Larry Gowell

Lawrence Clyde Gowell

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 182 lb.
• High School Edward Little High School
• Debut September 21, 1972
• Final Game October 4, 1972
• Born May 2, 1948 in Lewiston, ME USA
• Died May 11, 2020 in Auburn, ME USA

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Biographical Information

Larry Gowell pitched two games for the New York Yankees in 1972, putting up an impressive 1.29 ERA in 7 total innings in which he got 7 strikeouts.

Larry won every game at Edward Little High School in Auburn, ME. (the source does not make it clear whether this means he won every game the team played, every game he pitched, or had no losses as a pitcher). He signed a professional contract with the Yankees after his high school baseball career.

Gowell played in the minor leagues for six years with considerable success. He was 16-7 in 1969 with the Fort Lauderdale Yankees, 15-8 with two teams in 1971, 14-6 in 1972 with the West Haven Yankees, and 18-14 over two seasons with the Syracuse Chiefs in 1973-74.

He made his major league debut on September 21, 1972. On October 4th of that year, Gowell hit a double off pitcher Jim Lonborg of the Milwaukee Brewers for his first and only major league hit and the last hit by a pitcher in a regular season American League game before the start of the designated hitter rule. The baseball Gowell hit was accepted as a historical baseball into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, where it now resides.

He died in 2020 after suffering a heart attack while playing golf.

Related Sites

• Baseball Almanac