In 2014, Baseball Roundtable launched the John Paciorek Award (JPA). The JPA recognizes players who have had short, often very short, major league careers, but whose accomplishments, nonetheless, deserve recognition. Past winners have included a player whose every MLB hit (three in nine career at bats) were home runs; a player who had only MLB bat, but won a World Series Ring and a Purple Heart; a player who had just two home runs in 61 MLB at bats (for the vaunted Yankees and Dodgers), but whose “body of work” made him one of just two players in MLB history to homer in their first and final official appearances in a major league batter’s box;’ and more.
(Note: Information on John Paciorek’s career – the inspiration for the JPA – can be found at the end of this post. Paciorek’s day in the sun constitutes arguably the best one-game MLB career ever.)
For an interesting take on topics related to baseball’s past, present and future, BBRT also recommends a visit to BaseballHappenings.net. Click here to take a peek.
________________ 2019 JPA Winner – Harley Parnell Hisner _______________
Harley Hisner.
Photo: Courtesy of BaseballHappneings.net
This year’s JPA honoree did, indeed, have a short MLB career (just six innings).
Harley Hisner‘s MLB tenure encompassed the day of September 30, 1951 – when the Red Sox called upon the 6’1″, 180-pound, 24-year-old righty to face the New York Yankees. It was also, in some way historic. He earns his spot here, as much for his love of the game, as for his place in MLB history. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s start with a look at how Hisner got to the Yankee stadium mound.
Hisner, whose nickname was “Jim,” grew up on a farm near Fort Wayne, Indiana. The youngest of four brothers, Harley was an solid athlete (basketball and baseball). In fact, the Hisner brothers seemed naturals and three of the four boys were signed to contracts by the Red Sox. (Only Harley would make it to the big club.) Harley was signed in 1945, for a $5,000 bonus, right after graduating from high school. He was also, however, drafted into the U.S. Army at about the same time. World War II was winding down and Hisner did not leave the states and, in fact, was able to keep his baseball skills sharp playing the game at Fort Benjamin Harrison.
Hisner’s minor league career was a bit up-and-down, due in part to recurring arm/shoulder issues. In 1947, the 20-year-old Hisner went 7-14, 5.21 for the Class C San Jose Red Sox and the Class A Scranton Red Sox. Then, in 1948, he helped Scranton win the Eastern League title with an 11-3, 2.48 record (although Hisner missed a portion of the season with chronic bursitis). The following season, was down again – as Hisner went 6-11, 4.47 in stop at Scranton and Triple A Louisville. More of the same in 1950 (5-6, 4.65 at Louisville). In 1951, Hisner struggled early and ended up 7-13, 6.26 at Louisville. However, he came on strong at the end of the season; winning his last four starts. That earned him a late-season call up to the Red Sox – and a big-league start in the final game of the season.
HARLEY HISNER’S BIG GAME
Taking the MLB mound for the first (and, as it would turn out, final) time, Hisner found himself facing a daunting challenge – a first-place Yankee lineup that included five future Hall of Famers: Mickey Mantle in RF; Joe DiMaggio in CF; Phil Rizzuto at SS; Johnny Mize at 1B; and Yogi Berra behind the plate. In retelling the tale, however, Hisner often said he was made more nervous by the size of the partisan crowd (35,814) than the Yankee lineup.
Hisner got off to a good start. The first MLB batter he faced was rookie RF Mickey Mantle, who went down on strikes. He then gave up a single to SS Phil Rizzuto, before getting LF Hank Bauer to hit into a short to second fielder’s choice. That brought up Yankee icon Joe DiMaggio, who hit an infield single – putting Hisner into the baseball history books. That single was DiMaggio’s the final regular-season hit of DiMaggio’s great career. Hisner, by the way pitched out of the jam, getting 1B Johnny Mize to fly out to right. So, in his first MLB inning – a scoreless one at that – Hisner faced five batters; four of them future Hall of Famers. He went on to pitch a total of six frames, giving up three runs on seven hits and four walks (with three strikeouts). He faced Mickey Mantle four times and it went like this: First inning – strikeout; second inning – strikeout; fourth inning – walk; sixth inning – pitcher to short to first double play.
Hisner’s final career stat was 0-1, 4.50, with six innings pitched, seven hits, three earned runs, four walks and three strikeouts.
Harley Hisner batted twice in his lone MLB appearance, collecting a ground out to first (unassisted) and a single to right field – finishing his MLB career with a .500 average.
The following year, Hisner was cut from the Red Sox on the final day of Spring Training and never made it back to the major leagues. He played two more years of professional ball – going 3-7, 3.86 in two minor league stops in 1952 and, in 1953, helping the Wichita Falls Spudders capture the Big State League (Class B) title by going 14-5, 3.87. At this point, Hisner (tired of the travel and dissapointed with his progress) retired from professional baseball to pursue a career as a machinist.
FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME
After leaving the professional ranks, Hinser did not lose he passion for the game. Hisner played semi-pro baseball through 1961; before becoming a youth coach. He was a member of the Fort Wayne team that won the 1956 National Baseball Congress Championship and Global World Series. Then, in 1957, as the Fort Wayne team finished second in the National Baseball Congress Tournament, Hinser tied Satchel Paige’s tourney record with four wins, while throwing 38 innings in 11 days. The following year, Hinser threw a no-hitter for the Anderson, Indiana squad in the tournament. Hisner also was a long-time board member of the Northeast Indiana Baseball Association.
