Don McMahon

Don McMahon
Don McMahon
	Pitcher
	Born: January 4, 1930; Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
	Died: July 22, 1987 (aged 57); Los Angeles, California, U.S.
	Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
	June 30, 1957, for the Milwaukee Braves
Last MLB appearance
	June 29, 1974, for the San Francisco Giants
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	90–68
Earned run average	2.96
Strikeouts	1,003
Saves	152
Teams
	Milwaukee Braves (1957–1962); Houston Colt .45's (1962–1963); Cleveland Indians (1964–1966); Boston Red Sox (1966–1967); Chicago White Sox (1967–1968); Detroit Tigers (1968–1969); San Francisco Giants (1969–1974);
Career highlights and awards
	All-Star (1958); 2× World Series champion (1957, 1968);

Donald John McMahon (January 4, 1930 – July 22, 1987) was an American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he was signed by the Boston Braves before the 1950 season. He played for the Milwaukee Braves (1957–1962), Houston Colt .45s (1962–1963), Cleveland Indians (1964–1966), Boston Red Sox (1966–1967), Chicago White Sox (1967–1968), Detroit Tigers (1968–1969), and San Francisco Giants (1969–1974).

McMahon was used almost exclusively in relief during his 18-year major league career. He appeared in 874 games, just two as a starter, and was one of the busiest and most dependable relievers of his era. He never was on the disabled list, and in the fifteen full seasons that he played (1958–1972), he averaged about 54 games and 81 innings pitched per year.

Career

He reached the big leagues at the advanced age of 27 after playing minor league ball for about 5+1⁄2 years and spending two years in the military (May 30, 1951 – May 17, 1953). He appeared in his final game on June 29, 1974, nearly 17 years after his major league debut.

McMahon was a valuable part of two World Championship clubs—the 1957 Milwaukee Braves and the 1968 Detroit Tigers. He posted a 1.54 earned run average with 9 saves in 32 games for the Braves in 1957 and a 2.02 earned run average with a 3–1 record in 20 games for the Tigers in 1968 after a mid-season trade from the White Sox. All together he pitched in three World Series and one National League Championship Series.

He finished in the American League or National League top ten seven times for games pitched, seven times for saves, eight times for games finished, and once each for wild pitches, hit batsmen, and winning percentage.

Tommy John, McMahon's teammate on the Indians, described the pitcher as "a nail-tough, confident-bordering-on-cocky, Brooklyn-born veteran."^[1]

He recorded his 1000th strikeout at the age of 44 on May 27, 1974 on All-Star shortstop Don Kessinger of the Chicago Cubs. A little more than a month later, when McMahon retired, only Hoyt Wilhelm, Lindy McDaniel, and Cy Young had pitched in more games.

For his career he finished with a lifetime record of 90–68, 153 saves, 506 games finished, and an earned run average of 2.96. As of the conclusion of the 2006 season, McMahon ranked 17th all-time for fewest hits allowed per 9 innings pitched (7.24).

Other career highlights include:

Named to National League All-Star team (1958)
His final game, at the age of 44 (by far the oldest player in Major League Baseball at that time), 2 scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers (June 29, 1974)
Held Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Johnny Bench, Harmon Killebrew, Bill Mazeroski, Joe Morgan, Stan Musial, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, and Willie Stargell to a .149 collective batting average (28-for-188)

Coaching

McMahon served as the Giants pitching coach from 1972 to 1975, and also from 1980 to 1982. He was activated by San Francisco for parts of the 1972, 1973, and 1974 seasons when the Giants needed his experienced and effective arm to help out in the bullpen. (Relievers Elías Sosa and Randy Moffitt were shouldering most of the load, and were not getting enough help from the others.) He also was the pitching coach of the Minnesota Twins from 1976 to 1977 and of the Cleveland Indians from 1983 to 1985. In 1986, after a recommendation from friend and fellow high school classmate Al Davis, he was hired as a scout for the LA Dodgers.^[2]^[3]

Death

In 1987, he was working as an instructional coach and scout with the Los Angeles Dodgers and often pitched batting practice before many home games. On July 22, he was pitching batting practice when he suffered a heart attack, having undergone heart bypass surgery about three and a half years prior. McMahon died within hours.^[4] He was buried at the Good Shepherd Cemetery in Huntington Beach, California,^[5] with a baseball in his hand.^[6] Don had several children with his wife Darlene, including his son Jack and Mike McMahon. At the time of Mr. McMahon's death the family lived in Garden Grove, California.

