Tom Underwood
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Thomas Gerald Underwood (December 22, 1953 – November 22, 2010) 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 ...
. His younger brother, Pat was also a pitcher, and made his major league debut against Tom. It was the first time in major league history this had occurred.


Kokomo High School

Underwood was also
quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
for
Kokomo High School Kokomo High School (merged with Haworth High School in 1984) is a four-year public high school in Kokomo, Indiana, USA. The school is the only high school in the Kokomo School Corporation. History The earliest Kokomo High School found in rec ...
's
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
team on top of playing
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 tea ...
. By the time he started high school, he was already a stand out
Little League Little League Baseball and Softball (officially, Little League Baseball Inc) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizationKokomo, Indiana Kokomo ( ) is a city in Indiana and the county seat of Howard County, Indiana, United States. It is the principal city of the Kokomo, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Howard County, the Kokomo-Peru CSA, which includ ...
. His junior and senior years, he went 17-3 with a 0.40
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 ...
. Simultaneously, he compiled a 25-1 record playing American Legion Baseball, helping Post 6 win the
Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
state championship. He signed a letter of intent to play
college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
at
Western Michigan University Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. Bliss for the training of teachers ...
before being selected in the second round pick of the
1972 Major League Baseball draft First round selections The following are the first round picks in the 1972 Major League Baseball draft. ''*'' Did not sign Other notable selections ''*'' Did not sign Background The Montreal Expos had perhaps their best draft in franc ...
by 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 ...
.


Philadelphia Phillies


Topps All-Star Rookie

In his first season of
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 baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Mod ...
with the
Spartanburg Phillies Spartanburg is a city in and the county seat, seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The city of Spartanburg has a municipal population of 38,732 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the 11th-largest c ...
, Underwood went 13-6 record with a
Western Carolinas League file:John Henry Moss.png, Portion of plaque displaying likeness of John Henry Moss at Municipal Stadium, Hagerstown, Maryland The Western Carolinas League was a Class D (1948–52; 1960–62) and a low Class A (1963–79) full-season league in Am ...
leading 2.10 ERA and 187
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. He went 14-5 with a 2.51 in for the double A
Toledo Mud Hens The Toledo Mud Hens are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Toledo, Ohio, and play their home games at Fifth Third Field. A Mud Hens team has played in ...
to earn a call up to the majors at just twenty years old. Underwood faced 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 titl ...
" in his major league debut. After striking out the first batter he faced (
Dan Driessen Daniel Driessen (born July 29, 1951) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman from 1973 to 1987, most notably as a member of the Cincinnati Reds dynasty that won three National Leag ...
),
Cesar Geronimo Cesar, César or Cèsar may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * César (film), ''César'' (film), a 1936 film directed by Marcel Pagnol * César (film), ''César'' (play), a play by Marcel Pagnolt * César Award, a French film award Pla ...
followed with 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 ...
and
Dave Concepción David Ismael Concepción Benitez (born June 17, 1948) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire career in Major League Baseball as a shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds dynasty that won four National Lea ...
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 * Th ...
. He intentionally walked George Foster to load the bases for opposing pitcher
Don Gullett Donald Edward Gullett (born January 6, 1951) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher from through , most notably as a member of the Cincinnati Reds dynasty that wo ...
. Gullett singled, scoring two.
Pete Rose Peter Edward Rose Sr. (born April 14, 1941), also known by his nickname "Charlie Hustle", is an American former professional baseball player and manager. Rose played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1963 to 1986, most prominently as a membe ...
walked, reloading the bases.
Joe Morgan Joe Leonard Morgan (September 19, 1943 – October 11, 2020) was an American professional baseball second baseman who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Colt .45s / Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, ...
unloaded them with a
grand slam home run In baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with bases loaded, all three bases occupied by baserunners ("bases loaded"), thereby scoring four run (baseball), runs—the most possible in one play. According to ''The Dickson Baseball Dictionary'', t ...
. He exited the game at that point with a 162.00 ERA. In 12.2
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 ...
after that, Underwood allowed one
earned run In baseball, an earned run is any run that was fully enabled by the offensive team's production in the face of competent play from the defensive team. Conversely, an unearned run is a run that would not have been scored without the aid of an err ...
. He earned his first major league win on September 25 against 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 ...
. Phillies
manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities o ...
Danny Ozark Daniel Leonard Ozark, born ''Orzechowski'' (November 26, 1923 – May 7, 2009), was an American coach and manager in Major League Baseball. As manager of the Philadelphia Phillies (1973–August 31, 1979), Ozark led the Phils to three consecutive ...
added Underwood to 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 ...
for the season. Making his first
start Start can refer to multiple topics: *Takeoff, the phase of flight where an aircraft transitions from moving along the ground to flying through the air * Starting lineup in sports *Standing start, and rolling start, in an auto race Acronyms *St ...
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 hav ...
, Underwood escaped a
bases loaded B backdoor breaking ball :A breaking pitch, usually a slider, curveball, or cut fastball that, due to its lateral motion, passes through a small part of the strike zone on the outside edge of the plate after seeming as if it would miss the p ...
, one out jam in the fifth, highlighted by a force out at home on a ground ball back to the mound by opposing pitcher
Bob Forsch Robert Herbert Forsch (January 13, 1950 – November 3, 2011) was an American professional baseball player who spent most of his sixteen years in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the St. Louis Cardinals (1974–1988) before finishing his pl ...
. From there, Underwood allowed just two base runners in recording his first career
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 ...
. On May 13, facing 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 ...
for the first time since his major league debut, Underwood pitched his second career shutout. For the season, Underwood went 14-13 with a 4.14 ERA and 123 strikeouts to be named the left-handed pitcher on the
Topps All-Star Rookie Team The Topps All-Star Rookie Team, also known as the Topps ASRT, is a set of baseball cards issued by Topps Company, Inc., every year to commemorate notable Major League Baseball rookie players. History Since the 1960s, Topps' regular-issue basebal ...
.


