Jonathan Trumpbour Matlack (born January 19, 1950) is an American former professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...

player and

coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Co ...

. He played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

as a left-handed

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

from through for the

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...

and the Texas Rangers. The three-time All-Star was named the

National League Rookie of the Year In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is given annually to two outstanding rookie players, one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL), as voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). The aw ...

and was a member of the National League pennant-winning New York Mets team. Matlack led the National League in shutouts in 1974 and 1975 and, ranks in the top 10 among Mets pitchers in wins, complete games, ERA, strikeouts, shutouts and innings pitched. In 2020, Matlack was inducted into the

New York Mets Hall of Fame The New York Mets Hall of Fame was created in order to recognize the careers of former New York Mets players, managers, broadcasters and executives. There are presently 30 members. Originally located in the Diamond Club at Shea Stadium, the induc ...

Early life

Matlack was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He was just 17 years old when the Mets drafted him as the fourth overall pick in the

1967 Major League Baseball draft The 1967 Major League Baseball draft (or "first-year player draft") recruits amateur baseball players into the American Major League Baseball league. The players selected in 1967 included many talented prospects who later had careers in the prof ...

out of Henderson High School in the West Chester Area School District of

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. His

career was delayed by his American Legion Baseball team's tournament. Once he was able to begin his

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Modern professional ...

career, he was a disappointing 0–1 with a 14.40

earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...

for the

Williamsport Mets Williamsport is a place name that may refer to the following places in the United States: *Williamsport, Arizona a ghost town and former steamboat landing on the Colorado River. *Williamsport, Indiana *Williamsport, Maryland *Williamsport, Michigan ...

, but improved to 3–2 with an even 2.00 earned run average later in the season for the

Florida Instructional League The Florida Instructional League (FIL), sometimes known informally as "instructs", is an American professional baseball league. The league was founded in 1958. Young major league prospects hone their skills in the FIL, while experienced players may ...

Mets. His rise to stardom began in with the

Raleigh-Durham Mets The Durham Bulls are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. They are located in Durham, North Carolina, and play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which opened i ...

. Matlack went 13–6 with a 2.76 earned run average and 188 strikeouts in 173 innings pitched. Along with fellow southpaw starters

Charlie Hudson Charles Hudson (born August 18, 1949) is a former left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1972 to 1975 for the St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers and California Angels. He was 6'3" tall and he weighed 185 pounds. He attended T ...

and Jerry Bark, he led the Mets to an 83–56 record, and first place in the

Carolina League The Carolina League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated along the Atlantic Coast of the United States since 1945. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 unti ...

Eastern Division. His rise up the ranks continued in , when he went 14-7 to lead the Triple-A

Tidewater Tides The Norfolk Tides are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. They are located in Norfolk, Virginia, and are named in nautical reference to the city's location on the Chesap ...

to the International League championship.

Career

New York Mets

A rhomboid muscle injury to

Jerry Koosman Jerome Martin Koosman (born December 23, 1942) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies between and . ...

opened a spot for a left hander in the Mets'

starting rotation R rabbit ears :Indicates a participant in the game who hears things perhaps too well for their own good. A player who becomes nervous or chokes when opposing players or fans yell at or razz them is said to have rabbit ears. Also, an umpire ...

during the season. Matlack made his major league debut against the Cincinnati Reds in the second game of a July 11 doubleheader, and was on the line for the victory when he departed after seven innings. However, the Mets bullpen (including a blown save by

Tom Seaver George Thomas Seaver (November 17, 1944 – August 31, 2020), nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "the Franchise", was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the New York Mets, Cinc ...

) was unable to secure the victory, and Matlack got a no decision in his major league debut. Matlack was also in line for a victory in his second career start against the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...

until the wheels came off in the seventh. After retiring the first two batters, Matlack walked the next two. Jim Beauchamp followed with a

double A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another. Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to: Film and television * Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character * ...

to tie the score, and knock Matlack out of the game. A

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

Ted Simmons Ted Lyle Simmons (born August 9, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. A switch-hitter, Simmons was a catcher for most of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the St. Louis Cardinals (1968–1980), the Mil ...

(selected 6 spots after Matlack in the 1967 draft) scored Beauchamp with the go ahead run, and hang an L on Matlack in his second career start. For the season, Matlack went 0–3 with a 4.14 ERA in seven appearances (six starts). His finest pitching performance was his last, when he gave up just one run in eight innings of work against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Rookie of the Year

Matlack made the team out of spring training in

1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using mean solar tim ...

, and got off to a 6–0 start with a 1.95 earned run average in the first two months of the season. He ended the season at 15–10 with a 2.32 ERA to win the

award. On September 30, Matlack gave up

Roberto Clemente Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker (; August 18, 1934 – December 31, 1972) was a Puerto Rican professional baseball right fielder who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates. After his early death, he was pos ...