In 1976, Harley Hisner was inducted into the Northeast Indiana Baseball Association Hall of Fame and in 2010 he received the organization’s Colin Lister Award for “dedication to the game of baseball and its historic legacy.”
Primary Resources: Indiana-Born Major League Baseball Players: A biographical dictionary 1871-2014 (by Pete Cava); The Society for American Baseball Research; Baseball-Reference.com.
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PAST JOHN PACIOREK AWARD WINNERS:
2014 – Brian Scott Dallimore
In his first start (not his first game) for the 2004 Giants, Dallimore had two singles, a Grand Slam (his first MLB hit and only MLB home run), a walk and a hit by pitch. For the full JPA take on Dallimore’s 27- game MLB career, click here.
2015 – Roy Gleason
Gleason played in just eight MLB games, had a double in his only MLB at bat – but also earned a World Series ring (1963) and a Purple Heart. Ultimately, he was the only ballplayer with MLB experience to serve on the front lines in Vietnam. For the full JPA take on Gleason, click here. Note: Gleason’s life is detailed in the book “Lost in the Sun – Roy Gleason’s Odyssey from the Outfield to the Battlefield.”
2016 – John Allen Miller
Miller played just 32 MLB games (during the 1966 and 1969), taking the field (at 1B/LF/3B/2B) for the Yankees and Dodgers. Miller collected ten hits in 61 MLB at bats (.164 average) and hit just two home runs – but he made those long balls count. Miller made his MLB debut with the Yankees on September 11, 1966 and hit a two-run homer in his first big league at bat – making him (surprisingly) the first Yankee ever to homer in his first MLB at bat. (Little did Miller know he would not get another home run or RBI until the final at bat of his MLB career.) Miller’s final at bat came as a Dodger (September 23, 1969) and he stroked a solo home run. That narrow “body of work” made Miller one of just two players in MLB history to homer in their first and final official appearances in a major league batter’s box. For more on Miller, click here.
2017 – Chris Saenz
RHP Chris Saenz’ big day came on April 24, 2004 – when he was called up from Double A Huntsville (where he was 1-1, 3.86) to make a spot start against the Saint Louis Cardinals, whose powerful lineup included the likes of Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen, Jim Edmonds and Reggie Sanders. The rookie went six innings, giving up just two hits, three walks and no runs, while fanning seven. There was some speculation (primarily among sportswriters and fans) that Saenz’ performance might earn him another start or two, but two days after his debut, he was on his way back to Huntsville. Unfortunately, his minor league season included a September elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery and he never returned to the majors. Statistics before 1900 can be sketchy, but baseball-reference.com shows that Saenz is the only pitcher to complete a one-game MLB career of at least five innings pitched, without giving up a single run (earned or unearned). For more details on this JPA honoree, click here.
2018 – Keith McDonald
Keith McDonald’s MLB career (Cardinals 2000-2001) covered just eight games and 11 plate appearances (nine at bats) and three hits – but he made them count. All of McDonald’s safeties were home runs – making him the only MLB player with more than one career hit who can look back on major league career in which his every hit was a home run. McDonald is also one of only two players – and the only National Leaguer – to homer in his first two major league plate appearances. For the full story, click here.
—–INSPIRATION FOR THE JPA—-–
John Paciorek – signed out of Saint Ladislaus High School in Hamtramck, Michigan (where he had starred in football, basketball and baseball) – appeared in his first major league game on the final day of the 1963 season (September 29) at the age of 18. The 6’ 1”, 200-pound outfielder had spent the 1963 season with Class A Modesto Colts. The Colts’ parent club, the Houston Colt .45s (that was the current Astros’ franchise name back then), was suffering through a difficult season. The team was 65-96 going into that final game. Looking to the future, Houston had, in fact, fielded an all-rookie lineup (average age 19) on September 27. Youth was still being served two days later when John Paciorek started his first MLB game. The results were surprising – and worthy of recognition.
Playing right field and batting seventh in a 13-4 win over the NY Mets, Paciorek ended up with three hits and two walks in five plate appearances, with four runs scored and three runs batted in. Perhaps equally surprising is that it was not only Paciorek’s first major league appearance, it was to be his only MLB appearance. Back pain the following spring, followed by surgery (he played 49 minor league games in 1964 and missed all of the 1965 season), put an end to his MLB playing days. (Paciorek did play in four more minor league seasons.) Still, you will find John Paciorek in the Baseball Encyclopedia and his is arguably the greatest one-game MLB career ever. Among one-gamers, he holds the record for times on base and runs scored, and shares the record for batting average, on base percentage and RBIs.
Paciorek, by the way, went on to become a high school teacher and multi-sport coach and is the author of three books (Plato and Socrates – Baseball’s Wisest Fans; The Principles of Baseball: And All There Is To Know About Hitting; and If I Knew Then What I Know Now. You also can enjoy Paciorek’s prose (and expertise) directly at his blog “Paciorek’s Principles of Perfect Practice” by clicking here. You can find out even more about Paciorek in Steven Wagner’s 2015 book “Perfect: The Rise and Fall of John Paciorek, Baseball’s Greatest One-Game Wonder.” (See the review of “Perfect” by clicking here.)
A final note. John Paciorek’s insight into the national pastime should come as no surprise. Paciorek comes from a true “baseball family.” He was the first born of eight siblings and was followed to the big leagues by younger brothers Jim and Tom Paciorek. (Like John, Jim’s MLB career was short – 48 games for the Brewers in 1987. Brother Tom, however, achieved a .282 average over an 18-season MLB career.)
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