Tom Hilgendorf

Thomas Eugene Hilgendorf (born March 10, 1942, at Clinton, Iowa) is a retired American professional baseball player. He was a Major League relief pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians and Philadelphia Phillies in 1969–1970 and 1972–1975.

Playing career

Tom Hilgendorf was signed by the Cardinals as a free agent in 1960. It took until 1969 for him to make it to the major leagues when the Cardinals brought him up from the minors as a 27-year-old rookie. The left-hander made his debut against Atlanta.

He was traded to the Kansas City Royals, then on to Cleveland, where the fork-baller managed six saves and a 5–3 record for a team that didn't win very many games — in fact, the Indians finished last that year of 1973 in the American League East Division.

The following year, he was involved in the infamous Ten Cent Beer Night on June 4, 1974, and was hit by a steel folding chair thrown by one of the drunk fans who took part in the riot that ended the Indians game in a forfeit. Amazingly, the next night, concussion and all, he came on in relief to pick up a save in the Indians rout of the Texas Rangers.

His best year was also his last year when he won 7 and lost 3 with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1975.

References

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference