballpark Ticket Office.
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