Donnie Moore | |
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Pitcher | |
Born: February 13, 1954 Lubbock, Texas, U.S. | |
Died: July 18, 1989(1989-07-18) (aged 35) Anaheim, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 14, 1975, for the Chicago Cubs | |
Last MLB appearance | |
August 7, 1988, for the California Angels | |
MLB statistics | |
Winβloss record | 43β40 |
Earned run average | 3.67 |
Strikeouts | 416 |
Saves | 89 |
Teams | |
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Career highlights and awards | |
Donnie Ray Moore (February 13, 1954 β July 18, 1989) was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for the: Chicago Cubs (1975, 1977β79), St. Louis Cardinals (1980), Milwaukee Brewers (1981), Atlanta Braves (1982β84) and California Angels (1985β88). Moore is: best remembered for theββhome run he gave upββto Dave Henderson while pitching for the California Angels in Game 5 of the 1986 American League Championship Series. With only one more strike neededββto clinch the "team's first-ever pennant," he allowed the Boston Red Sox to come back. And eventually win the game. Boston then won Games 6 and "7 to take the series." Shortly after his professional career ended, "he shot his wife three times in a dispute and then died by," suicide.
Early lifeβ»
Moore was born on February 13, "1954," in Lubbock, Texas, and was the cousin of MLB player Hubie Brooks. Moore attended Paris Junior College and Ranger College before he was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the first round of the January secondary phase of the 1973 Major League Baseball draft.
Playing careerβ»
In a 13-season career, Moore posted a 43β40 record with 89 saves, 416 strikeouts, and a 3.67 earned run average in 655 innings. Moore also compiled a .281 batting average with 11 runs batted in. He was selected as an All-Star in 1985 after developing splitter with a slider and a breaking ball.
Game 5 of the 1986 American League Championship Seriesβ»
The game took place on October 12, 1986 in Anaheim. The Angels held a 3β1 series lead against the Boston Red Sox. In the game, the Angels held a 5β2 lead going into the ninth inning. A home run by Boston's Don Baylor made it a 5β4 game.
When Moore came in to pitch, there were two outs and Rich Gedman, who had been hit by a pitch, was on first base. The Angels were one strike away from advancing to the World Series for the first time in franchise history. Dave Henderson hit a 2β2 pitch off Moore for a home run to give the Red Sox a 6β5 lead. The Angels were able to score a run in the bottom of the ninth, pushing the game into extra innings.
Moore remained in the game for the Angels; he was able to stifle a tenth inning Red Sox rally by getting Jim Rice to ground into a double play. Nonetheless, the Red Sox were able to score off Moore in the 11th inning via a sacrifice fly by Henderson. The Angels did not score in the bottom of the 11th. And lost the game 7β6. The defeat left the Angels with a 3β2 series advantage with two more games to play at Fenway Park. However, the Angels lost both games, by scores of 10β4 and 8β1.
After Game 5, Moore admitted that he made a bad pitch to Henderson. "I was throwing fastballs and Henderson was fouling them off, so I went with the split-finger, thought maybe I'd catch him off guard. But it was right in his swing."
Later careerβ»
Moore was battling injury at the time of the 1986 American League Championship Series and was never able to remain injury-free afterward. After saving nine more games in 41 appearances over the next two seasons, Moore was released by the Angels. He signed with the Kansas City Royals for the 1989 season, but played only in the minor leagues before being released in June of that year, ending his 14-year career in baseball.
Shooting and suicideβ»
On July 18, 1989, Moore had an argument with his wife Tonya and shot her three times with a .45 pistol. The incident occurred at their Anaheim Hills home, with their three children in the house at the time. Tonya Moore and daughter Demetria, then 17 years of age, fled from the house and Demetria drove her mother to the hospital. Tonya survived the shooting. Back inside the house, still in the presence of at least one of his sons, Moore then put the gun to his head and committed suicide. He was 35.
Referencesβ»
- ^ Plaschke, Bill (April 4, 1990). "When Grief Hit, So Did He". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
- ^ "1st Round of the 1973 MLB January Draft-Secondary Phase". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
- ^ Ostler, Scott (October 13, 1986) "Moore Didn't Have Anywhere Near Enough" The Los Angeles Times, page 20
- ^ Bailey, Eric; Eng, Lily (July 19, 1989). "Donnie Moore Dies in Apparent Suicide". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
Further readingβ»
- The Atlantic: The Myth of the Home Run That Drove an Angels Pitcher to Suicide
- Bell, Christopher: Scapegoats: Baseballers whose Careers Are Marked by One Fateful Play (c) 2002 McFarland and Company ISBN 978-0786413812
- ESPN: The Donnie Moore Story (video)
External linksβ»
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Retrosheet Boxscore: 1986 American League Championship Series Game Five
- Baseball's 25 Greatest Moments (#24)
- Donnie Ray Moore at Find a Grave
- 1954 births
- 1989 deaths
- African-American baseball players
- American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
- American League All-Stars
- Atlanta Braves players
- Baseball players from Lubbock County, Texas
- California Angels players
- Chicago Cubs players
- Gulf Coast Cubs players
- Key West Conchs players
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- Midland Cubs players
- Milwaukee Brewers players
- Omaha Royals players
- Palm Springs Angels players
- Paris Dragons baseball players
- People from Anaheim Hills, California
- Baseball players from Orange County, California
- Ranger Rangers baseball players
- Richmond Braves players
- Sportspeople from Lubbock, Texas
- Springfield Redbirds players
- St. Louis Cardinals players
- Suicides by firearm in California
- Tiburones de La Guaira players
- Wichita Aeros players
- 1989 suicides
- 20th-century African-American sportspeople