First postseason since 1950

Underwood split the beginning of the season between starts and
relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the ...
appearances. On May 19, he earned a save against the Mets. He was 5-1 with a 3.41 ERA at the All-Star break to secure himself a spot in the starting rotation for the rest of the year. The 1976 Phillies made it to the post season. The Reds beat the Phillies in the first two games, but the Phillies were holding onto a 6-4 lead when the Reds came to bat in the bottom of the ninth. Foster and
Johnny Bench John Lee Bench (born December 7, 1947) is an American former professional baseball player. He played his entire Major League Baseball career, which lasted from through , with the Cincinnati Reds, primarily as a catcher. Bench was the leader of t ...
led off the
inning In baseball, softball, and similar games, an inning is the basic unit of play, consisting of two halves or frames, the "top" (first half) and the "bottom" (second half). In each half, one team bats until three outs are made, with the other team ...
with back-to-back home runs to tie the game. Concepción singled, bringing Underwood into the game. Underwood walked the first batter he faced, Geronimo;
Ed Armbrister Edison Rosanda Armbrister (July 4, 1948 – March 17, 2021) was a Bahamian professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from 1973 to 1977 for the Cincinnati Reds. Armbrister was a utility player for the Reds t ...
successfully bunted the runners over. Underwood intentionally walked Rose to face
Ken Griffey George Kenneth Griffey Jr. (born November 21, 1969), nicknamed "Junior" and "the Kid", is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played 22 years in Major League Baseball (MLB). He spent most of his career with the Seattle Marin ...
with the bases loaded. He singled to send the Reds to the
1976 World Series The 1976 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1976 season. The 73rd edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the National League (NL) champion Cincinnati Reds and the Ameri ...
. For the season, Underwood and
Wayne Twitchell Wayne Lee Twitchell (March 10, 1948 – September 16, 2010) was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. Early years Twitchell played basketball, football and baseball at Wilson High School in Portland, Oregon. The University ...
switched roles, with Underwood heading to 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 ...
and Twitchell starting. He was 3-2 with a save and a 5.13 ERA when the Phillies traded him and
outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to cat ...
s
Rick Bosetti Richard Alan Bosetti (born August 5, 1953) is an American former professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from to for the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, and Oakland Athletics. B ...
and
Dane Iorg Dane Charles Iorg ( ; born May 11, 1950) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from (–) for four teams, including eight seasons spent with the St. Louis Cardinals. Whi ...
to the Cardinals for All-Star outfielder
Bake McBride Arnold Ray McBride (born February 3, 1949), nicknamed "Shake 'n Bake" and "The Callaway Kid", is an American former professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, a ...
and minor league pitcher
Steve Waterbury Steven Craig Waterbury (April 6, 1952 – May 19, 2017) was a Major League Baseball pitcher. Waterbury played for the St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals co ...
.


St. Louis Cardinals

In his first start as a Cardinal against the
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
, he was trailing 2-1 when he exited the game in the fourth with the bases loaded.
Clay Carroll Clay Palmer Carroll (born May 2, 1941) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from through , most notably as a member of the Cincinnati Reds dynasty that won three division ...
allowed all three inherited runners to score, giving Underwood five earned runs in 3.1 innings pitched. He ended his time in St. Louis at 6-9 with a 4.95 ERA. After the season, he and minor league pitcher Víctor Cruz were traded to the
Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
for pitcher
Pete Vuckovich Peter Dennis Vuckovich ''(VOO-koh-vich)'' (born October 27, 1952) is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher who played 10 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1975 to 1986. He came across as an intimidating presence on ...
and a
player to be named later In Major League Baseball, a player to be named later (PTBNL) is an unnamed player involved in exchange or "trade" of players between teams. The terms of a trade are not finalized until a later date, most often following the conclusion of the seaso ...
.


Toronto Blue Jays

Underwood experienced some
déjà vu ''Déjà vu'' ( , ; "already seen") is a French loanword for the phenomenon of feeling as though one has lived through the present situation before.Schnider, Armin. (2008). ''The Confabulating Mind: How the Brain Creates Reality''. Oxford Univer ...
in his first start with his new franchise. After being saved by a
double play In baseball and softball, a double play (denoted as DP in baseball statistics) is the act of making two outs during the same continuous play. Double plays can occur any time there is at least one baserunner and fewer than two outs. In Major Leag ...
in the first inning, he was unable to record an out in the second. He exited with the bases loaded, and two runs already across. Once again, the reliever allowed all three inherited runners to score. He pitched well after that, but suffered from a lack of run support. On May 2, he pitched a
complete game In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
, but lost 2-1 to the
Oakland Athletics 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 ...
. In his next start, he earned his first
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 ...
win by shutting out the A's. For the season, he pitched seven complete games, winning only the shutout. The 1978 Jays went 59-102. Only one pitcher, Jim Clancy, had double digit wins (10). Underwood went 6-14 with a 4.10 ERA and led the staff with 139 strikeouts. Manager
Roy Hartsfield Roy Thomas Hartsfield (October 25, 1925 – January 15, 2011) was a second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball; his MLB playing and managing careers each lasted three years. Hartsfield played his entire major league career with the Bo ...
made the unusual decision to move the staff's de facto ace,
Jesse Jefferson Jesse Harrison Jefferson (March 3, 1949 – September 8, 2011) was an American professional baseball pitcher with the Baltimore Orioles (1973-1975), Chicago White Sox (1975-1976), Toronto Blue Jays (1977-1980), Pittsburgh Pirates (1980) and Cali ...
, into the bullpen for . By default, Underwood became the "ace," and was given the opening day assignment against the reigning
American League West The American League West is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The division has five teams as of the 2013 season, but had four teams from 1994 to 2012, and had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams curr ...
champion
Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
.


1979 Opening day starter

After a 1-2-3 first inning, things fell apart for Underwood and the Jays as a whole in the second inning. After walking clean-up hitter
Al Cowens Alfred Edward Cowens, Jr. (October 25, 1951 – March 11, 2002) was a right fielder in Major League Baseball. From through , Cowens played for the Kansas City Royals (1974–79), Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, California Angels (1980), Detroit Ti ...
, Underwood induced a double play ball from the next batter
Hal McRae Harold Abraham McRae (; born July 10, 1945) is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Reds (1968, 1970–72) and Kansas City Royals (1973–87). Utilized as a designated hitter for most of his career, McRae ...
. Instead,
third baseman A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...
Roy Howell Roy Lee Howell (born December 18, 1953) is an American former professional baseball third baseman, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1974–1984 for the Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, and Milwaukee Brewers. Professional career ...
committed an
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 ...
, and both runners were safe. Underwood then walked the bases loaded for
John Wathan John David Wathan (; born October 4, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player, coach and manager. He played his entire career in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Kansas City Royals from 1976 to 1985. Wathan was a membe ...
. Wathan hit a bases clearing
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 * ...
. He recorded his first out of the inning against future
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 ...
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-mos ...
, but also walked two batters and allowed a
base hit In baseball statistics, a hit (denoted by H), also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches or passes first base after hitting the ball into fair territory with neither the benefit of an error nor a fielder's ch ...
to bring the score to 4-0 with
Amos Otis Amos Joseph Otis (born April 26, 1947) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a center fielder from to , most prominently as an integral member of the Kansas City Royals team that won t ...
coming to the plate. For the second time in the inning, Underwood induced a double play ball, and for the second time in the inning, the
infielder An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field. Standard arrangement of positions In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles. ...
committed an error ( second baseman Dave McKay). Cowens came to bat for the second time in the inning, and flew out to center. McRae followed with a double that scored the seventh run of the inning, and ending Underwood's day. Two more runs would score before the inning came to a merciful end. Underwood got off to an 0-3 start, but was in line to win his first game against the
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
on May 3. Over eight innings, Underwood had walked three and allowed five hits as he stepped to the mound in the ninth with the Jays holding onto a 4-3 lead. After retiring the first batter, he gave up back-to-back singles to the next two. He hit the next batter with a pitch to load the bases. Though Underwood was clearly gassed, Hartsfield stuck with him.
Paul Molitor Paul Leo Molitor (born August 22, 1956), nicknamed "Molly" and "the Ignitor", is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) player and former manager of the Minnesota Twins, who is in the Baseball Hall of Fame. During his 21-year baseball car ...
hit a ground ball back to Underwood, who threw it home for the force out at the plate. With two outs and the bases loaded, Underwood walked the next two batters for the loss.


Big league brothers

On May 31, 1979, Underwood made a start against the
Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
. The opposing pitcher was his brother, Pat, making his major league debut. Tom found the whole thing stupid, but the brothers brought their best. Pat did not give up a hit until the fifth inning. Tom allowed four hits and struck out four in keeping the Tigers scoreless through seven. Then, Tigers
center fielder A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball and softball fielding position between left field and right field. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the c ...
Jerry Morales Julio Ruben "Jerry" Morales Torres (born February 18, 1949) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played from -. Career Morales was originally signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent at the age of 17 in 1966. He went to th ...
led off the eighth with a home run. Pat pitched into the ninth before handing the game over to the bullpen to close it out. For Tom, it was another complete game loss.


0-9, 4.98 ERA

Underwood lost his next start, bringing him to 0-8 on the season, and 1-10 in complete games since joining the Jays. He would fall to 0-9 before finally winning his first game on June 15 by shutting out the A's. In his nine losses, the Jays scored fifteen runs. His next start was another complete game loss, in which the Jays were only able to score one run, however, he managed to turn his season around from there. Over the remainder of the season, Underwood went 8-6 with a 3.22 ERA. Overall, he led his team with nine wins, a 3.69 ERA, 127 strikeouts and 227 innings pitched. He had eleven losses in which the Jays score two runs or fewer.