References

^ John, Tommy; Valenti, Dan (1991). TJ: My Twenty-Six Years in Baseball. New York: Bantam. p. 87. ISBN 0-553-07184-X.
^ McMANIS, Sam (July 23, 1987). "Don McMahon Dies of Heart Attack : Dodger Scout, 57, Is Stricken While Pitching Batting Practice". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 7, 2012.
^ BERKOW, IRA (August 1, 1987). "SPORTS OF THE TIMES; HE DIED WITH SPIKES ON". The New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2012.
^ BERKOW, IRA (August 1, 1987). "SPORTS OF THE TIMES; HE DIED WITH SPIKES ON". The New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2012.
^ Society for American Baseball Research
^ Eric Moskowitz (April 6, 2017). "The Summer That Changed Boston". The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 6, 2017.

External links

Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference
Baseball Almanac
Retrosheet

Preceded by Larry Jansen Larry Shepard	San Francisco Giants pitching coach 1972–1975 1980–1982	Succeeded by Buck Rodgers Herm Starrette
Preceded by Lee Stange	Minnesota Twins pitching coach 1976–1977	Succeeded by Camilo Pascual
Preceded by Chuck Estrada	Cleveland Indians pitching coach 1983–1985	Succeeded by Jack Aker

[1] John, Tommy; Valenti, Dan (1991). TJ: My Twenty-Six Years in Baseball. New York: Bantam. p. 87. ISBN 0-553-07184-X.

[2] McMANIS, Sam (July 23, 1987). "Don McMahon Dies of Heart Attack : Dodger Scout, 57, Is Stricken While Pitching Batting Practice". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 7, 2012.

[3] BERKOW, IRA (August 1, 1987). "SPORTS OF THE TIMES; HE DIED WITH SPIKES ON". The New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2012.

[4] BERKOW, IRA (August 1, 1987). "SPORTS OF THE TIMES; HE DIED WITH SPIKES ON". The New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2012.

[5] Society for American Baseball Research

[6] Eric Moskowitz (April 6, 2017). "The Summer That Changed Boston". The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 6, 2017.

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v t e Milwaukee Braves 1957 World Series champions
1 Del Crandall 4 Red Schoendienst 5 Félix Mantilla 7 Del Rice 9 Joe Adcock 10 Bob Buhl 12 Bob Hazle 14 Frank Torre 15 Carl Sawatski 16 Dave Jolly 17 Taylor Phillips 18 John DeMerit 20 Don McMahon 21 Warren Spahn (CYA) 22 Gene Conley 23 Johnny Logan 25 Nippy Jones 30 Bob Trowbridge 32 Ernie Johnson 33 Lew Burdette (World Series MVP) 34 Juan Pizarro 41 Eddie Mathews 43 Wes Covington 44 Hank Aaron (NL MVP) 48 Andy Pafko
Manager 2 Fred Haney Coaches 3 Johnny Riddle 8 Connie Ryan 31 Charlie Root 35 Bob Keely
Regular season

v t e Detroit Tigers 1968 World Series champions
1 Ray Oyler 2 Tom Matchick 3 Dick McAuliffe 5 Jim Northrup 6 Al Kaline 7 Eddie Mathews 8 Don Wert 11 Bill Freehan 12 Jim Price 15 Fred Lasher 16 Earl Wilson 17 Denny McLain (AL CYA & AL MVP) 18 John Hiller 21 Joe Sparma 22 Pat Dobson 23 Willie Horton 24 Mickey Stanley 25 Norm Cash 26 Gates Brown 27 Wayne Comer 29 Mickey Lolich (World Series MVP) 39 Jon Warden 43 Daryl Patterson 44 Dick Tracewski 47 Don McMahon
Manager 10 Mayo Smith Coaches 50 Tony Cuccinello 51 Wally Moses 52 Hal Naragon 53 Johnny Sain
Regular season

Career

Coaching

Death

See also

References

External links