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Salvatore Anthony Maglie (April 26, 1917 – December 28, 1992) was an American
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), ...
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 ...
and later, a scout and a pitching coach. He played from 1945 to 1958 for the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
,
Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
, Brooklyn Dodgers,
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
, and
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 ...
. Maglie was known as "Sal the Barber", because he gave close shaves—that is, pitched inside to hitters. A gentle personality off the field went unnoticed during games, his foreboding physical appearance contributing to his menacing presence on a pitcher's mound. He was the last of 14 players to play for the Giants, Dodgers and Yankees at a time when all three teams were in New York City. During a 10-year major league baseball career, Maglie compiled 119 wins, 862
strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
s, and a 3.15
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 ...
. Born and raised in
Niagara Falls, New York Niagara Falls is a City (New York), city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the city had a total population of 48,671. It is adjacent to the Niagara River, across from the city of Niagara ...
, Maglie had to play ball secretly growing up because his parents discouraged it. Signed by the
Buffalo Bisons The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen ...
of the
International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ...
in 1938, he pitched in the
minor leagues Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in No ...
for five years, then took two years off during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
to work at a Niagara Falls defense plant. He started pitching again with the
Jersey City Giants {{about, the baseball team, the football team, American Association (American football) The Jersey City Giants was the name of a high-level American minor league baseball franchise that played in Jersey City, New Jersey, as the top farm system a ...
in 1945, then made his major league debut with the Giants later that year at the age of 28, starting 10 games for the Giants. It would be five years before he returned to the major leagues, as he joined the
Mexican League The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country. The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...
for more money in 1946 and was subsequently banned from Major League Baseball (MLB) for five years by
Commissioner A commissioner (commonly abbreviated as Comm'r) is, in principle, a member of a commission or an individual who has been given a commission (official charge or authority to do something). In practice, the title of commissioner has evolved to in ...
Happy Chandler. Not until he was 33 in 1950 did Maglie become a full-time pitcher in the major leagues. For the first part of the 1950 season, Maglie pitched out of the
bullpen In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if t ...
for the Giants. Moved into the
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 ...
midseason, he threw
shutouts 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 ...
in four straight starts and pitched 45 consecutive scoreless innings. Emerging as the Giants' ace in 1951, he led 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 s ...
(NL) with 23 wins as the Giants reached the 1951 World Series. Maglie followed this with an 18-win performance in 1952, but back trouble threatened his career in 1953. Inserting a lift into one of his shoes to correct a tilted pelvis, he returned in 1954, winning the game which clinched the NL pennant for the Giants as the team won the
1954 World Series The 1954 World Series matched the National League champion New York Giants against the American League champion Cleveland Indians. The Giants swept the Series in four games to win their first championship since , defeating the heavily favored Ind ...
. Maglie spent one more season with the Giants in 1955 before being claimed off waivers by the Indians on July 31. Seldom used with Cleveland, Maglie joined the Dodgers in May 1956 and went on to finish second in NL
Most Valuable Player 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 ...
(MVP) and MLB
Cy Young Award The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall ...
voting. He threw a
no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher wh ...
against the
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
on September 25 and pitched in the 1956 World Series. Maglie spent three more seasons with the Dodgers, Yankees, and Cardinals before retiring in 1959. During his career, he had a 1–2 record in four World Series starts and also appeared in two of baseball's most famous games,
Bobby Thomson Robert Brown Thomson (October 25, 1923 – August 16, 2010) was a Scottish-born American professional baseball player, nicknamed the "Staten Island Scot". He was an outfielder and right-handed batter for the New York Giants (1946–53, 1957), M ...
's Shot Heard 'Round the World game in 1951 and
Don Larsen's perfect game On October 8, 1956, in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series, pitcher Don Larsen of the New York Yankees threw a perfect game against the Brooklyn Dodgers at Yankee Stadium. It was the only no-hitter in World Series history until the 2022 Houston A ...
in 1956. After his playing career, Maglie served one year (1959) as a scout for the Cardinals, two stints (1960–62; 1966–67) with the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
as a pitching coach, and one season (1969) with the Seattle Pilots as a pitching coach. He held a variety of jobs in Niagara Falls before retiring in 1979. In 1983, Hyde Park Stadium in his hometown was renamed
Sal Maglie Stadium Sal Maglie Stadium is a stadium in Niagara Falls, New York. It is primarily used for baseball and is currently home of the Niagara Power ( PGCBL) baseball team. The ballpark has a capacity of 4,000 people and opened in 1939. Its original name ...
. Maglie died on December 28, 1992, due to bronchial pneumonia complications.


Early life

Salvatore Anthony Maglie was born on April 26, 1917, in
Niagara Falls, New York Niagara Falls is a City (New York), city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the city had a total population of 48,671. It is adjacent to the Niagara River, across from the city of Niagara ...
, the youngest of three children of Giuseppe Maglie and Maria Breve. His father, an Italian immigrant, worked
blue collar A blue-collar worker is a working class person who performs manual labor. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled labor. The type of work may involving manufacturing, warehousing, mining, excavation, electricity generation and power ...
jobs around town. Sal showed an interest in baseball from an early age, but his parents discouraged it, and he tried to keep his playing a secret from them. When he played
sandlot ball Sandlot ball or sandlot baseball is a competitive and athletic sports game that follows the basic rules and procedures of baseball. It is often less organized and structured, as the name alludes to a makeshift field or an empty lot. History and ...
, he was not initially good at pitching and usually played other positions.
Niagara Falls High School Niagara Falls High School is a public high school located at 4455 Porter Road in Niagara Falls, New York, United States. It was established and dedicated on September 1, 2000 and opened 5 days later, becoming the city's only public high school, ...
did not have a baseball team, though he did become a
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
star for them. He was offered a basketball scholarship by Niagara University but turned it down because baseball was his favorite sport. After high school, Maglie worked for
Union Carbide Union Carbide Corporation is an American chemical corporation wholly owned subsidiary (since February 6, 2001) by Dow Chemical Company. Union Carbide produces chemicals and polymers that undergo one or more further conversions by customers befo ...
, pitching on the company team as well as for local semipro teams. In 1937, he tried out as a pitcher for the
Rochester Red Wings The Rochester Red Wings are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They are located in Rochester, New York, and play their home games at Innovative Field ...
but was rejected after just three pitches. However, while pitching for the Niagara Cataracts (a local semipro team) in 1938, he caught the attention of
Steve O'Neill Stephen Francis O'Neill (July 6, 1891 – January 26, 1962) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher, most notably with the Cleveland Indians. As a manager, he led the Detroit Tig ...
. The manager of the Double-A
Buffalo Bisons The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen ...
of the
International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ...
, he was impressed enough with Maglie's skills to sign the pitcher to a contract.


