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<\/a>Early each season, since 2014, Baseball Roundtable has announced the John Paciorek Award (JPA). The JPA recognizes players who have had short, sometimes very short, major-league careers, but whose accomplishments, nonetheless, deserve recognition.\u00a0 Past winners have included:\u00a0 a player whose every MLB hit (three in nine career at bats) was a home run;\u00a0 a player who had only one MLB at bat, but earned \u00a0a 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 \u201cbody of work\u201d made him one of just two players in MLB history to homer in their first and final official appearances in a major league batter\u2019s box; a war hero who pitched in the majors on one leg; and more.\u00a0 There are links to the bios of past honorees later in this post. (Note: Information on John Paciorek\u2019s career \u2013 the inspiration for the JPA \u2013 can be found at the end of this post. Paciorek\u2019s day in the sun constitutes arguably the best one-game MLB career ever.<\/em>)<\/p>\nKarl Spooner was born and raised in Oriskany Falls, New York, where – was a teenager \u2013 he played not only for his high school, but also for the local townball \u00a0team. He became known for a trio of high-velocity pitches (fastball, curve and sinker).\u00a0 After his junior year in high school, Spooner was signed by the Dodgers (1950).\u00a0 He quickly established himself as a hard thrower with good stuff \u2013 but command issues. In 1951, with the Class-D Hornell Dodgers the 20-year-old Spooner went 10-12 \u2013 \u00a0leading the league with 200 strikeouts in 170 innings, but also walking 163. \u00a0In 1952 (in Class-C & -B), he went 4-12, 5.42 \u2013 and continued to rack up strikeout and walks.\u00a0 Things stared to come together in 1953, when he went 12-12, but with a 2.75 ERA at A-level. He fanned 233 batters in 203 innings, but still walked 164.<\/p>\n Then came that marvelous 1954 season. Spooner started the year with the Double-A Fort Worth Cats \u2013 and went 21-9, 3.14, with 262 strikeouts and 162 walks in 238 innings. That earned him a September call up to the Dodgers \u2013 and a place in MLB history.<\/p>\n The Dodgers threw the 23-year-old rookie right into the fire \u2013 starting him on September 26 against the first-place Giants (6 \u00bd games up on the Dodgers) and Johnny Antonelli, who was 21-6, 2.29 at the time. In the first frame, it looked like it might be a short game for Spooner \u2013 as his command issues were exposed. It took him 32 pitches to get out of the inning (17 strikes \u2013 15 balls). He gave up a single and two walks and had to fan Giants\u2019 3B Bobby Hoffman with the bases loaded and two out (on a 3-2 pitch) to escape unscathed.<\/p>\n In the second inning, something seemed to \u201cclick.\u201d Spooner needed just 13 \u00a0pitches to retire the Giants (10 strikes), fanning two \u2013 and would have gotten back to the dugout sooner\u00a0 if strikeout victim Antonelli hadn\u2019t reached first on a third-strike passed ball.\u00a0 From the second inning on, Spooner dominated the eventual World Series Champion Giants. In that span, he threw 111 pitches, 72 for strikes, fanning 14 batters \u2013 bringing his whiff\u00a0 total to an MLB-debut record 15 for the game (a record which still stands, tied by the Astros’ J.R. Richard in 1971). Over those last eight frames, Spooner gave up just two singles and a walk, and no runner reached second base.\u00a0 He finished his debut with a 3-0, complete-game, 15-strikeout\u00a0 shutout victory.<\/p>\n Karl Spooner hit the very first MLB pitch he ever saw (from Johnny Antonelli) for a double to center.\u00a0 He finished his inaugural game one for three with a walk and a run scored.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n But the story gets better. Four days later (September 26), Spooner made second MLB appearance \u2013 a start against the Pirates (in Brooklyn). In this one, he threw another complete-game shutout \u2013 giving up four hits and fanning 12 in a 1-0 win.\u00a0 His 27 strikeouts in his first two appearances remain an MLB record.\u00a0\u00a0 Those 27 whiffs in his first 18 MLB innings are even more notable when you consider that, in 1954, the MLB average for strikeouts per nine innings was 4.2.<\/p>\n That man had a fastball that was unbelievable, not for sheer speed, but for how much the ball moved. He was one of the toughest left-handers that I\u2019ve ever seen.