Lindy McDaniel

Lyndall Dale McDaniel

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 195 lb.
• School University of Oklahoma
• High School Arnett High School
• Debut September 2, 1955
• Final Game September 27, 1975
• Born December 13, 1935 in Hollis, OK USA
• Died November 14, 2020 in Carrollton, TX USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Lindy McDaniel was one of the ten best relievers of all time, according to the book The Relief Pitcher, because he was the most dominant reliever of his era. He is the brother of Von McDaniel. Another brother, Kerry Don McDaniel, pitched in the minors for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was a bonus baby and spent a full season in the major leagues at age 19, pitching quite well.

As of the end of the 2015 season, McDaniel is the last New York Yankees pitcher to hit a home run. He hit it on September 28, 1972 at Tiger Stadium in Detroit. When he retired after the 1975 season, his 987 games pitched were the second-most in major league history, after Hoyt Wilhelm. He has since been passed by a number of pitchers, as pitchers who made a long career of being relievers became more common.

McDaniel's cousin is college football coach Darrell Royal. McDaniel passed away at age 84 in 2020, a victim of COVID-19.

Notable Achievements

• NL All-Star (1960)
• 2-time NL Reliever of the Year Award Winner (1960 & 1963)
• NL Winning Percentage Leader (1960)
• 3-time NL Saves Leader (1959, 1960 & 1963)
• 15 Wins Seasons: 1 (1957)

Further Reading

• Bruce Weber: "Lindy McDaniel, Ace Reliever for Mediocre Teams, Dies at 84", The New York Times, November 16, 2020. [1]

Related Sites

• Lindy McDaniel at the SABR Bio Project