![]() A massive bidding war broke out for Hunter’s services, ending when the Yankees signed the pitcher to a five-year, $3.2 million contract – making Hunter the highest-paid player in the game. In the postseason, Hunter went 7-2 in seven series with the A’s.įollowing the 1974 season, Hunter was declared a free agent by an arbitrator after Finley failed to make annuity payments called for in Hunter’s contract. And while he never struck out more than 196 batters in any season of his career, he always seemed to get the outs that counted. He went 21-11 as the A’s won their first American League West title in 1971, then followed that with marks of 21-7 and 21-5 in 19, leading Oakland to World Series titles while pacing the AL in winning percentage both seasons.įrom 1972-74, Hunter averaged 290 innings pitched per season. As Athletics’ owner Charlie Finley assembled what would become a dynasty, Hunter became a veteran leader on a team often agitated by their win-at-all-costs owner. The next season, Hunter was named to the first of his eight All-Star Games.īut it wasn’t until the A’s moved to Oakland in 1968 that Hunter really blossomed. Signed as a bonus baby by the Kansas City A’s in 1964 – the year before the creation of the MLB Draft – Hunter debuted in the big leagues as a 19-year-old in 1965, going 8-8 in 32 appearances. More importantly, Hunter led his Oakland Athletics to a third straight World Series title, winning one Fall Classic game and saving another in the A’s 4-games-to-1 victory over the Dodgers. Hunter went 25-12 that season with a league-best 2.49 earned-run average and a league-low WHIP (walks + hits / innings pitched) 0.986. ![]() 30, 1974, Hunter was named the American League’s Cy Young Award winner by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. ![]() Ask anyone who played with him or against him, and Jim “Catfish” Hunter will rank as one of the greatest clutch hurlers ever to toe the rubber.
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