's 3000th, and final, career

hit Hit means to strike someone or something. Hit or HIT may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities * Hit, a fictional character from '' Dragon Ball Super'' * Homicide International Trust, or HIT, a fictional organization ...

. On May 8,

1973 Events January * January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 15 – Vietnam War: ...

, a vicious line drive off the bat of

Marty Perez Martin Roman Perez (born February 28, 1946) is a former shortstop and second baseman for the California Angels (1969–70), Atlanta Braves (1971–76), San Francisco Giants (1976), New York Yankees (1977) and Oakland Athletics (1977–78). He w ...

of the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in Bos ...

struck Matlack's head so hard that the ball rebounded into the dugout. He suffered a hairline fracture of his skull, but recovered quickly enough to return and pitch six shutout innings at Pittsburgh on May 19. He ended up winning fourteen games for the

National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...

champion Mets.

1973 NLCS & World Series

Matlack's record dipped to 14–16 in 1973, however, he was 5–1 from August 18 on, helping the Mets capture the

National League East The National League East is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. Along with the American League Central it is one of two divisions to have every member win at least one World Series title. The division was created when the National Leag ...

crown. Perhaps his most memorable moment with the Mets occurred on October 7, 1973, when he held the "

Big Red Machine The Big Red Machine is a nickname for the Cincinnati Reds baseball team that dominated the National League from 1970 to 1979 and is widely recognized as being among the best in baseball history. The team won six National League West Division ti ...

" to just two hits in Game 2 of the 1973 National League Championship Series. Both hits were by reserve outfielder

Andy Kosco Andrew John Kosco (born October 5, 1941) is a former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, California Angels, Boston Red Sox, and ...

. He was equally impressive in the

1973 World Series The 1973 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1973 season. The 70th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion (and defending World Series ch ...

, giving up just three hits in six innings in game one of the

World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...

, however, the

Oakland A's The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...

scored two runs on a

Félix Millán Félix Bernardo Millán Martínez (born August 21, 1943) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball second baseman, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets. He holds one of the best at-bat to str ...

error An error (from the Latin ''error'', meaning "wandering") is an action which is inaccurate or incorrect. In some usages, an error is synonymous with a mistake. The etymology derives from the Latin term 'errare', meaning 'to stray'. In statistics ...

in the third, and held on for the 2–1 victory. He won game four, giving up just one run in eight innings. However, he lost the seventh and decisive game of the series 5-2; in the third inning of that game, he gave up two-run home runs to both

Bert Campaneris Dagoberto Campaneris Blanco (born March 9, 1942), nicknamed "Bert" or "Campy", is a Cuban American former professional baseball shortstop, who played Major League Baseball (MLB) for four American League (AL) teams, primarily the Kansas City / ...

and Reggie Jackson—the only two home runs Oakland hit during the Series.

All-Star

Matlack was an All-Star for the Mets for the next three seasons, sharing

MVP In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...

honors in the 1975 game with

Bill Madlock Bill "Mad Dog" Madlock, Jr. (born January 12, 1951) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a third baseman from 1973 to 1987. Madlock is notable for being a four-time National League b ...

. In 1976, Matlack went 17–10 with a 2.95 earned run average and a league leading six

shutout In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball. Shutouts are usuall ...

s to finish sixth in N.L. Cy Young Award balloting.

Texas Rangers

In 1977, Matlack's record dipped to 7–15 with a 4.21 earned run average (he had entered the season with a career earned run average of 2.88) for a Mets team that lost 98 games and finished last in the National League East Division. Matlack was dealt from the Mets to the Texas Rangers in the first four-team blockbuster deal in Major League Baseball history on December 8, 1977, that also involved the

, Pittsburgh Pirates and a total of 11 players changing teams. The Rangers also received

Al Oliver Albert Oliver Jr. (born October 14, 1946) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder and first baseman from through , most notably as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates teams that won f ...

and

Nelson Norman Nelson Augusto Norman (born May 23, 1958) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball player, coach and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop from to for the Texas Rangers and the Pittsburgh Pirates. He returned to ...

from the Pirates. The Mets got from the Braves

Willie Montañez Guillermo Montañez Naranjo (born April 1, 1948) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball first baseman, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the California Angels (), Philadelphia Phillies (–, ), San Francisco Giants (–), ...

and from the Rangers

Tom Grieve Thomas Alan Grieve (born March 4, 1948) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball from 1970 to 1979 for the Washington Senators / Texas Rangers, New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals. He was nicknam ...

and

Ken Henderson Kenneth Joseph Henderson (born June 15, 1946) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from through for the San Francisco Giants, Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers, ...

who was sent to New York to complete the transaction three months later on March 15, 1978.

Adrian Devine Paul Adrian Devine (December 2, 1951June 27, 2020) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher in and from through for the Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers. He batted and threw ...

Tommy Boggs Thomas Winton Boggs (October 25, 1955 – October 5, 2022) was an American professional baseball player and college baseball coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher for the Texas Rangers (1976–1977, 1985) and the ...

and Eddie Miller were traded from the Rangers to the Braves. The Pirates acquired

Bert Blyleven Bert Blyleven (born Rik Aalbert Blijleven, April 6, 1951) is a Dutch-American former professional baseball pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1970 to 1992, primarily with the Minnesota Twins. Blyleven recorded 3,701 ...

from the Rangers and

John Milner John David Milner (December 28, 1949 – January 4, 2000) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman and left fielder from to for the New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates and the Montreal E ...

from the Mets. Matlack went 15–13 with a 2.27 earned run average (second to

Ron Guidry Ronald Ames Guidry (; born August 28, 1950), nicknamed "Louisiana Lightning" and "Gator", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees. Guidry was also the pitch ...

) and earned his first career save his first season in

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

, however elbow surgery limited him to just 13 starts in 1979. He rebounded to make 34 starts in 1980, one of which was on August 19, when he held

George Brett George Howard Brett (born May 15, 1953) is an American former professional baseball player who played all of his 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a third baseman for the Kansas City Royals. Brett's 3,154 career hits are second-mo ...

, who was batting over .400, hitless, ending his 30-game

hitting streak In baseball, a hitting streak is the number of consecutive official games in which a player appears and gets at least one base hit. According to the Official Baseball Rules, such a streak is not necessarily ended when a player has at least 1 pla ...

Stats

Matlack compiled 1,023 strikeouts and a 3.03 earned run average as one of the "Big Three" pitchers the New York Mets were built around in the 1970s, along with Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman. However, the Mets were also a light hitting team at the time, and his 82–81 record is not nearly indicative of how well he pitched for the club. On January 28, 2020, the Mets announced that Matlack will be inducted into the

on May 17 in a ceremony at

Citi Field Citi Field is a baseball stadium located in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in New York City, United States. It opened in 2009 and is the home field of Major League Baseball's New York Mets. The stadium was built as a replacement for the adjacent ...

. * 1973 National League Championship Series *2×

leader in

s (1974, 1976) *National League leader in wins above replacement for pitchers (1974) *

American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...

leader in lowest base on balls ratio per 9 innings (1980) *3× Texas Rangers Opening Day Starter (1978, 1980, 1981) *National League leader in Situational Wins Saved (1974) *National League leader in fielding percentage by a pitcher (1974) *American League leader in fielding percentage by a pitcher (1982)

Coaching

Matlack retired following the 1983 season. After four years away from the game, he was hired as pitching coach for the

San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penn ...

Arizona League The Arizona Complex League (ACL) is a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league that operates in and around Phoenix, Arizona, since 1988. Prior to 2021, it was known as the Arizona League (AZL). Along with the Florida Complex League (FCL), it ...

affiliate. He also coached in the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...

organization before he was hired as the Detroit Tigers' major league pitching coach in 1996. He was later hired as their minor league pitching coordinator. He spent the 2012 season as the minor league pitching coordinator for the Houston Astros.

Personal life

Matlack is the son of Ralph Russell Matlack Jr. (April 15, 1926, in West Chester, Pennsylvania–February 2, 1969, in West Chester, PA) and Marcella Ruth Trumpbour (May 12, 1923, in

Saugerties, New York Saugerties () is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in the northeastern corner of Ulster County, New York, Ulster County, New York (state), New York. The population was 19,038 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 C ...

–December 20, 2016, in

Glenmoore, Pennsylvania Glenmoore is an unincorporated community that is located in Chester County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is part of the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area. History This historic village is located within Wallace Township. It is notable ...

). His parents married on July 5, 1947, in Saugerties, New York, and he had four younger siblings: Deborah, Gail, Timothy and Andrew. Following his father's passing in 1969, his mother re-married to Joseph R. Vogel (1920–2007), who had three children from a previous marriage: Kenneth, Richard and Landa. His 2nd great-grandfather, William Clay Trumpbour (1843-1903), was postmaster of West Camp, New York from 1867 to 1869, succeeding his own brother (Matlack's 3rd great-uncle) Valentine Trumpbour (1839-1911), who served from 1866 to 1867.

References

* 1980 Baseball Register published by ''

The Sporting News The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...

External links

, o
The Ultimate Mets DatabaseJon Matlack
at

Society for American Baseball Research The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) is a membership organization dedicated to fostering the research and dissemination of the history and record of baseball primarily through the use of statistics. Established in Cooperstown, New ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Matlack, Jon 1950 births Living people Baseball players from Pennsylvania Detroit Tigers coaches Florida Instructional League Mets players Major League Baseball All-Star Game MVPs Major League Baseball pitchers Major League Baseball pitching coaches Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award winners National League All-Stars New York Mets players People from Norwich, New York People from West Chester, Pennsylvania Raleigh-Durham Mets players St. Petersburg Pelicans players Texas Rangers players Tidewater Tides players Williamsport Mets players Sportspeople from Chester County, Pennsylvania