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Dodger Pitcher Clem Labine<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Spooner clearly was off to a blazing start, but the fire was dimmed quickly \u2013 by a shoulder injury suffered in Spring Training the following year (1955). Long story short: Spooner didn\u2019t get his first start of the 1955 season until May 15, but things were still apparently not right \u2013 as he gave up five hits and four tuns in 2 1\/3 innings. He didn\u2019t pitch again until June 5, when he lasted four innings (four hits, four runs, two walks, six strikeouts). He finished the season, his last in the major leagues, 8-6, 3.65 in 29 games (14 starts) \u2013 fanning 78 in 98 2\/3 innings (41 walks). He also pitched in two games in the 1955 World Series, giving g\\up five runs in 3 1\/3 innings.\u00a0 His last MLB appearance was on October 3, 1955, when he started Game Six of the World Series (against the Yankees in New York). He faced six batters, got just one out (appropriately a strikeout) and gave up five runs on two walks, two singles and a home run. His final major-league pitch was hit for a three-run home run by Moose Skowron. Spooner pitched for three more seasons in the minors, but never recaptured 1954 glory.\u00a0 Still, he put on a show well worth recognizing – and still unmatched –\u00a0 in his first two MLB appearances.<\/p>\n Nobody ever threw harder than that kid did in the first two games he pitched in the majors. He\u2019s the greatest young pitcher I\u2019ve ever seen.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Hall of Fame Dodger Catcher Roy Campanella<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n _____________________________________<\/p>\n Now, here are links to the stories of past JPA honorees.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2014 \u2013 Brian Scott Dallimore<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n 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.\u00a0 For the full JPA take on Dallimore\u2019s 27- game MLB career, click\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n 2015 \u2013 Roy Gleason<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Gleason played in just eight MLB games, had a double in his only MLB at bat \u2013 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\u00a0here<\/a>. Note: Gleason\u2019s life is detailed in the book \u201cLost in the Sun \u2013 Roy Gleason\u2019s Odyssey from the Outfield to the Battlefield.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n 2016 \u2013 John Allen Miller<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Miller played just 32 MLB games (during the 1966 and 1969 seasons), 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 \u2013 but he made those long balls count \u2013 becoming one of just two players in MLB history to homer in their first and final official appearances in a major-league batter\u2019s box. For more on Miller, click here.<\/a><\/p>\n 2017 – Chris Saenz<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n RHP Chris Saenz\u2019 big day came on April 24, 2004 \u2013 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.\u00a0\u00a0 The rookie went six innings, giving up just two hits, three walks and no runs, while fanning seven. Two days after this debut, he was on his way back to Huntsville, where he suffered an elbow injury and 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n 2018 – Keith McDonald<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n 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.\u00a0 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. .For the full story, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n 2019 – Harley Hisner<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Hisner’s MLB tenure encompassed the day of September 30, 1951. That\u2019s when the 24-year-old righty faced the New York Yankees \u2013 and a 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 is very first MLB inning, Hisner faced five batters, four of them future Hall of Famers, and gave up two singles and no runs.\u00a0 His place in history? One of those singles was Joe DiMaggio\u2019s last MLB safety. For more on Hisner and his ongoing involvement in and love of the game (he went on to earn the Northeast Indiana Baseball Association Colin Lister Award for “dedication to the game of baseball and its historic legacy,” click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n 2020 – Bert Shepard<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Shepard set aside his baseball mound dreams in 1943 – after four minor-league seasons – to enlist in the U.S. Army, where he became a P-38 Lightning fighter pilot. Shepard was shot down on his 34th combat mission and, while a prisoner of war, his wounds resulted in the amputation of his right leg below the knee.