Mark Littell

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Mark Littell
Pitcher
Born: January 17, 1953 (1953-01-17) (age 55)
Batted: Left Threw: Right
MLB debut
June 14, 1973
for the Kansas City Royals
Final game
June 24, 1982
for the St. Louis Cardinals
Career statistics
Win-Loss     32-31
ERA     3.32
Strikeouts     466
Teams
Career highlights and awards
  • 2nd in the NL in games pitched in 1978 with 72

Mark Alan Littell (January 17, 1953 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri), is a professional baseball player who played pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1973-1982. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals. Littell had a lifetime ERA of 3.32 and saved 56 games from 1976 to 1981. Bone spurs in his elbow cut his career short, and Littell retired midway through the 1982 season at the age of 29.

Primarily a relief pitcher, Littell served at the Royals' closer in 1976-1977. Littell is remembered for giving up a walk-off home run to New York Yankees first baseman Chris Chambliss to end the 1976 American League Championship Series. It was only the second home run he allowed in more than 100 innings pitched that year.

Two years later, the Royals dealt Littell along with catcher Buck Martinez to the Cardinals in exchange for relief pitcher Al Hrabosky.

In 2006, Littell took a protective cup he invented, The Nutty Buddy, to market. A promotional video clip found its way onto YouTube in which Littell demonstrated the device by allowing a 90mph fastball to hit him in the groin while wearing a Nutty Buddy. Littell told the Kansas City Star that he worked with Royals pitchers in spring training and learned that half the pitchers didn't wear an athletic cup, which inspired him to invent the Nutty Buddy, which he bills as being stronger and better fitting than its competition.

[edit] External links

www.nuttybuddy.com

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