Playing career


Minor leagues (1938–45)

Maglie began his professional career with Buffalo in 1938, appearing in five games and posting a 3.75
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 ...
(ERA) while losing his only decision. He spent a full season with Buffalo in 1939, pitching in 39 games but posting a 4.99 ERA and a 3–7 record. In 1940, he struggled to an 0–7 record and a 7.17 ERA in 23 games (five starts) before asking to be sent to a lower-level minor league circuit in order to hone his skills. For the rest of the 1940 season, Maglie pitched for the Class D
Jamestown Falcons Jamestown often refers to: * Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in the Americas Jamestown may also refer to Places Australia *Jamestown, South Australia Barbados * Holetown, Saint James, Barbados; sometimes called its ...
of the Pennsylvania–Ontario–New York League (PONY League), where he had a lower ERA (2.74) and a 3–4 record in seven starts. In 1941, Maglie pitched for the
Single-A Class A, also known as Single-A and sometimes as Low-A, is the fourth-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States, below Triple-A, Double-A, and High-A. There are 30 teams classified at the Single-A level, one for each ...
Elmira Pioneers of the Eastern League. He credited team owner and former major league pitcher
Jack Ogden John Mahlon Ogden (November 5, 1897 – November 9, 1977), was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He played five seasons in the majors, between and , for the Cincinnati Reds, New York Giants, and St. Louis Browns. He played several seasons with t ...
with teaching him one of the most important lessons he learned in his whole baseball career. "Sal, when you pitch," Ogden said, "pitch to that man that's at the plate. Don't worry about the man that's up next." Maglie led the league in games pitched (43) and
innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one innin ...
(270) and ranked among the leaders in wins (20, second only to
Red Embree Charles Willard Embree (August 30, 1917 – September 24, 1996) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. His key pitch was the curveball. Nicknamed Red, due to his red hair, Emree joined the Cleveland Indians in , and spent three seaso ...
's 21) and losses (15, fourth) His ERA was 2.67. The United States became involved in
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
that December, but Maglie was spared from having enlist in military service when he failed his physical; a chronic sinus condition kept him from enlisting. Since many players were unavailable, the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
signed him and assigned him to their Double-A affiliate, the
Jersey City Giants {{about, the baseball team, the football team, American Association (American football) The Jersey City Giants was the name of a high-level American minor league baseball franchise that played in Jersey City, New Jersey, as the top farm system a ...
of the International League. Maglie was used mainly out of the
bullpen In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if t ...
, making only seven starts among his 50 games, but he had a 9–6 record and a 2.78 ERA. However, he resigned after the season to serve the war effort domestically, by working in a defense plant in Niagara Falls for two years. Maglie returned to Jersey City at the beginning of the 1945 season, where he was this time used as a starter. Through August, he had a 3–7 record and a 4.09 ERA in 13 games (nine starts). That month, he was promoted to the major league Giants.


Rookie season (1945)

On August 9, 1945, Maglie made his major league debut, relieving
Harry Feldman Harry Feldman (November 10, 1919 – March 16, 1962) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the New York Giants from 1941 to 1946. Early and personal life Feldman was born and grew up in the Bronx, and was Jewish, the son o ...
in the fourth inning and pitching innings without allowing any runs to score in a 5–3 loss to 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 ...
. He made his first major league start on August 14, throwing a complete game and allowing just two runs in a 5–2 victory over the
Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
. In his next start, he threw a
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 ...
against the
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
, allowing only three hits. On September 3 and September 7, he threw two more shutouts in back-to-back outings. In 13 games (10 starts) his rookie season, he had a 5-4 record, a 2.35 ERA, 32
strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
s, 22 walks, and 72
hits allowed In Baseball statistics, hits allowed (HA) signifies the total number of hits allowed by a pitcher. See also *Baseball statistics Baseball statistics play an important role in evaluating the progress of a player or team. Since the flow of a bas ...
in innings pitched.


Mexican League, suspension (1946–49)

A candidate to rejoin the Giants' rotation in 1946, Maglie attended
spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
with the ballclub but was not happy with how he was treated by
Mel Ott Melvin Thomas Ott (March 2, 1909 – November 21, 1958), nicknamed "Master Melvin", was an American professional baseball right fielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Giants, from through . He batted left-handed an ...
, the Giants' manager. Brothers
Jorge Jorge is a Spanish and Portuguese given name. It is derived from the Greek name Γεώργιος (''Georgios'') via Latin ''Georgius''; the former is derived from (''georgos''), meaning "farmer" or "earth-worker". The Latin form ''Georgius'' ...
and Bernardo Pasquel, whom Maglie had met while playing winter ball in Cuba during the 1945-46 offseason, were offering large contracts to players who would leave the major leagues to come play in the
Mexican League The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country. The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...
, and Maglie accepted their offer. Because of this, Maglie was banned from organized baseball by
Commissioner A commissioner (commonly abbreviated as Comm'r) is, in principle, a member of a commission or an individual who has been given a commission (official charge or authority to do something). In practice, the title of commissioner has evolved to in ...
Happy Chandler along with other players who left. For the next two seasons, he pitched for the Puebla Parrots, managed by
Dolf Luque Adolfo Domingo De Guzmán "Dolf" Luque (August 4, 1890 – July 3, 1957) was a Cuban starting pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) from to . Luque was enshrined in the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1957 and the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in ...
, who had been Maglie's pitching coach with the Giants and his Cuban winter league team. It was from Luque that Maglie learned the art of throwing high, inside pitches that just missed the batters' heads, diminishing their confidence. In 1946, he had a 20–12 record and a 3.19 ERA for Puebla. His win–loss record was essentially identical in 1947, as he had a 20–13 record, this time with a 3.92 ERA. Several other major leaguers, such as
Max Lanier Hubert Max Lanier (August 18, 1915 – January 30, 2007) was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who spent most of his career with the St. Louis Cardinals. He led the National League in earned run average in 1943, and was the ...
,
Danny Gardella Daniel Lewis Gardella (February 26, 1920 – March 6, 2005) was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who played with the New York Giants (1944–45) and St. Louis Cardinals (1950). Born in New York City, he batted and threw left-han ...
, and
Mickey Owen Arnold Malcolm "Mickey" Owen (April 4, 1916 – July 13, 2005) was an American professional baseball player, coach and scout. He played as a catcher for 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) between and for the St. Louis Cardinals, Brookly ...
, had also made the jump to the Mexican League, but the presence of these players failed to generate enough revenue to justify expenses. With the Mexican League in disarray, Maglie stopped pitching for the Parrots after 1947, but he could not rejoin the Giants because he was still banned. He joined a
barnstorming Barnstorming was a form of entertainment in which stunt pilots performed tricks individually or in groups that were called flying circuses. Devised to "impress people with the skill of pilots and the sturdiness of planes," it became popular in t ...
team in 1948 that Lanier had organized; however, the team's earnings failed to cover expenses, and they folded in August 1948. Maglie went back to Niagara Falls and purchased a house and a gas station, but he still wanted to play baseball and joined the
Drummondville Cubs The Drummondville professional baseball team was a member of the now extinct Quebec Provincial League and operated in Drummondville, in the Centre-du-Québec region of Quebec. The team went through many incarnations over the years. They debuted ...
of the independent
Provincial League Provincial League (formerly known as Professional League) also known as Pro League was the old regional Football league in Thailand in 1999–2008. It was founded in 1999 under the name "Provincial League" organized by Sports Authority of Thailan ...
in 1949, leading the team to a league championship. On June 5 of that year, Chandler lifted the ban on the players who had jumped to the Mexican League, but Maglie chose to spend the entire season with Drummondville. He returned to the Giants in 1950.