\u00a0 Upon his release (a prisoner exchange), Shepard did not surrender his dreams and fought his way back to the major leagues. He made one major-league appearance (for the Washington Senators), pitching 5 1\/3 innings of three-hit, one-run ball.\u00a0 While Shepard’s MLB career consisted of that sole appearance, he did continue to pitch, coach and manage in minor leagues – and his story proved an inspiration for disabled veterans.\u00a0 For more of Bert Shepard story, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n 2021 \u2013 Henry Schmidt<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Henry Martin Schmidt didn\u2019t make it to the big leagues until eight seasons after his professional (minor-league) debut.\u00a0 In fact, he was just two months shy of his 30th birthday when he first took the major-league mound.\u00a0\u00a0 Why did it take so long?\u00a0 Simple answer \u2013 location.\u00a0 He had considerable difficulty \u201clocating\u201d his pitches.\u00a0 While it took a long time for Schmidt to make it to the major leagues, it didn\u2019t take him long to leave MLB. He lasted just one season \u2013 and is the only pitcher in MLB history who was a 20-game winner in his only<\/strong><\/em> major league season. Why was his MLB career so short? Simple answer \u2013 location.\u00a0 He did not care for the geographic \u201clocation\u201d of major league baseball. For more on Henry Schmidt\u2019s unusual career, click here.<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n —–INSPIRATION FOR THE JPA—–<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Paciorek, by the way, went on to become a high school teacher and multi-sport coach and is the author of the books (Plato and Socrates \u2013 Baseball\u2019s Wisest Fans;<\/em>\u00a0 The Principles of Baseball: And All There Is To Know About Hitting<\/em>; and If I Knew Then What I Know Now. <\/em>You also can enjoy Paciorek’s prose (and expertise) at his blog \u201cPaciorek\u2019s Principles of Perfect Practice\u201d by clicking here<\/a>. You can find out even more about Paciorek in Steven Wagner\u2019s 2015 book Perfect: The Rise and Fall of John Paciorek, Baseball\u2019s Greatest One-Game Wonder.<\/em><\/p>\n A final note. John Paciorek’s insight into the national pastime should come as no surprise. Paciorek comes from a true \u201cbaseball family.\u201d\u00a0 He was the first born of eight siblings and was followed to the big leagues by younger brothers Jim and Tom Paciorek.\u00a0 (Like John, Jim\u2019s MLB career was short \u2013 48 games for the Brewers in 1987. Brother Tom, however, achieved a .282 average over an 18-season MLB career.<\/p>\n Primary Resources:<\/em> Baseball-Reference.com; The Third K<\/em>, by Harold Uhlman, Think Blue LA, January 15, 2013; Karl Spooner<\/em> SABR bio, by Richard S. Cohen.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/a>This year’s JPA honoree is one of the better known (if not the best known) players to appear on this list – \u00a0Southpaw Karl Spooner, who holds a share of the record for strikeouts in an MLB debut (15) and also threw complete-game shutouts in each of his first two starts.\u00a0 Let\u2019s look at how Spooner got to these pages.<\/p>\n\n
<\/a>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.\u00a0 The 6\u2019 1\u201d, 200-pound outfielder had spent the 1963 season with Class-A Modesto Colts. The Colts\u2019 parent club, the Houston Colt .45s (that was the current Astros\u2019 franchise name back then), was suffering through a difficult season. The team was 65-96 going into that final game.\u00a0 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 \u2013 and worthy of recognition.<\/p>\n<\/a>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.\u00a0 Perhaps equally surprising is that it was not only Paciorek\u2019s first major-league appearance, it was to be his only MLB appearance.\u00a0 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.)\u00a0 Still, you will find John Paciorek in the Baseball Encyclopedia and his is arguably the greatest one-game MLB career ever.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n<\/a>Baseball Roundtable is on the Feedspot list of the Top 100 Baseball Blogs.\u00a0 To see the full list, click\u00a0here.<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nI tweet baseball @DavidBasebalRT<\/h3>\n