#88 Jack Lamabe

As we jump back to Series 1 for a moment, I'll let you know that the next handful of cards came from Max, one of the recurring characters in this blog's story. They arrived at my door in the spring of 2009, which lets you know just how far behind I'd fallen on posting!

Fun facts about Jack Lamabe:

-Jack was born in Farmingdale, NY and attended the University of Vermont before signing with the Phillies in 1956.

-Before his second pro season, he was granted minor league free agency and signed with the Pirates. He spent five years in their farm system before making the big league club in 1962 at age 24.

-In his first two major league games, the righty combined for eight innings of five-hit, one-run relief. He struck out five, walked two, and earned one save with only one day of rest in between the outings.

-As a rookie, Lamabe was 3-1 with 2 saves and a 2.88 ERA in 46 games as a Pirates reliever.

-The Red Sox acquired Jack along with Dick Stuart in an offseason trade and called upon the reliever 65 times in 1963 with a team-high 151.1 relief innings. He posted a 7-4 record, 6 saves, and a 3.15 ERA.

-His career seemed to run off the rails in 1964-1965, as he combined to go 9-18 with a 6.06 ERA for the BoSox and Astros. He spent a portion of the 1964 season in the Boston rotation and was demoted to the minors in the following season.

-Jack righted himself with a 7-9 record and a 3.93 ERA in a swingman role with the White Sox in 1966. A year later, he pitched for three teams (White Sox, Mets, and Cardinals) and accumulated 5 saves, a 3.20 ERA, and a career-best 1.10 WHIP. He helped the Cardinals in their pennant drive by reeling off 27.1 consecutive scoreless innings from early August through early September. He relieved in three World Series games for the victorious Cardinals.

-Getting the starting nod against the Red Sox on May 30, 1966, he one-hit his former team in an 11-0 laugher. His potential no-hitter was spoiled by a Joe Foy single to lead off the eighth inning.

-He finished his career inauspiciously, putting up a 4.30 ERA in relief for the Cubs in 1968 and spending all of 1969 in AAA. In parts of seven big-league seasons he was 33-41 with 15 saves and a 4.24 ERA.

-Lamabe went on to coach collegiately at Jacksonville University (1974-1978) and Lousiana State University (1979-1983). He was LSU's first full-time baseball coach. The ex-pitcher died in December 2007 at age 71.