New York Giants (1950–55)

After his return to the majors, Maglie was integral to the success of the New York Giants teams of the early 1950s, gaining a reputation as one of the game's best pitchers despite being 33 before he ever pitched a full season in the majors. He made the team out of
spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
in 1950, but manager
Leo Durocher Leo Ernest Durocher (French spelling Léo Ernest Durocher) (; July 27, 1905 – October 7, 1991), nicknamed "Leo the Lip" and "Lippy", was an American professional baseball player, manager and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as an infie ...
used him sparingly the first part of the year, unimpressed right away with his new pitcher. Maglie emerged as the mainstay of the Giants' bullpen in the first part of the 1950 season. On July 21, he got a chance to start and worked 11 innings, emerging the victor in a 5–4 triumph over the Cardinals. After that, he became part of the starting rotation. From August 16 through September 4, he threw 45 consecutive scoreless innings, narrowly missing 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 s ...
(NL) record of straight scoreless innings set by
Hall of Famer A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...
Carl Hubbell, also of the Giants, in 1933. Included in the streak were four straight shutouts, the most by a major leaguer since
Doc White Guy Harris "Doc" White (April 9, 1879 – February 19, 1969) was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for two teams, the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago White Sox, during his career which lasted from 1901 ...
threw five straight in 1904. Hubbell congratulated Maglie after the game, and as of 2020, the streak was still the eighth-longest in major league history (tied with
Cy Young Denton True "Cy" Young (March 29, 1867 – November 4, 1955) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. Born in Gilmore, Ohio, he worked on his family's farm as a youth before starting his professional baseball career. Young entered th ...
's 1904 streak and White's 1904 streak). After losing a game on July 16, Maglie won 11 decisions in a row, not losing again until September 21, his final loss of the season. Though not used as a starter regularly until July 21 and making just 16 starts, he led the NL in winning percentage (.818), ERA (2.71), and shutouts (five). He had an 18–4 record (his 18 wins were the eighth-most in the NL), and he gave up 169 hits in 206 innings pitched. He finished 10th in NL
Most Valuable Player 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 ...
(MVP) voting after the season. By the 1951 season, Maglie had emerged as the ace of the Giants' staff.Hirsch, p. 130 After back-to-back losses in April, he won nine games in a row from April 30 through June 5. After allowing a leadoff
triple Triple is used in several contexts to mean "threefold" or a " treble": Sports * Triple (baseball), a three-base hit * A basketball three-point field goal * A figure skating jump with three rotations * In bowling terms, three strikes in a row * ...
to
Pete Castiglione Peter Paul Castiglione (February 13, 1921 – April 22, 2010) was an infielder in Major League Baseball player for eight seasons from 1947 to 1954. Born on February 13, 1921, he initially signed a baseball contract to play for the Pittsburgh Pira ...
on May 4, he allowed no further hits in a complete game, 5–1 victory over the Pirates. On May 27, he gave up just two hits in a 2–0 shutout victory over the
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
. Three hits were all he allowed on June 26 in a 4–0, shutout victory over the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was named to the
All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
, the first of two consecutive selections. Though he allowed two runs in three innings, he was credited with the victory in the NL's 8–3 triumph. In the thick of a pennant race with the Dodgers, the Giants trailed by 11 games on August 11. Beginning August 12, Maglie won five decisions in a row and only lost one more game the full season, posting an 8–1 record and a 2.50 ERA down the stretch as the Giants forced a tie with the Dodgers at the end of the season. Against the Boston Braves on September 29, Maglie outpitched future Hall of Famer
Warren Spahn Warren Edward Spahn (April 23, 1921 – November 24, 2003) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). A left-handed pitcher, Spahn played in 1942 and then from 1946 until 1965, most notabl ...
, allowing five hits and no runs in a 3–0 shutout victory. Maglie and teammate
Larry Jansen Lawrence Joseph Jansen (July 16, 1920 – October 10, 2009) was an American right-handed pitcher and coach in Major League Baseball. A native of Oregon, he played minor league baseball in the early 1940s before starting his Major League career ...
tied for the NL lead with 23 wins, and Maglie lost just six games while ranking among the league leaders in win percentage (.793, topped only by
Preacher Roe A preacher is a person who delivers sermons or homilies on religious topics to an assembly of people. Less common are preachers who preach on the street, or those whose message is not necessarily religious, but who preach components such as a ...
's .880), ERA (2.93, topped only by Chet Nichols's 2.88), strikeouts (146, topped only by
Don Newcombe Donald Newcombe (June 14, 1926 – February 19, 2019), nicknamed "Newk", was an American professional baseball pitcher in Negro league and Major League Baseball who played for the Newark Eagles (1944–45), Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers (1949–1 ...
's and Spahn's 164), and innings pitched (298, topped only by Robin Roberts's 315 and Spahn's ). He finished fourth in NL MVP voting. The Dodgers played the Giants in a best-of-three tie-breaker series at the end of the year, and Maglie started the deciding third game on October 3. He allowed a run in the first but settled down after that, retiring 11 batters in a row at one point. He allowed three more runs in the eighth and was pinch-hit for by Hank Thompson in the bottom of the inning with the Giants trailing 4–1. However, the Giants rallied in the ninth, ultimately winning on
Bobby Thomson Robert Brown Thomson (October 25, 1923 – August 16, 2010) was a Scottish-born American professional baseball player, nicknamed the "Staten Island Scot". He was an outfielder and right-handed batter for the New York Giants (1946–53, 1957), M ...
's Shot Heard 'Round the World home run. The Giants faced the
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
in the 1951 World Series, and Maglie started Game 4 but took the loss after giving up four runs in five innings, including a fifth-inning home run to
Joe DiMaggio Joseph Paul DiMaggio (November 25, 1914 – March 8, 1999), nicknamed "Joltin' Joe", "The Yankee Clipper" and "Joe D.", was an American baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career in Major League Baseball for the New York Yank ...
that reporter James Hirsch called "the turning point of the game." The Giants lost the series in six games. After his stellar 1951 season, Maglie wanted a $40,000 contract from the Giants, but the team only wanted to pay him $32,500 for the season. The parties agreed to a compromise of $35,000 on February 21, 1952. Maglie started the 1952 season with a nine-game winning streak, including three shutouts. After
Willie Mays Willie Howard Mays Jr. (born May 6, 1931), nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid" and "Buck", is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Regarded as one of the greatest players ever, Mays ranks second behind only Babe Ruth on most all-tim ...
left to serve a term in the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
on May 29, however, Maglie struggled in his next five starts, attributing part of the problem to the loss of Mays. "You didn't have to worry about striking guys out all the time...you knew that somehow Willie would get alls hit to centerfield That takes a lot of pressure off the pitcher and gives him a chance to save his best stuff for the real tight spots." On June 26, he held the Dodgers to three hits in a 3–0 shutout. He also threw a shutout on August 9, allowing eight hits in the first game of a doubleheader against the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
. At season's end, Maglie was again among the league leaders in several statistics, including wins (18, topped only by Roberts's 28), winning percentage (.692, sixth), ERA (2.92, tenth), strikeouts (112, tied with
Murry Dickson Murry Monroe Dickson (August 21, 1916 – September 21, 1989) was an American professional baseball right-handed pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) during the 1940s and 1950s. He was known for his vast array of pitches and del ...
for tenth), and shutouts (five, tied with three others for third). He finished 23rd in NL MVP voting. On April 30, 1953, Maglie threw a six-hit shutout in a 1–0 victory over the Milwaukee Braves. In the first game of a doubleheader against Pittsburgh on May 10, he gave up just three hits in a 4–0 shutout victory. On June 24, he picked up his third shutout of the season in a 3–0 victory over the Cardinals. However, he suffered from back problems that year and never pitched more than innings in a game after July 16, posting an 8.88 ERA and losing all five of his decisions after that date. In 27 games (24 starts), he had an 8–9 record, a 4.15 ERA, 80 strikeouts, 47 walks, and 158 hits allowed in innings. Maglie's career seemed to be over, but a chiropractor prescribed him an eighth-inch thick lift for one of his shoes to correct a tilted pelvis.Hirsch, p. 192 In the first game of a doubleheader against Philadelphia on April 25, 1954, he threw a five-hit shutout in a 3–0 victory. On April 30 against the Cubs, he gave up two runs in 14 innings, winning the game after Mays hit a go-ahead run against
Warren Hacker Warren Louis Hacker (November 21, 1924 – May 22, 2002) was an American professional baseball player, a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs (1948–56), Cincinnati Redlegs (1957), Philadelphia Phillies (1957–58) and Chicago White Sox (1961). He was al ...
in the top of the 14th. He also beat the Cubs on July 21, allowing four hits and one run in a complete game, 2–1 victory. Against Cincinnati on July 31, he threw shutout innings and picked up the win. He allowed five hits and one run on August 27 in a complete game, 3–1 victory over the Braves. On September 20, 1954, he faced the Dodgers in a game that would clinch the pennant for the Giants if they prevailed. Despite a sore back, Maglie held them to one run in a complete game, 7–1 victory. The last out was a ground ball hit by
Roy Campanella Roy Campanella (November 19, 1921 – June 26, 1993), nicknamed "Campy", was an American baseball player, primarily as a catcher. The Philadelphia native played in the Negro leagues and Mexican League for nine years before entering the minor lea ...
to the mound that Maglie tossed to first baseman
Whitey Lockman Carroll Walter "Whitey" Lockman (July 25, 1926 – March 17, 2009) was a left-handed hitting first baseman and outfielder, coach, manager and front office executive in Major League Baseball. Playing career Born in Lowell, North Carolina, Lockman ...
; once the out was recorded, Lockman rushed to meet his pitcher and jumped in his arms in celebration. Even after throwing his
no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher wh ...
in 1956, Maglie still considered his September 20 start the best game he had ever pitched. Maglie finished the season with a 14–6 record and a 3.26 ERA. That season, Maglie,
Johnny Antonelli John August Antonelli (April 12, 1930 – February 28, 2020) was an American professional baseball player, a left-handed starting pitcher who played for the Boston / Milwaukee Braves, New York / San Francisco Giants, and Cleveland Indians betw ...
, and Ruben Gomez combined to win 52 games, complete 37 starts, and help the Giants pitchers post an ERA of 3.09, the lowest in the National League. Maglie ranked among the league leaders in wins (14, tied with
Gene Conley Donald Eugene Conley (November 10, 1930 – July 4, 2017) was an American professional baseball and basketball player. He played as a pitcher for four teams in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1952 to 1963. Conley also played as a forward in t ...
and
Curt Simmons Curtis Thomas Simmons (May 19, 1929 – December 13, 2022) was an American professional baseball left-handed pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from to and to . Along with right-hander Robin Roberts (a member of the Baseball H ...
for ninth), winning percentage (.700, 6), ERA (3.26, eighth), and strikeouts (117, eighth). He finished 22nd in NL MVP voting. Maglie started Game 1 of the
1954 World Series The 1954 World Series matched the National League champion New York Giants against the American League champion Cleveland Indians. The Giants swept the Series in four games to win their first championship since , defeating the heavily favored Ind ...
against the
Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
, allowing two runs in seven innings. After the first two batters of the eighth reached, Maglie was replaced with
Don Liddle Donald Eugene Liddle (May 25, 1925 – June 5, 2000) was an American left-handed pitcher in professional baseball who played four seasons in the Major Leagues for the Milwaukee Braves, New York Giants and St. Louis Cardinals from 1953 through 1 ...
, who gave up the fly ball to
Vic Wertz Victor Woodrow Wertz (February 9, 1925 – July 7, 1983) was an American professional baseball first baseman and outfielder. He had a 17-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career from 1947 to 1963. He played for the Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Brown ...
that
Willie Mays Willie Howard Mays Jr. (born May 6, 1931), nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid" and "Buck", is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Regarded as one of the greatest players ever, Mays ranks second behind only Babe Ruth on most all-tim ...
caught in one of baseball's most storied plays. He got a no-decision as the Giants won the game in 10 innings on a pinch-hit home run by
Dusty Rhodes Virgil Riley Runnels Jr. (October 11, 1945 – June 11, 2015), better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, was an American professional wrestler, booker, and trainer who most notably worked for the National Wrestling Alliance, Jim Crocket ...
. The Giants went on to sweep the Indians and claim the Word Series title. In 1955, Maglie's back continued to bother him. He got off to a disappointing start to the year, losing all three of his April starts. On April 23, against the Dodgers at
Ebbets Field Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball stadium in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York. It is mainly known for having been the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team of the National League (1913–1957). It was also home to five p ...
, Maglie had been throwing brushback pitches past the heads of several Brooklyn hitters. In the fourth inning, Jackie Robinson dropped down a
bunt Bunt may refer to: * Bunt (community), an elite social group from Karnataka, India * Bunt (baseball), a batting technique in baseball * Bunt (sail), a part of a ship's sail * Bunt Island, island in Antarctica * The Bunt, nickname of the Bunting ...
, intending to retaliate for the knockdown pitch by crashing into Maglie as he fielded the ball. But Maglie did not come off the pitching mound and Robinson instead collided with Davey Williams, who was covering first base. Williams was knocked to the ground in pain and had to leave the game, and
Alvin Dark Alvin Ralph Dark (January 7, 1922 – November 13, 2014), nicknamed "Blackie" and "The Swamp Fox", was an American professional baseball shortstop and manager. He played fourteen years in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston/Milwaukee Bra ...
attempted to fight Robinson. Both benches cleared, but
umpire An umpire is an official in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The term derives from the Old French nonper, ''non'', "not" and ''per'', ...
Tom Gorman kept Dark from doing anything more than yelling. Dark got revenge in the fifth by running hard into Robinson at third base. The two exchanged words again, but umpire
Babe Pinelli Ralph Arthur "Babe" Pinelli, born Rinaldo Angelo Paolinelli (October 18, 1895 – October 22, 1984), was an American third baseman and umpire in Major League Baseball. Born in San Francisco, his playing career was mostly with the Cincinnati Reds ...
kept things from getting out of hand. The Dodgers went on to win 3–1. Following the game in Brooklyn, Maglie won eight decisions in a row, and nine out of ten through July 2. After July 2, though, he only once made it past the fifth inning and posted an 8.49 ERA in seven games, bothered some by the hot 1955 summer. He was placed on waivers in July and claimed by the
Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
on July 31.


Later years (1955–58)

With the Indians, Maglie made a start on August 5 but gave up five runs (three earned) in two innings and took the loss in a 7–5 defeat by the Washington Senators. He made only one more start all year (also a loss), used mainly out of the bullpen and not making an appearance after September 8. In 23 games (21 starts) with the Giants in 1955, Maglie had a 9–5 record, a 3.75 ERA, 71 strikeouts, 48 walks, and 142 hits allowed in innings. In 10 games (two starts) for the Indians, he had an 0–2 record, a 3.86 ERA, 11 strikeouts, seven walks, and 26 hits allowed in innings. His combined totals with both teams were a 9–7 record, a 3.77 ERA, 82 strikeouts, 55 walks, and 168 hits allowed in innings pitched. Used sparingly by the Indians to begin the 1956 season, Maglie was purchased by the Brooklyn Dodgers on May 15, a "surprise" according to ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
''. Maglie had pitched only two games for Cleveland all year, both in relief, and it seemed that his career was "all through," according to
Robert Creamer Robert Watts Creamer (July 14, 1922 – July 18, 2012) was an American sportswriter and editor. He spent most of his career at ''Sports Illustrated''. Biography Creamer was born on July 14, 1922 in Bronxville, New York He attended Fordha ...
of ''
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
''. Without a win since July 9 of the previous year, on June 4, he allowed only three hits against the Braves, whom the Dodgers were in a pennant race against. From that point on, he served as a starter the rest of the year for the Dodgers. In the first game of a doubleheader against the Cardinals on August 5, he allowed just four hits in a 7–0 shutout victory. He allowed just one hit to the Giants in Game 2 of a doubleheader on September 1 but had to leave the game with one out in the sixth after he threw his glove to the ground in disgust over
Artie Gore Arthur Joseph Gore (November 13, 1907 – September 29, 1986) was a professional baseball umpire who worked in the National League from 1947 to 1956. Gore umpired 1,464 major league games in his 10-year career. He umpired in two World Series and ...
calling four straight balls on Foster Castleman; throwing the glove to the ground out of anger results in an automatic ejection. Though he got a no-decision, the Dodgers triumphed 5–0. On September 25, he threw a no-hitter against the Phillies in a 5-0 Dodger triumph at
Ebbets Field Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball stadium in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York. It is mainly known for having been the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team of the National League (1913–1957). It was also home to five p ...
. He had a sterling comeback season for the Dodgers in 1956 (who won the NL pennant by one game over the Milwaukee Braves and two games over the
Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
), going 13–5 with 2.89 ERA (2.87 not counting his two Cleveland appearances), 110 strikeouts, 54 walks, and 160 hits allowed in 196 innings pitched. His 2.87 ERA in the NL ranked fourth, behind
Lew Burdette Selva Lewis Burdette, Jr. (November 22, 1926 – February 6, 2007) was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the Boston / Milwaukee Braves. The team's top right-hander during its years in Milw ...
's 2.70, Spahn's 2.78, and
Johnny Antonelli John August Antonelli (April 12, 1930 – February 28, 2020) was an American professional baseball player, a left-handed starting pitcher who played for the Boston / Milwaukee Braves, New York / San Francisco Giants, and Cleveland Indians betw ...
's 2.87. He finished second to teammate
Don Newcombe Donald Newcombe (June 14, 1926 – February 19, 2019), nicknamed "Newk", was an American professional baseball pitcher in Negro league and Major League Baseball who played for the Newark Eagles (1944–45), Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers (1949–1 ...
in balloting for the first ever
Cy Young Award The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall ...
, and was also second to Newcombe in MVP balloting. Maglie was expected to be the Dodgers' Game 1 starter in the 1956 World Series on October 3, but an upset stomach and a stiff shoulder experienced a couple days before left his status in doubt. Ultimately, Maglie did make the start, allowing three runs in a complete game and outpitching future Hall of Famer
Whitey Ford Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford (October 21, 1928 – October 8, 2020), nicknamed "the Chairman of the Board", was an American professional baseball pitcher who played his entire 16-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Yankees ...
as the Dodgers beat the Yankees 6–3. Maglie said after the game: "This was my greatest thrill. Yes, even more of a thrill than my no-hitter. They claim you can't have everything you want in life, but believe me, with this series victory, I have close to all I ever wished for." Maglie appeared on the game show ''
What's My Line? ''What's My Line?'' is a panel game show that originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, originally in black and white and later in color, with subsequent U.S. revivals. The game uses celebrity panelis ...
'' the night before he started Game 5 of the Series as one of the panel members, along with former Yankee
Phil Rizzuto Philip Francis Rizzuto (September 25, 1917 – August 13, 2007), nicknamed "The Scooter", was an American Major League Baseball shortstop. He spent his entire 13-year baseball career with the New York Yankees (1941–1956), and was elected to th ...
. He held the Yankees to two runs in another complete game effort in Game 5 but suffered the loss because Don Larsen threw a
perfect game Perfect game may refer to: Sports * Perfect game (baseball), a complete-game win by a pitcher allowing no baserunners * Perfect game (bowling), a 300 game, 12 consecutive strikes in the same game * Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, New York ...
for the Yankees, who won the series in seven games. In recognition of Maglie's performance in 1956, the Chicago Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association honored him with the William Wrigley Jr. Award for "'comeback' of the year." In an article released during 1957 spring training, Dodger manager
Walter Alston Walter Emmons Alston (December 1, 1911 – October 1, 1984), nicknamed "Smokey", was an American baseball player and manager in Major League Baseball He is best known for managing the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1954 through 1976, and si ...
previewed his team: "Sal Maglie showed me he makes up for his years with a wise head and strong arm. He's good for several more years yet." In his first start of the year, on April 18, he allowed just four hits and one unearned run in a 6-1 victory over the Pirates. Through May 30, he had a 3.16 ERA, but Maglie was inactive from that date until July 2, bothered by a sore thumb. In his July 2 return, he threw a four-hit shutout against the Giants. Over the next two months, he posted a 2.83 ERA. That August, the Dodgers placed Maglie on waivers hoping to trade him to the Yankees. The first time they put him on waivers, 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 p ...
claimed him, but the Dodgers withdrew him. The second time, the White Sox opted not to claim him, hoping instead to make a trade offer if he passed through waivers. No one did claim him, and the Yankees acquired him for $37,500 and two Triple-A players that the Dodgers could pick. However, since the trade was not finalized until September 1, Maglie was not eligible to pitch in the World Series for New York that year, as players acquired after the August 31 deadline were ineligible. Cheered during his first game at
Yankee Stadium Yankee Stadium is a baseball stadium located in the Bronx, New York City. It is the home field of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball, and New York City FC of Major League Soccer. Opened in April 2009, the stadium replaced the origi ...
, Maglie tipped his hat to the crowd. He only made three starts for the Yankees but won two of them, including a game against the Indians on September 11 when he held Cleveland to three hits and outpitched future Hall of Famer
Early Wynn Early Wynn Jr. (January 6, 1920 – April 4, 1999), nicknamed "Gus", was an American professional baseball right-handed pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, and Chicago White Sox, dur ...
in a 5–0 shutout victory. Though he was playing for the Yankees at the time, Maglie attended the final Giants game at the Polo Grounds, honored in pregame festivities on September 29, 1957. In 19 games (17 starts) for Brooklyn, he had a 6–6 record, a 2.93 ERA, 50 strikeouts, 26 walks, and 94 hits allowed in innings pitched. With the Yankees in six games (three starts), he had a 2–0 record, a 1.73 ERA, nine strikeouts, seven walks, and 22 hits allowed in 26 innings pitched. His combined numbers between the two ballclubs were an 8–6 record, a 2.69 ERA, 59 strikeouts, 33 walks, and 116 hits allowed in innings. Though he was ineligible for the 1957 World Series, Maglie attended the contests, sharing his observations with Creamer as the Braves defeated the Yankees in seven games. A part of the Yankees roster in 1958, the 41-year-old Maglie was not used until May 18, the 23rd game of the year for New York, though there were no reports of this being due to injury. In the first game of a doubleheader against the Senators that day, he picked up the victory, allowing two runs over eight innings and hitting a three-run home run against
Pedro Ramos Pedro Ramos Guerra (born April 28, 1935), is a Cuban former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Senators / Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, and the expansion Washin ...
in a 5-2 triumph. Maglie only made two more starts for the Yankees after that and posted a 4.63 ERA in his first seven games. On June 14, his contract was sold to 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 ...
for just over $20,000. With the Cardinals, Maglie joined the starting rotation and won his first two starts, allowing one run in seven innings against the Braves on June 22 and allowing one run in a complete game against the Phillies on June 28. After that, he never won a game again. He made his last major league appearance on August 31, allowing five runs (two earned) in three innings and taking the loss in an 8–5 defeat to the Cubs. In 10 starts with St. Louis, he had a 2–6 record, a 4.75 ERA, 21 strikeouts, 25 walks, and 46 hits allowed in 53 innings pitched. His combined totals between the Cardinals and Yankees were a 3–7 record, a 4.72 ERA, 28 strikeouts, 34 walks, and 73 hits allowed in innings pitched. Maglie attempted to return to the Cardinals for the 1959 season, but the team handed him his unconditional release at the end of spring training.


Legacy and career statistics

Bill Madden, sportswriter for the ''
New York Daily News The New York ''Daily News'', officially titled the ''Daily News'', is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, NJ. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in ta ...
'', wrote that Maglie would never be a Hall of Famer unless "there’s a Hall of Fame just for pitchers whom you wanted to have the ball in a game you had to win." Maglie did appear on the Hall of Fame ballot in 1964 and 1968, but he never got more than 6.5% of the vote. In spite of a slow start in the minor leagues and the four years he was banned for pitching in the Mexican League, Maglie became "one of the most accomplished pitchers of his era," according to Joseph Durso of the ''New York Times.'' His .657 career winning percentage ranked 22nd among major leaguers as of August 2020, and he had a 23–11 record against the Dodgers, archrival of the Giants, including a streak at Ebbets Field where he won 11 of 12 decisions. From a
sabermetric Sabermetrics, or originally SABRmetrics, is the empirical analysis of baseball, especially baseball statistics that measure in-game activity. Sabermetricians collect and summarize the relevant data from this in-game activity to answer specific ques ...
analysis, Maglie's 5.9
Wins Above Replacement Wins Above Replacement or Wins Above Replacement Player, commonly abbreviated to WAR or WARP, is a non-standardized sabermetric baseball statistic developed to sum up "a player's total contributions to his team". A player's WAR value is claimed to ...
(WAR) was the NL's 10th best, and he had a career WAR of 34.2, according to ''Baseball-Reference.com''. In ''
The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract ''The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract'' is a reference book written by Bill James featuring an overview of professional baseball decade by decade, along with rankings of the top 100 players at each position. The original edition was publi ...
'' (2001), sabermetrician Bill James ranks Maglie as the best pitcher in baseball for 1951 and says that Maglie probably would have won the Cy Young Award in 1951 had it been in existence at the time. During his 10-season career, Maglie pitched in three World Series (winning in 1954 with the Giants), and he was twice a member of the NL All-Star team. He was the last of 14 players to play for the Giants, Dodgers, and Yankees at a time when all three teams were in New York City. During his time with the Giants, Maglie developed a rivalry with Dodger hitter
Carl Furillo Carl Anthony Furillo (March 8, 1922 – January 21, 1989), nicknamed "The Reading Rifle" and "Skoonj", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB), spending his entire career with the Brooklyn / ...
. Once, after surviving one of Maglie's close shave pitches, Furillo threw his bat at the pitcher. However, after Maglie was acquired by the Dodgers in 1956, the two became friends and even roommates at times. Hall of Fame pitcher Don Drysdale credited Maglie with teaching him the art of brushing back batters while the two were teammates in Brooklyn. Maglie had special advice for when Mays was batting. "You have to throw at him twice," he told Drysdale, observing that Mays would not expect a second brushback pitch.
Willie Mays Willie Howard Mays Jr. (born May 6, 1931), nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid" and "Buck", is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Regarded as one of the greatest players ever, Mays ranks second behind only Babe Ruth on most all-tim ...
told a story in his autobiography of hitting a home run against Maglie after Maglie went to the Dodgers. However, the only home run Maglie gave up to the Giants while wearing a Dodger uniform was to
Ray Jablonski Raymond Leo Jablonski (December 17, 1926 – November 25, 1985) was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for all or parts of eight MLB seasons between 1953 and 1960. A National League All-Star, Jablonski appeared in 812 ...
, not Mays. In June 1983, Hyde Park Stadium in Niagara Falls was renamed
Sal Maglie Stadium Sal Maglie Stadium is a stadium in Niagara Falls, New York. It is primarily used for baseball and is currently home of the Niagara Power ( PGCBL) baseball team. The ballpark has a capacity of 4,000 people and opened in 1939. Its original name ...
. The ceremony featured an extremely short baseball bus excursion, as a bus loaded with friends and family of Maglie left the Stadium Grill located about two hundred yards across the street and drove into Sal Maglie Stadium. As of August 2020, Sal Maglie Stadium is the home of the Niagara University Purple Eagles and the
Niagara Power History The Niagara Power is a collegiate summer baseball franchise which currently competes in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, a league designed to give college-eligible players an opportunity to compete while furthering their devel ...
of the
New York Collegiate Baseball League The New York Collegiate Baseball League (NYCBL) is a collegiate summer baseball league founded in 1978 and sanctioned by the National Alliance of College Summer Baseball, National Amateur Baseball Federation and Major League Baseball. Each NYCB ...
.


Coaching career

In September of 1958, the
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
wrote that Maglie was a candidate to be St. Louis's pitching coach in 1959. Instead, the Cardinals hired him to scout and serve as a minor league coach. Not enjoying the arrangement, Maglie did not renew his contract for the 1960 season. The
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
hired Maglie to be their pitching coach before the 1960 season, and he served in that capacity for the next three years. Under his tutelage,
Bill Monbouquette William Charles Monbouquette (August 11, 1936 – January 25, 2015) was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a right-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox (1958–65), Detroit Tigers (19 ...
had 17 strikeouts in a game in 1961 and quoted Maglie after the feat. "Sal talked about stuff like ‘move this guy off the plate, move his feet, move his legs,’ and oh, he did preach: ‘throw that ball inside!’ And he didn’t mean pitch to get a strike on the inside corner. He meant you’ve got to set that hitter up with a pitch way inside!" When Monbouquette and Earl Wilson threw no-hitters in 1962, they credited Maglie with their improvement. "He taught me how to use the lower part of my body,"
Dick Radatz Richard Raymond Radatz (April 2, 1937 – March 16, 2005) was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. Nicknamed "The Monster", the , right-hander had a scorching but short-lived period of dominance for the Boston Red Sox in the e ...
said, crediting the advice with adding four or five miles an hour to his pitches' velocity. "I think he was a fine pitching coach. What he taught me helped me for the rest of my career. Without that, I don’t think I’d have been the pitcher I was." When
Johnny Pesky John Michael Pesky (born John Michael Paveskovich; February 27, 1919 – August 13, 2012), nicknamed "The Needle" and "Mr. Red Sox", was an American professional baseball player, manager and coach. He was a shortstop and third baseman during a ...
replaced
Pinky Higgins Michael Franklin "Pinky" Higgins (May 27, 1909 – March 21, 1969) was an American third baseman, manager, front office executive and scout in Major League Baseball who played for three teams and served as manager or general manager of the Boston ...
as Boston's manager after the 1962 season, Pesky chose not to bring back Maglie for 1963, preferring instead to pick new coaches. Maglie did not initially pursue another coaching job because his wife, Kay, was diagnosed with cancer in 1963. He invested in local businesses around Niagara Falls, engaged in public speaking, and joined the
New York State Athletic Commission The New York State Athletic Commission or NYSAC, also known as the New York Athletic Commission, is a division of the New York State Department of State which regulates all contests and exhibitions of unarmed combat within the state of New York, ...
(NYSAC) in 1965. The NYSAC post forced him to turn down an offer to return to the Red Sox in 1965, but he signed a two-year contract to become their pitching coach again in 1966. He was the pitching coach for the "Impossible Dream" Red Sox that went all the way to the 1967 World Series before losing in seven games to the Cardinals.
Jim Lonborg James Reynold Lonborg (born April 16, 1942) is an American former professional baseball right-handed starting pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, and Philadelphia Phillies. Though nickname ...
, the AL Cy Young Award winner that season, credited his effectiveness that year to Maglie's lessons on pitching inside. The Red Sox later fired Maglie after losing the 1967 World Series, and Maglie criticized manager Dick Williams in an interview a week later. "Dick Williams gave me the biggest disappointment I ever got in baseball," Maglie said. "Williams never even had the courage or decency to tell me himself that I was fired...I don’t like being stepped on." Maglie also criticized Williams for his handling of Lonborg, who got the loss after Williams started him on two days' rest in Game 7 of the series. "It was obvious Lonborg didn't have it. Williams should have gotten him out sooner, and I told him so." Williams had wanted to choose his own pitching coach when he became Boston's manager in 1967, but he was unable to since Maglie was still under contract for one year. Maglie was not unemployed long, as he was hired as a scout for the expansion Seattle Pilots in 1968. The franchise began play in 1969, and Maglie was their first pitching coach. He was profiled unflatteringly in
Jim Bouton James Alan Bouton (; March 8, 1939 – July 10, 2019) was an American professional baseball player. Bouton played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a pitcher for the New York Yankees, Seattle Pilots, Houston Astros, and Atlanta Braves between 1 ...
's book ''
Ball Four ''Ball Four'' is a book written by former Major League Baseball pitcher Jim Bouton (1939-2019) in 1970. The book is a diary of Bouton's 1969 season, spent with the Seattle Pilots and then the Houston Astros following a late-season trade. In it, ...
'', despite the fact that he was Bouton's boyhood hero. Bouton commented that Maglie rarely gave useful advice to the pitchers, and frequently second-guessed their choice of pitches, often contradicting his previous second guessing. In one such instance, Bouton related:
agliehad quite an adventure tonight. Darrell Brandon pitching, and with
Rod Carew Rodney Cline Carew (born October 1, 1945) is a Panamanian former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman, second baseman and designated hitter from 1967 to 1985 for the Minnesota Twins ...
on third base he's using a full wind-up. At the last moment he decides to take a look over at Carew, who's taking a pretty good lead. So he backs off the rubber and Sal yells at him, "For crissakes, get the hitter. The runner isn't going anyplace." So Darrell winds up and lets fly. ''And Carew steals home''. When Darrell comes into the dugout at the end of the inning, Maglie lets him have it. "Dammit", he says. "You ''know'' you've got to pitch from the stretch in that situation."
Bouton and Maglie clashed over the
knuckleball A knuckleball or knuckler is a baseball pitch thrown to minimize the spin of the ball in flight, causing an erratic, unpredictable motion. The air flow over a seam of the ball causes the ball to change from laminar to turbulent flow. This chan ...
, which Bouton wanted to throw exclusively; Maglie preferred that he throw other pitches as well. The Pilots filed for bankruptcy after the season and moved to Milwaukee, where they became the Brewers; Maglie was not retained as the organization's pitching coach for 1970. He served as the
general manager A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...
of his hometown Niagara Falls Pirates that season, his final baseball-related job.


Description and pitching style

At and , Maglie maintained a "menacing" appearance on the mound, according to the ''New York Times''. This was partly due to his five o'clock shadow look, accentuated by the fact that he never shaved before games. Bouton said of him in 1969, "He still looks like he'd knock down his grandmother. He's got those big evil-looking black eyes." Despite the intimidating appearance, the ''New York Times'' wrote that in person, he "had a gentle, polite manner with a voice as soft as that of a priest in a confessional." However, there was nothing gentle about Maglie's pitching. His "Sal the Barber" nickname came from his propensity to give close shaves—that is, pitch inside to hitters. Another writer referred to him as "God's Gift to Gillette." Hirsch wrote that he had "a reputation for knocking hitters down."
Willie Mays Willie Howard Mays Jr. (born May 6, 1931), nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid" and "Buck", is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Regarded as one of the greatest players ever, Mays ranks second behind only Babe Ruth on most all-tim ...
summarized his reason for throwing inside: "He always liked to be in complete control of a game, and the way he did this, or thought he had to do it, was by pitching batters close. You always had to worry about a brushback pitch from him. You knew he would throw it, but you didn't know how close he would make it." "You could catch Sal sitting in a rocking chair," said
Wes Westrum Wes or WES may refer to: * Westmorland, county in England, Chapman code __NOTOC__ People and fictional characters * Wes (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Wes Madiko (1964–2021), Cameroonian musi ...
, who caught him with the Giants. "Perfect control." The
curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...
was his specialty pitch. "Sal had three curveballs," Westrum said. "One acted like a slider. Another was a slow sweeping curve, almost a changeup. The third broke quickly." Maglie developed the curveball while pitching in the Mexican League. When throwing his fastball, he would grip the ball by the seams, with his fingers spread out. Before he threw, Maglie had a routine of, as he described it, "wiping my hand on my shirt, tugging at my cap, then licking my fingers, wiping my hand off again, rubbing it on my leg and then picking up the resin bag." He did this to get hitters fidgety and to relax himself before throwing. His habit of wiping his hands led, as Robert Creamer reported, to accusations that he threw a
spitball A spitball is an illegal baseball pitch in which the ball has been altered by the application of a foreign substance such as saliva or petroleum jelly. This technique alters the wind resistance and weight on one side of the ball, causing it to m ...
. In 1958, Maglie wrote an article about pitching for ''
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
'', where he listed three characteristics of a successful major league pitcher: "1) control, both of his pitches and of himself; 2) confidence and determination; nd3) knowledge and experience." By control, he meant the ability "to put the ball exactly where he pitcherwants it every time." By confidence and determination, he meant "the kind that keeps a pitcher going when everything says to him that he is beaten, the kind that just won't permit him to quit." By knowledge, he meant "deep inside knowledge" gained both through experience and "an awful lot of study and experimentation."


Personal life

In March 1941, Maglie eloped with Kay Pileggi, whom he had dated for a while; the couple was married in a
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
ceremony in May of that year. They adopted a boy, Sal Jr., in 1955, and another son, Joseph, in 1963, after Sal Sr. had finished his first coaching stint with the Red Sox. Kay suffered a return of cancer that year (she had undergone surgery to treat it in 1958) and died four years later, in 1967. The pitcher remarried in 1971, to Doris, becoming the stepfather of her daughter Holly. During the 1950s, Maglie lived in
Riverdale, The Bronx Riverdale is a residential neighborhood in the northwestern portion of the New York City borough of the Bronx. Riverdale, which had a population of 47,850 as of the 2000 United States Census, contains the city's northernmost point, at the College ...
. During the 1970s, Maglie was employed by a wholesale liquor distributor as a salesman. Later in the decade, he worked for the Niagara Falls Convention Bureau as their membership coordinator. He retired in 1979. A lover of Italian food, Maglie's favorite restaurant in Niagara Falls was the Como Restaurant, where he was a frequent customer.
Golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...
was a hobby of his in retirement, and he would sign autographs at card shows and pitch in old-timers' games. Joseph, his second son, was a member of the
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
. Following Maglie's first wife's death, his son, Sal Jr., struggled with drug addiction and depression. When the younger Sal died in 1985, his adoptive father's health suffered. Sal Sr. had recovered from a near-fatal brain aneurysm suffered in 1982, but following a 1987 stroke, he moved into the Niagara Falls Memorial Nursing Home. He lived for five more years before dying on December 28, 1992, due to bronchial pneumonia complications.


See also

*
List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders In baseball, earned run average (ERA) is a statistic used to evaluate pitchers, calculated as the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. A pitcher is assessed an earned run for each run scored by a baserunner who reach ...
* List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders *
List of Major League Baseball no-hitters Below is a list of Major League Baseball no-hitters, enumerating every no-hitter pitched in Major League Baseball history. In addition, all no-hitters that were broken up in extra innings or were in shortened games are listed, although they are no ...


References


Bibliography

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Further reading

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External links

: {{DEFAULTSORT:Maglie, Sal 1917 births 1992 deaths American sportspeople of Italian descent Baseball coaches from New York (state) Baseball players from New York (state) Boston Red Sox coaches Brooklyn Dodgers players Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Cleveland Indians players Drummondville Cubs players Elmira Pioneers players Jamestown Falcons players Jersey City Giants players Deaths from pneumonia in New York (state) Major League Baseball pitchers Major League Baseball pitching coaches National League All-Stars National League ERA champions National League wins champions New York Giants (NL) players New York Yankees players Sportspeople from Niagara Falls, New York St. Louis Cardinals players St. Louis Cardinals scouts Seattle Pilots coaches Deaths from bronchopneumonia Angeles de Puebla players American expatriate baseball players in Mexico