Sal Maglie

[willshad]

I didn't see a thread on him in the HOF section, and I'm surprised...he certainly appeared to have HOF potential. 119-62 record, 127 ERA+, 3 ERA+ titles. Doesn't sound that impressive, until you consider he didn't get started until he was 33 (!!!!) years old. He would have been an almost certain hall of famer had he started even at a late age such as 27. Does anyone know his story?

[ian2813]

According to his SABR bio, being coached by Dolf Luque in the Mexican League helped him develop from a marginal minor leaguer into an ML-quality pitcher.

[willshad]

It just seems odd that he never even got a chance to fail at the big leagues, especially considering that the small amount of time he did pitch in MLB before age 33 he was exceptional. The 2.35 ERA he put up in 84 innings in 1945 wouldn't imply that he was a 'marginal minor leaguer', whether it was against a weak wartime league or not.

It is also kind of hard to believe that any type of coaching can change a guy from a marginal minor leaguer into a guy who is perhaps the best pitcher in the league in his mid 30s.

[westsidegrounds]

I didn't see a thread on him in the HOF section, and I'm surprised...he certainly appeared to have HOF potential. 119-62 record, 127 ERA+, 3 ERA+ titles. Doesn't sound that impressive, until you consider he didn't get started until he was 33 (!!!!) years old. He would have been an almost certain hall of famer had he started even at a late age such as 27. Does anyone know his story?

Born 1917.
1938-1942, pitched in minor leagues, total record 38-47 (learning the craft).
1943-1944, worked in a defense plant (WW2).
1945, Major League trial with NYG (W5-L4).
1946-1947, played in Mexican League (earning much more $ than he would've in MLB).
1948, barnstormed (Mexican League fell apart; players who had jumped to that league were banned from playing in Organized Baseball).
1949, played in Quebec Provincial League (not signatory to the National Agreement at that time).
1950, rejoined Giants (ban on Mexican League jumpers rescinded).

THEN, he could really get going on a Major League career (age 33).

During his time in the Mexican League he was mentored by former Cincy star Dolf Luque, who among other things urged him not to be afraid to pitch inside (Lesson Learned!) .

[Second Base Coach]

He makes my all-time team as the team barber...

[ol' aches and pains]

He makes my all-time team as the team barber...

He favored the stubble look himself, but he sure gave batters some close shaves.

[JR Hart]

I didn't see a thread on him in the HOF section, and I'm surprised...he certainly appeared to have HOF potential. 119-62 record, 127 ERA+, 3 ERA+ titles. Doesn't sound that impressive, until you consider he didn't get started until he was 33 (!!!!) years old. He would have been an almost certain hall of famer had he started even at a late age such as 27. Does anyone know his story?

He was banned from baseball from 1946-48 and choose to stay in the minors in 1949.