Pitcher Mel Parnell died on Tuesday:
Parnell spent his entire 10-year career with Boston, from 1947 to 1956. He was 17 years old, fresh out of S.J. Peters High School in New Orleans, when he signed with the Red Sox.
The southpaw became known as the winningest left-hander in Red Sox history, with a 123-75 record and a 3.50 ERA. His career win total ranks fourth in team history, behind only Cy Young, Roger Clemens and Tim Wakefield.
He also tossed a no-hitter in his final season. To show how times have changed, Parnell earned his succes despite walking more batters than he struck out during his career. He gave up just 11.9 home runs per 200 innings however, so those walks didn’t hurt him too much. He was also under 9.0 hits per nine innings, meaning the Red Sox likely had a good defense behind him.
My thoughts go out to his family and friends.
He is pitching with the angels now. RIP
Benjamin Raucher
I remember him calling the pop up caught by Rico Petrocelli to end the 1967 regular season and all the fans coming out onto the field to celebrate. Time flies.
Very sorry to read about the great pitchers passing. His no hitter was my first major league game. I was 8 years old. I believe that it was the only Red Sox no hitter for almost 40 years.
Parnell would have won many more games if ex-teammate Mickey McDermott hadn’t broke Parnell’s lefty throwing arm with an errant pitch in ’54 after Parnell’s fine ’53 season in
which he shutout Yanks 4 times & had a cross-fire pitch that shut down Yogi Berra. Parnell was such a good hitter that ’53/54 mgr Lou Boudreau batted him 7th many times. Old sox fans will always wonder about ’48 mgr Joe McCarthy starting ancient Denny Galehouse over Parnell in playoff loss to Indians. Parnell had 3 days rest but Tribe pitcher Gene Bearden won his 20th on one day rest in the playoff with his mgr Boudreau hitting 2 HRs & 3B Keltner hitting a 3 run go ahead HR. Parnell’s last hurrah was a ’56 no hitter vs CWS saved by 2B Billy Goodman diving catch of a liner over 2B. No pitching combo has since matched ’49 Parnell 25W & Ellis Kinder 23W.