Don Stanhouse

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Donald Joseph Stanhouse (born February 12, 1951, in DuQuoin, Illinois) was a pitcher with a ten year career from 1972-1980, 1982. He played for the Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles both of the American League and the Montreal Expos and Los Angeles Dodgers both of the National League.

Shuttled back and forth from the bullpen to the starting rotation with the Rangers and Expos, Stanhouse excelled in 1978 after joining the Baltimore Orioles where Manager Earl Weaver employed him as a full-time closer. Because of his hairstyle and pre-game batting practice antics - where his loud yelling would entertain early ballpark arrivals - he was quickly labeled "Stan the Man Unusual".

Stanhouse finished 3rd in the American League in both 1978 & 1979 in Saves, recording 45 over that span, helping the Orioles capture the American League Championship in 1979. Stanhouse was selected to the American League All-Star team in 1979. Although an effective closer, Stanhouse had a reputation of walking batters he was not willing to face. Frequently his tactics would lead to dangerous situations in close games with multiple base-runners, and send the chain-smoking Weaver pacing back and forth in the dugout in agony. This resulted in Weaver nicknaming Stanhouse "Full Pack", referring to the number of cigarettes consumed while watching him pitch.

Stanhouse left the Orioles as a free agent after the Orioles lost the 1979 World Series and signed a large guaranteed contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was injured in Spring Training and missed the entire season of 1980. During that summer, there was a newspaper interview with Stanhouse enjoying a mixed drink by his pool that caused a brief uproar, and many viewed the Dodgers signing Stanhouse a mistake. He was released by the Dodgers after the 1981 season after appearing in only 21 games and posting an E.R.A. over 5 runs a game. Stanhouse retired after a brief comeback with the Orioles the following year.