New York Yankees

On November 1, 1979, 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 ...
traded post season hero
Chris Chambliss Carroll Christopher Chambliss (born December 26, 1948) is an American professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball from to for the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves. He served as a coach for th ...
and young prospects
Dámaso García Dámaso Domingo García Sánchez (7 February 1957 – 15 April 2020) was a Dominican professional baseball second baseman, best known for his time spent with the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB), in the 1980s. García was orig ...
and
Paul Mirabella Paul Thomas Mirabella (born March 20, 1954) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Mirabella, who threw left-handed, played all or parts of 13 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Texas Rangers (1978 and 1982), New York Yankees ...
to the Jays for Underwood,
catcher Catcher is a Baseball positions, position in baseball and softball. When a Batter (baseball), batter takes their at bat, turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home plate, home) Umpire (baseball), umpire, and recei ...
Rick Cerone Richard Aldo Cerone (born May 19, 1954) is an American former professional baseball player, television sports color commentator and minor league baseball team owner. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from to with the Cleveland Ind ...
and minor league outfielder
Ted Wilborn Thaddeaus Inglehart Wilborn (born December 16, 1958) is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played during two seasons at the major league level for the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees. He was drafted by the Yankees in th ...
. Underwood was happy to join a contender, and signed a four year deal with his new club upon arrival. He began his Yankee career in the bullpen, going 1-2 with a save and a 3.10 ERA before becoming one of four left handers in the starting rotation. His pattern of bad first starts in which he can't escape the second inning continued against the
Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
on April 30, however, he followed that up with six victories in a row. He lost four of his next five, including the worst start of his career against the Texas Rangers (5 batters faced, no outs recorded, 5 earned runs). The 1980 Yankees went 103-59 to return to the post season after a one year hiatus. Underwood went 13-9 with a 3.66 ERA, two saves and two shutouts. He returned to the bullpen for the post season. In game one of the
1980 American League Championship Series The 1980 American League Championship Series was a best-of-five playoff that featured the American League West champion Kansas City Royals against the American League East champion New York Yankees. This was the fourth matchup between the two t ...
against the Royals, Underwood pitched what should have been a 1-2-3 eighth inning. Instead, Yankees
first baseman A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
Bob Watson Robert José Watson (April 10, 1946May 14, 2020) was an American professional baseball player, coach and general manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman and left fielder from 1966 to 1984, most prominently as a member of ...
made a two out error. This opened the door to the Royals scoring two more runs in their 7-2 game one victory. Underwood pitched again in game three; the Yankees were down 2-0 in the series, and 4-2 in game three when Underwood was handed the ball. Underwood pitched two scoreless innings, but so did Royals closer
Dan Quisenberry Daniel Raymond "Quiz" Quisenberry (; February 7, 1953 – September 30, 1998) was an American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the Kansas City Royals. Notable for his submarine-style pitching delivery ...
, to complete the three game sweep.


Oakland A's

Underwood was 1-4 with a 4.41 ERA in when the Yankees traded him and
Jim Spencer James Lloyd Spencer (July 30, 1947 – February 10, 2002) was a Major League Baseball first baseman. Born in Hanover, Pennsylvania, the left-handed Spencer was recognized for his excellent fielding ability, but also served in later years as a de ...
to the A's for
Dave Revering David Alvin Revering (born February 12, 1953) is an American former professional baseball player. He appeared in 557 games as a first baseman, designated hitter and pinch hitter in Major League Baseball from 1978 to 1982 for four American League t ...
and two minor leaguers. Underwood made three starts upon joining his new team (no decisions) before the players strike interrupted the season. When play resumed, manager
Billy Martin Alfred Manuel Martin Jr. (May 16, 1928 – December 25, 1989), commonly called "Billy", was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager who, in addition to leading other teams, was five times the manager of the New York Yan ...
moved Underwood into the bullpen. He went 2-2 with a 3.48 ERA and a save. He also made two starts down the stretch. One of which was a four hit 5-1 victory over the Blue Jays in which he struck out a career high ten, including the last four batters he faced. The A's won the first half of the split season format instituted for the 1981 season. Underwood faced just one batter in the
1981 American League Division Series The 1981 American League Division Series (ALDS), the opening round of the 1981 American League playoffs, began on Tuesday, October 6, and ended on Sunday, October 11. The Division Series were approved by team owners on August 6 in response to th ...
with the Royals, striking out
Willie Aikens Willie Mays Aikens (born October 14, 1954) is an American professional baseball first baseman who played in Major League Baseball for the California Angels, Kansas City Royals, and Toronto Blue Jays between 1977 and 1985. He had established hims ...
. The A's swept the Royals in the ALDS to face Underwood's former team, the Yankees, in the
1981 American League Championship Series The 1981 American League Championship Series was a best-of-five series between the New York Yankees and the Oakland Athletics. Background Due to a strike-shortened season, each team had to win two playoff series to reach the World Series. Oakla ...
. The Yankees swept the series, with Underwood pitching in games one and three. Underwood preferred starting, but was far more successful as a reliever in Oakland. He split the next two seasons pretty evenly between starting and relieving. In , he was 5-3 with a 4.06 ERA in 64.1 innings pitched as a starter. As a reliever, his record was also 5-3, but with a 2.74 ERA and a career best seven saves (second on the A's to Dave Beard) in 88.2 innings pitched. In he had a 5.54 ERA in 76.1 innings as a starter, almost double the 2.37 ERA he had as a reliever. The 68.1 innings he pitched out of the bullpen was tied for second on the team, and he had four of the bullpen's 33 saves.


Baltimore Orioles

Underwood became a
free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
at the end of the season, and signed a one year deal with team options with the Orioles, who were clearly set with starting pitchers. He made one start (May 12, 3 innings against the A's), but was otherwise exclusively a long reliever. He was 1-0 with one save and a 3.52 ERA on the season. After which, the Orioles chose not to pick up his option. He returned to the Yankees in , and went 1-3 with a 5.17 ERA in 28 minor league games before retiring.


Career stats

{, class=wikitable style="text-align:center" , W , L , Pct ,
ERA An era is a span of time defined for the purposes of chronology or historiography, as in the regnal eras in the history of a given monarchy, a calendar era used for a given calendar, or the geological eras defined for the history of Earth. Comp ...
, G , GS , CG ,
SHO Sho, Shō or SHO may refer to: Music * ''Shō'' (instrument) (笙), a Japanese wind instrument * ''Kane'' (instrument) (鉦), a Japanese percussion instrument * Sho?, a Dubai rock band People * Shō (given name), including ''Sho'' * Shō (su ...
, SV , IP , H , ER , R , HR , BB , K , WP , HBP , BAA , Fld% , Avg. , - , 86 , 87 , , 3.89 , 379 , 203 , 35 , 6 , 18 , 1586 , 1554 , 685 , 772 , 130 , 662 , 948 , 62 , 28 , .259 , .898 , .117
Underwood reached the post season three times in his career. All three times, his team was swept in the championship series, and all three times he was his team’s final pitcher, but he was never the losing pitcher. In , the ''
Kokomo Tribune The ''Kokomo Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Kokomo, Indiana, United States. It is owned by Community Newspaper Holdings Inc. The ''Tribune'' was cited by the Audit Bureau of Circulation for the nation's highest market penetration for ei ...
'' named Underwood
Howard County, Indiana Howard County is one of 92 counties in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 83,658. The county seat is Kokomo. Originally named Richardville County, it was renamed in 1844 to commemorate General Tilghman Ashurs ...
’s "Greatest Athlete of the 20th Century." He was inducted into the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame in .


Private life

After retiring, Underwood became a financial adviser. He met Christine Morra, an
LPGA The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is an American organization for female golfers. The organization is headquartered at the LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Florida, and is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekl ...
pro, at a golf tournament. They married, and had two children, a daughter Dani and a son John. Underwood died from
pancreatic cancer Pancreatic cancer arises when cell (biology), cells in the pancreas, a glandular organ behind the stomach, begin to multiply out of control and form a Neoplasm, mass. These cancerous cells have the malignant, ability to invade other parts of t ...
on November 22, . His son, known as J.D., was drafted by the Dodgers in the fifth round of the
2013 Major League Baseball draft The 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held from June 6 through June 8, 2013. The first two rounds were broadcast from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. Each team received one selection per round, going in ...
.


References


External links


Tom Underwood
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:Underwood, Tom 1953 births 2010 deaths Albany-Colonie Yankees players Baltimore Orioles players Baseball players from Indiana Deaths from cancer in Florida Columbus Clippers players Deaths from pancreatic cancer Fort Lauderdale Yankees players Major League Baseball pitchers New York Yankees players Oakland Athletics players Philadelphia Phillies players Reading Phillies players Spartanburg Phillies players Sportspeople from Kokomo, Indiana St. Louis Cardinals players Toledo Mud Hens players Toronto Blue Jays players American expatriate baseball players in Canada West Palm Beach Tropics players