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H A L L O F F A M E C A N D
I D A T E S
 Don Mossi
Starting
Pitcher · Detroit Griffins, Brooklyn Superbas, Chicago Colts, St.
Louis Maroons ·
1954-1967
Don “The Sphinx”
Mossi joined the UL as part of the 1954 rookie class most noted for
including Hank Aaron, the most highly anticipated rookie since Mantle
and Mays. Though Don possessed none of the name recognition of
“Hammering” Hank he was still drafted second overall by the Detroit
Griffins, two spots ahead of fellow HOF contender Ray Narleski.
Don’s career got off to a less than stellar start in Detroit, as he
scuffled through two sub-.500 seasons before being traded to emerging
East powerhouse Brooklyn before the 1956 season. The following
year he won the World Series MVP honors as the Superbas beat the St.
Louis Maroons four games to one in the very first UL World Series. Don
was 2-0 in the series, winning Game 2 and going 8 innings and allowing
only two runs to win the decisive Game 5. He followed that up with a
1958 season in which he went 22-10,
notching the first of his four 20+ win seasons. However, Don’s time in
Brooklyn may be most remembered for his part in what many considered the
biggest trade in UL history. On July 16th, 1959, Don along with fellow
pitcher Tom Gorman, centerfielder Richie Ashburn, and four draft picks
(two 1st rounders and two 2nd rounders) were traded from Brooklyn to
Chicago in exchange for future Hall of Famer Whitey Ford, sure Hall of
Famer Mickey Mantle, and pitchers Johnny Kucks and Seth Morehead. The
trade may have turned the tide for both clubs, as Ford and Mantle become
centerpieces in Brooklyn’s dominance of the East in the 1960s, and Mossi
became an integral part of a pitching staff that helped the Colts run
off six consecutive West titles.
It was as a member of the
Chicago Colts that Don truly blossomed as a pitcher. Though he was
already a 30 year old veteran when he joined the club, he went on to run
off seven seasons in a row in which in won at least 15 games. Don also
notched his final three 20+ win seasons with Chicago, going 21-5 in
1962, 25-9 in 1963, and an astounding 25-5 with a 2.36 ERA in 1965. That
’65 campaign seemed like a sure bet for the Cy Young but Don was outdone
by Cleveland’s Johnny Podres, who went 22-7 with a miniscule 1.81 ERA.
Don eased the pain of missing out on his only Cy by collecting his
second World Series ring as the Colts beat Podres’ Barons four games to
three. In that series Don picked up the final two of his six total WS
wins, including Game 3 in which he out-dueled Podres for a 3-2 victory.
In many ways that 1965 Series can be considered Mossi’s swan song, as he
went 15-18 the following year and then limbed through 1967, the final
year of his career, as a reliever for the Colts and Maroons.
Though never flashy nor the most feared pitcher on any squad he was on,
Don was always solid and sometimes spectacular. He appeared in a mind
boggling eight World Series, collecting a 6-4 record in the Fall
Classic, and will forever be known as the first UL World Series MVP. He
will also be known for his 219 career wins, two World Series rings, and
two of the biggest ears you’d ever want to see.
(Lance Mueller)
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
All-UL Team (1965)
World Series MVP (1957)
Win Champion (1963,
1965)
2-time Pitcher of the Month, 1-time Player of the Week
|
Career Pitching Stats
|
|
Year/Team/League |
Age |
G |
GS |
W |
L |
SV |
ERA |
IP |
HA |
R |
ER |
HR |
BB |
K |
CG |
SHO |
WHIP |
|
1954 Detroit |
25 |
32 |
32 |
9 |
14 |
0 |
5.97 |
217.0 |
249 |
156 |
144 |
0 |
99 |
124 |
5 |
0 |
1.60 |
|
1955 Detroit |
26 |
30 |
30 |
6 |
16 |
0 |
4.77 |
213.0 |
217 |
129 |
113 |
0 |
79 |
141 |
10 |
2 |
1.39 |
|
1956 Detroit |
27 |
38 |
29 |
13 |
13 |
0 |
3.66 |
211.2 |
195 |
92 |
86 |
0 |
72 |
133 |
9 |
2 |
1.26 |
|
1957 Brooklyn |
28 |
31 |
31 |
13 |
9 |
0 |
3.44 |
230.1 |
244 |
100 |
88 |
0 |
53 |
153 |
9 |
2 |
1.29 |
|
1958 Brooklyn |
29 |
39 |
39 |
22 |
10 |
0 |
3.43 |
312.1 |
276 |
130 |
119 |
0 |
64 |
167 |
15 |
0 |
1.09 |
|
1959 Brooklyn |
30 |
34 |
34 |
14 |
12 |
0 |
4.27 |
261.1 |
277 |
140 |
124 |
23 |
63 |
151 |
8 |
1 |
1.30 |
|
1960 Chicago |
31 |
30 |
30 |
18 |
7 |
0 |
3.46 |
231.1 |
225 |
99 |
89 |
17 |
59 |
177 |
9 |
0 |
1.23 |
|
1961 Chicago |
32 |
38 |
38 |
16 |
16 |
0 |
4.79 |
300.1 |
322 |
169 |
160 |
40 |
81 |
238 |
14 |
0 |
1.34 |
|
1962 Chicago |
33 |
35 |
34 |
21 |
5 |
1 |
3.06 |
279.0 |
232 |
105 |
95 |
24 |
78 |
213 |
17 |
2 |
1.11 |
|
1963 Chicago |
34 |
41 |
41 |
25 |
9 |
0 |
3.10 |
322.2 |
286 |
116 |
111 |
34 |
71 |
237 |
11 |
1 |
1.11 |
|
1964 Chicago |
35 |
37 |
37 |
19 |
11 |
0 |
3.34 |
280.1 |
252 |
119 |
104 |
27 |
94 |
215 |
7 |
0 |
1.23 |
|
1965 Chicago |
36 |
35 |
35 |
25 |
5 |
0 |
2.36 |
278.1 |
236 |
82 |
73 |
22 |
78 |
175 |
11 |
3 |
1.13 |
|
1966 Chicago |
37 |
41 |
41 |
15 |
18 |
0 |
4.75 |
286.0 |
314 |
174 |
151 |
47 |
92 |
172 |
13 |
1 |
1.42 |
|
1967 Chicago |
38 |
15 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
7.04 |
15.1 |
24 |
13 |
12 |
3 |
6 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
1.96 |
|
1967 St. Louis |
38 |
18 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
6.08 |
26.2 |
39 |
21 |
18 |
5 |
13 |
20 |
0 |
0 |
1.95 |
|
1967 Total |
38 |
33 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
6.43 |
42.0 |
63 |
34 |
30 |
8 |
19 |
28 |
0 |
0 |
1.95 |
| Total UL |
|
494 |
451 |
219 |
148 |
3 |
3.86 |
3465.2 |
3388 |
1645 |
1487 |
242 |
1002 |
2324 |
138 |
14 |
1.27 |
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