Bill Bevens
Floyd Clifford Bevens
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 3½", Weight 210 lb.
- High School Hubbard (OR) High School
- Debut May 12, 1944
- Final Game September 27, 1947
- Born October 21, 1916 in Hubbard, OR USA
- Died October 26, 1991 in Salem, OR USA
Biographical Information[edit]
"I do not use anything odd or unorthodox. I have a sinker, but it is a natural delivery. Fast ball, curve, change, and change in speeds. That is my repertoire." - Bill Bevens, Baseball magazine, June 1947
Bill Bevens nearly pitched the first no-hitter in World Series history. Pitching for the New York Yankees with two out and two on (both via walks) in the 9th inning of Game 4 of the 1947 World Series on October 3rd, Bevens allowed a two-run double to pinch-hitter Cookie Lavagetto of the Brooklyn Dodgers, losing the no-hitter and the game on his last pitch. He came back in Game 7 to relieve Spec Shea in the 2nd inning and pitch 2 2/3 innings; he kept his team in the game long enough for his successor on the mound, Joe Page, to claim a 5-2 Series-clinching victory. Overall, he gave up only 3 hits in 11 1/3 innings in that, his only World Series appearance, but walked 11 batters.
Interestingly, Bevens nor Lavagetto played another regular season game after that Fall Classic. The bases on balls killed Bevens, with 236 free passes allowed in 642 1/3 career innings. His finest season as a big leaguer was the 1946 campaign, when he went 16-13 with a 2.23 ERA in 249 2/3 innings. Bevens died of lymphoma in 1991.
Notable Achievements[edit]
- 15 Wins Seasons: 1 (1946)
- 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 1 (1946)
- Won a World Series with the New York Yankees in 1947
Further Reading[edit]
- Michael Clair: "The pitcher who nearly tossed a Series no-no: Bill Bevens was one out away from immortality", mlb.com, October 27, 2021. [1]
- Kevin Cook: Electric October: Seven World Series Games, Six Lives, Five Minutes of Fame That Lasted Forever, Henry Holt and Co., Macmillan, New York, NY, 2017. ISBN 9781250116567
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