Mike Garcia

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Edward Miguel "Mike" Garcia (November 17, 1923 - January 13, 1986) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball of Mexican-Indian descent who played most of his career for the Cleveland Indians. He was one of the Indians' "Big Four" pitching staff from 1949 to 1954, along with Hall of Famers Bob Feller, Bob Lemon and Early Wynn. During those six seasons Garcia compiled a record of 104 wins against 57 losses (.646), posting a pair of 20-win campaigns and leading the American League in earned run average and shutouts twice each. The Tribe finished within nine games of first place in each season, culminating with the record-setting 1954 pennant winners.

Garcia was born in San Gabriel, California, and grew up on his family's horse ranch in Orosi, harboring a boyhood goal of becoming a jockey. Instead becoming a hard-throwing pitcher, he was signed by the Indians as an amateur free agent in 1942 before spending three years as a signalman in the Army during World War II. He led the California League in strikeouts and ERA in 1946, and debuted with the Indians with a 2-inning relief appearance in the last scheduled game of the 1948 season, as of 2006 the last World Series championship year for the team. Nicknamed "The Big Bear" by teammate Joe Gordon for his 6'1, 200 lb (91 kg) frame, he posted a 14-5 record with a league-leading 2.36 ERA in his 1949 rookie year, with 94 strikeouts and five shutouts. After an 11-11 season in 1950, he won 20 games in 1951 while also finishing fifth in the AL with 6 saves. His 22-11 record in 1952, with 143 strikeouts, included an AL-best six shutouts and four saves; he was second in the league in ERA (2.37), games (46) and innings (292-1/3, behind Lemon), and only Wynn (23) won more games among right-handers, with Lemon tying him with 22. Garcia made his first of three consecutive All-Star teams, and pitched a 2-hitter against the Washington Senators on July 13; he came in ninth in the 1952 MVP voting. He went 18-9 in 1953, pitching a career-high 29 complete games with 134 strikeouts and a 3.25 ERA, and was again second to Lemon in innings among AL pitchers with 271-2/3. In the team's historic 111-43 season in 1954 – in which they set a league record for victories and had the lowest team ERA (2.78) in the AL since 1920 – he was 19-8 with 129 strikeouts, again leading the AL in both ERA (2.64) and shutouts (5). But in the World Series, the heavily favored Indians were swept by the New York Giants. Garcia started Game 3, but was pulled for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the third inning, already trailing 4-0; the Giants went on to win 6-2.

Garcia struggled afterward, posting records of 11-13, 11-12 and 12-8 over the next three seasons. In 1958 he injured his back in spring training and made only one start and five relief appearances, with an ERA of 9.00, before being released; the Indians re-signed him in spring 1959, and he was 3-6 in 29 games before being released again. He signed with the Chicago White Sox for the 1960 season, and appeared in 15 games in relief with them before ending his career with 16 relief appearances for the 1961 expansion Washington Senators. Overall in fourteen seasons, Garcia posted a career record of 142-97 (.594) with 1117 strikeouts, a 3.27 ERA, 27 shutouts and 23 saves in 428 games (281 started) and 2174-2/3 innings.

Garcia is one of many players who are popular candidates for induction into the Hall of Fame. However, his normal window of eligibility has closed, and his only chance to be elected now is through the Veterans Committee.

Garcia married Gerda Martin on January 13, 1951; they had three children, with their oldest son being born on the same day that Garcia's father died. He later operated a dry cleaning business in Parma, Ohio and raced midget cars. He developed diabetes, and died of kidney disease in Fairview Park, Ohio at the age of 62 on his 35th wedding anniversary.