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prior to the 1955 season, Spooner entered a game without warming up properly and injured his arm. He came back on May 15, appearing in 29 games with the
Dodgers that year, but with only fairly mild success. Initially used as a spot starter, he was moved to the bullpen after two poor starts. He was
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added back into the rotation in late June, removed from it at the end of July, and was then given some spot starts in August and
September, finishing the season at 8–6 as the Dodgers won the National League pennant.
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537:. In his two 1955 World Series appearances, including his Game 6 start, Spooner posted a 0–1 record and 13.50 ERA; he allowed five earned runs on four hits (including a three-run
271:
career was promising, but erratic. He made his way through the
Dodgers' minor league system, compiling a fairly unimpressive 26–34 record during his first three seasons.
338:, and struck out 15 batters, setting an MLB record for most strikeouts by a pitcher in his debut. In the process, he broke the record of 13 strikeouts set by the Giants’
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354:. Spooner also set another record for pitching debuts by recording six consecutive strikeouts, striking out the side in both the seventh and eighth innings.
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and taking the 5–1 loss. Brooklyn, however, would win the Series' decisive Game 7 for its first, and only, world championship before the franchise moved to
260:, where he graduated from high school. The 6 ft (1.8 m), 185 lb (84 kg) southpaw was signed by the Dodgers as an amateur free agent in
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were frequently a problem, as
Spooner averaged a walk per inning in his first two minor league seasons. However, he threw hard, led two leagues in
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and found work as a manager in the citrus industry. He worked at this job for the rest of his life, raising five children with his wife Carol.
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239:. After a meteoric rise during which he set a Major League Baseball record for most strikeouts by a pitcher in his major league debut in
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which ranged in the mid to high 90s; post-injury, that was not the case. In his final appearance with the
Dodgers, Game 6 of the
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Spooner never again played in the majors after 1955. Still hampered by injuries, he pitched in only four games in
400:
Despite his winning record, Spooner was deemed only marginally effective. Prior to the injury, Spooner threw a
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358:(1962) is the only other pitcher to strike out six consecutive batters in his big-league debut.
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Spooner made his major league debut with the
Dodgers on September 22, 1954 at the age of 23. He
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The
Dodgers left Spooner unprotected in the 1957 minor league draft, and he was claimed by the
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306:. His successful performance earned him a promotion to the Dodgers with one week left in the
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436:. Although he was called up to the Dodgers in September, he did not get into any games. In
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Spooner had a breakout year in 1954 when he won 21 games with 262 strikeouts in 238
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455:, St. Louis sent Spooner to the lowest rung of minor league ball, playing for
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level that same season, his last in professional baseball. Spooner attended
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Spooner's lifetime major-league statistics line included a 10–6
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September 17, 1955, for the Brooklyn
Dodgers
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September 22, 1954, for the Brooklyn
Dodgers
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626:
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466:, appearing in nine games. He also played two games for
769:. United States: Lakeside Publishing Company. p. 6
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record (not just for rookies) and was second only to
572:
Karl
Spooner died of liver cancer in 1984, aged 52.
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As his baseball career wound down, Spooner moved to
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545:) and three walks, recording six strikeouts, in 3
509:, he allowed 86 hits, 47 bases on balls, and 40
821:Career statistics and player information from
721:"The Baseball Biography Project: Karl Spooner"
1217:Baseball players from Oneida County, New York
859:
350:tied the record in his major league debut in
8:
444:; in 13 games with nine starts, he was 2–4.
866:
852:
844:
440:, Spooner was demoted two more levels, to
34:
23:
529:assignments, and was credited with three
482:, but retired before the season started.
789:"New York Yankees 5, Brooklyn Dodgers 1"
723:. Society for American Baseball Research
517:. He struck out 105, threw three career
219:(June 23, 1931 – April 10, 1984) was an
683:"Brooklyn Dodgers 3, New York Giants 0"
581:
197:
172:
661:"Karl Spooner minor league statistics"
601:"Karl Spooner New York Times Obituary"
291:) — and showed flashes of brilliance.
7:
281:Pennsylvania–Ontario–New York League
16:American baseball player (1931-1984)
1227:Deaths from liver cancer in Florida
361:Four days later, Spooner beat the
14:
384:’s 28 on the major league list.
