Virgil Trucks

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Virgil Oliver Trucks (born April 26, 1917) is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1941 through 1958, Trucks played for the Detroit Tigers (1941-1943, 1945-1952, 1956), St. Louis Browns (1953), Chicago White Sox (1953-1955), Kansas City Athletics (1958) and New York Yankees (1958). He batted and threw right handed. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama.

[edit] Career

In a 17-season career, Trucks posted a 177-135 record with 1534 strikeouts and a 3.39 ERA in 2682.2 innings pitched. His career numbers are not reflective of the quality of his pitching. In 1952, he was 5-19 with the last place Detroit Tigers (50-104). His five wins came from two no-hitters, a one-hitter, and a two hitter. Trucks suffered from playing for poor defensive teams until he came to the Chicago White Sox.

Trucks had an excellent pre-war minor league career (1938-41). He threw 4 no-hitters in the minors and still holds the American Baseball strikeouts in a season record of 418 strikeouts (1938). He struck out another 30 batters in the playoffs.

Trucks is also the uncle of Butch Trucks, a founding member of the legendary group, the Allman Brothers Band. Trucks' great nephew, Derek Trucks, is also currently a member of the Allman Brothers Band and fronts his own band, The Derek Trucks Band. In addition, several of Trucks' other relatives are accomplished musicians.

[edit] Best season

• 1953 - 20-10, 149 SO, 2.93 ERA, including eight straight victories.

[edit] Highlights

• Twice made American League All-Star team (1949, 1954)
• Fifth in American League MVP vote (1953, behind Al Rosen, Yogi Berra, Mickey Vernon and Minnie Miñoso)
• Led AL in strikeouts (1949 [153])
• Twice led AL in shutouts (1949 [6], 1954 [5])
• While with the Tigers in (1952), pitched a pair of no-hitters, both by a score of 1-0, against the Washington Senators (May 15) and New York Yankees (August 25), joining Johnny Vander Meer, Allie Reynolds and Nolan Ryan as the only major league pitchers to accomplish this feat in a single season
• During his minor league career, set a record with 418 SO in a single season (1938) and also pitched four no-hitters
• Trucks had been in the Navy less than two weeks before his start in the second game of the 1945 World Series. The leagues waived the rule requiring players to have been on the team's roster by September 1 to qualify for post-season play, because of the circumstances of World War II. He defeated the Cubs in that game.

[edit] See also

• 1945 Detroit Tigers season
• List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions
• List of Major League Baseball no-hitters
• Chicago White Sox all-time roster

[edit] Sources

• Baseball Library
• Baseball Reference