The Cincinnati Reds were in the midst of their "Big Red Machine" run when they dealt a struggling pitcher to the Chicago White Sox on August 29, 1973. This pitcher had pitched in two World Series, both for the Reds, in 1970 and 1972. Jim McGlothlin had originally come over to the Reds from the California Angels, where he was a dependable starting pitcher. In fact, in 1967, he led the AL in shutouts with 6 and made the AL All Star team. The All Star Game of 1967 was played in Anaheim Stadium, the home of McGlothlin's Angels. McGlothlin would pitch two innings of scoreless relief- taking over for Minnesota Twins RHP Dean Chance, who had gotten the start. Of course, Chance had spent the first 6 seasons of his big league career with the Angels before being traded to the Twins prior to the season.
With the Reds, McGlothlin had a solid 1970 season, where he went 14-10, 3.59 in 34 starts. He made a start in the 1970 World Series against the Orioles and pitched into the 5th inning giving up 4 runs without getting a decision. The following season, McGlothlin went 8-12, 3.22 in 30 games, 26 starts for the Reds in what was manager Sparky Anderson's only losing season at the helm of Cincinnati. In 1972, he went 9-8, 3.91 in 31 games, 21 starts before pitching in both the NLDS against the Pirates- pitching a scoreless inning of relief, and then making a start in the 1972 World Series against the Athletics- giving up 4 runs in 3 innings of work without getting a decision.
McGlothlin's struggles in the 1973 season (3-3, 6.68 in 24 games, 9 starts) led to his trade to the White Sox. McGlothlin pitched in 5 games for the White Sox, going 0-1, 3.93 in 5 games, 1 start. The Reds would once again win the NL West division, this time facing the NL East Champion Mets in the NLCS. Of course, the Mets would prevail before dropping a 7 game World Series against the same Athletics that beat the Reds a year earlier.
Sadly, McGlothlin would not pitch in another game after the 1973 season. He was diagnosed with leukemia in February of 1974 and had to stop pitching. The White Sox released him in March. He was living in Union, KY, which was right outside of Cincinnati. The 1974 Reds finished in 2nd place to the LA Dodgers. However, the Reds of 1975 got themselves back to the NLCS, where they defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates to return to the World Series, which McGlothlin remembered pitching in during the fall of 1970 and 1972.
The 1975 Reds were a close knit group and several of the players McGlothlin played with were on the 1975 squad. 17 players were teammates with Jim when he was traded to the White Sox. The 15 teammates from the 1972 World Series were Hall of Famers Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, Joe Morgan and Pete Rose (he is a Hall of Fame player and nothing he did on the baseball field warrants such inclusion) as well as Cesar Geronimo, Darrel Chaney, Bill Plummer, George Foster, Jack Billingham, Don Gullett, Tom Hall, Clay Carroll, Pedro Borbon and Gary Nolan. On Saturday, October 11, 1975, the Reds won an exciting back and forth World Series against the Boston Red Sox. This was just their third World Series Championship and first since 1940. (If New York Rangers fans knew they gave to wait another 19-20 years before winning another Stanley Cup.) Just over two months later, on December 23rd, Jim McGlothlin passed away at age 32. The irony exists in the fact that he lived and died in a place in Kentucky which was very close to the city of Cincinnati. Among the 15 who played in the 1972 World Series with McGlothlin, I wonder how many had him on their mind. When the Reds won the World Series, did any player mention McGlothlin in their celebration, or sometime afterwards? If not, was it because he was traded to Chicago before he had to stop pitching?
With the Reds, McGlothlin had a solid 1970 season, where he went 14-10, 3.59 in 34 starts. He made a start in the 1970 World Series against the Orioles and pitched into the 5th inning giving up 4 runs without getting a decision. The following season, McGlothlin went 8-12, 3.22 in 30 games, 26 starts for the Reds in what was manager Sparky Anderson's only losing season at the helm of Cincinnati. In 1972, he went 9-8, 3.91 in 31 games, 21 starts before pitching in both the NLDS against the Pirates- pitching a scoreless inning of relief, and then making a start in the 1972 World Series against the Athletics- giving up 4 runs in 3 innings of work without getting a decision.
McGlothlin's struggles in the 1973 season (3-3, 6.68 in 24 games, 9 starts) led to his trade to the White Sox. McGlothlin pitched in 5 games for the White Sox, going 0-1, 3.93 in 5 games, 1 start. The Reds would once again win the NL West division, this time facing the NL East Champion Mets in the NLCS. Of course, the Mets would prevail before dropping a 7 game World Series against the same Athletics that beat the Reds a year earlier.
Sadly, McGlothlin would not pitch in another game after the 1973 season. He was diagnosed with leukemia in February of 1974 and had to stop pitching. The White Sox released him in March. He was living in Union, KY, which was right outside of Cincinnati. The 1974 Reds finished in 2nd place to the LA Dodgers. However, the Reds of 1975 got themselves back to the NLCS, where they defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates to return to the World Series, which McGlothlin remembered pitching in during the fall of 1970 and 1972.
The 1975 Reds were a close knit group and several of the players McGlothlin played with were on the 1975 squad. 17 players were teammates with Jim when he was traded to the White Sox. The 15 teammates from the 1972 World Series were Hall of Famers Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, Joe Morgan and Pete Rose (he is a Hall of Fame player and nothing he did on the baseball field warrants such inclusion) as well as Cesar Geronimo, Darrel Chaney, Bill Plummer, George Foster, Jack Billingham, Don Gullett, Tom Hall, Clay Carroll, Pedro Borbon and Gary Nolan. On Saturday, October 11, 1975, the Reds won an exciting back and forth World Series against the Boston Red Sox. This was just their third World Series Championship and first since 1940. (If New York Rangers fans knew they gave to wait another 19-20 years before winning another Stanley Cup.) Just over two months later, on December 23rd, Jim McGlothlin passed away at age 32. The irony exists in the fact that he lived and died in a place in Kentucky which was very close to the city of Cincinnati. Among the 15 who played in the 1972 World Series with McGlothlin, I wonder how many had him on their mind. When the Reds won the World Series, did any player mention McGlothlin in their celebration, or sometime afterwards? If not, was it because he was traded to Chicago before he had to stop pitching?
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