1282:People from Vero Beach, Florida
1267:Major League Baseball pitchers
1:
1292:St. Paul Saints (AA) players
1277:Newport News Dodgers players
766:Baseball Digest Sep-Oct 2009
194:Career highlights and awards
839:Baseball Reference (Minors)
743:"Stephen Strasburg's Debut"
494:in 31 games pitched; in 116
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1257:Houston Buffaloes players
1247:Greenwood Dodgers players
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1107:
889:
634:"Karl Spooner Statistics"
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54:
45:
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1232:Dothan Cardinals players
1222:Brooklyn Dodgers players
330:3–0, allowed only three
258:Oriskany Falls, New York
68:Oriskany Falls, New York
1252:Hornell Dodgers players
1242:Fort Worth Cats players
1237:Elmira Pioneers players
1175:Dodgers–Yankees rivalry
231:(MLB) as a left-handed
1287:Pueblo Dodgers players
464:Alabama–Florida League
388:Career-altering injury
1272:Miami Sun Sox players
1262:Macon Dodgers players
745:. billjamesonline.com
533:in his 15 games as a
229:Major League Baseball
227:player. He played in
217:Karl Benjamin Spooner
693:. September 22, 1954
663:. Baseball Reference
636:. Baseball Reference
424:Return to the minors
314:Record-setting debut
256:Spooner was born in
567:Vero Beach, Florida
513:, compiling a 3.09
449:St. Louis Cardinals
120:Last MLB appearance
85:Vero Beach, Florida
831:Baseball Reference
606:The New York Times
363:Pittsburgh Pirates
146:Earned run average
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881:1955 World Series
799:. October 2, 1955
557:innings of work.
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406:1955 World Series
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609:. April 12, 1984
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410:New York Yankees
267:Spooner's early
237:Brooklyn Dodgers
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40:Spooner in 1955.
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507:innings pitched
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378:National League
328:New York Giants
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300:Fort Worth Cats
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247:Baseball career
136:Win–loss record
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82:(aged 52)
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367:complete game
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348:J. R. Richard
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342:on April 25,
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32:
25:
19:
1134:Billy Herman
1098:Dixie Howell
1090:Karl Spooner
1089:
1008:Don Newcombe
992:Sandy Koufax
960:Carl Erskine
952:Sandy AmorĂłs
920:George Shuba
912:Carl Furillo
801:. Retrieved
792:
783:
771:. Retrieved
765:
759:
747:. Retrieved
737:
725:. Retrieved
695:. Retrieved
686:
677:
665:. Retrieved
638:. Retrieved
611:. Retrieved
604:
571:
564:
543:Bill Skowron
489:
446:
427:
399:
391:
360:
356:Pete Richert
340:Cliff Melton
317:
304:Texas League
293:
269:minor-league
266:
255:
216:
215:
202:World Series
100:
94:
80:(1984-04-10)
75:
55:
46:
28:Karl Spooner
18:
1212:1984 deaths
1207:1931 births
1142:Jake Pitler
1082:Don Bessent
1045:Clem Labine
1037:Roger Craig
968:Jim Gilliam
928:Rube Walker
904:Duke Snider
803:October 24,
697:October 24,
511:earned runs
414:Los Angeles
283:(1951) and
252:Early years
1201:Categories
1150:Joe Becker
1016:Ed Roebuck
1000:Russ Meyer
984:Billy Loes
976:Don Zimmer
944:Gil Hodges
837:, or
833:, or
829:, or
825:, or
797:Retrosheet
691:Retrosheet
576:References
561:Later life
382:Bob Feller
277:strikeouts
204:champion (
156:Strikeouts
61:1931-06-23
884:champions
835:Fangraphs
521:and four
110:MLB debut
1061:Don Hoak
773:June 13,
539:home run
519:shutouts
472:Double-A
430:Triple-A
402:fastball
372:; in 18
370:shutouts
320:shut out
310:season.
298:for the
235:for the
225:baseball
221:American
1127:Coaches
1112:Manager
749:May 22,
727:May 22,
667:May 20,
640:May 20,
613:May 16,
551:⁄
500:⁄
470:at the
468:Houston
461:Class D
459:in the
442:Class A
392:During
374:innings
336:singles
326:-bound
324:pennant
302:of the
296:innings
233:pitcher
95:Batted:
48:Pitcher
1028:NL MVP
525:in 16
457:Dothan
334:, all
279:— the
101:Threw:
87:, U.S.
70:, U.S.
531:saves
451:. In
273:Walks
169:Teams
97:Right
76:Died:
56:Born:
827:ESPN
805:2023
775:2010
751:2018
729:2018
699:2023
669:2018
642:2018
615:2018
480:1959
453:1958
438:1957
434:1956
418:1958
352:1971
344:1937
332:hits
322:the
308:1954
289:1953
262:1951
241:1954
206:1955
185:1955
181:1954
150:3.09
140:10–6
103:Left
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1140:31
1132:22
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1096:54
1088:48
1080:46
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1051:42
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998:34
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958:17
950:15
942:14
934:12
926:10
823:MLB
541:to
515:ERA
478:in
432:in
416:in
160:105
1203::
918:8
910:6
902:4
894:1
795:.
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287:(
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59:(
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