Al Downing

Position: Pitcher
Bats: Right  •  Throws: Left
5-11, 175lb (180cm, 79kg)
Born: June 28, 1941 in Trenton, NJ
High School: Trenton Central HS (Trenton, NJ)
Schools: Muhlenberg College (Allentown, PA), Rider University (Lawrenceville, NJ)
Debut: July 19, 1961 (9,486th in MLB history)
vs. WSA 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 SO, 3 BB, 5 ER, L
Last Game: July 13, 1977
vs. HOU 0.0 IP, 0 H, 0 SO, 1 BB, 0 ER
Full Name: Alphonso Erwin Downing

Nine Players Who Debuted in 1961

Carl Yastrzemski
Lou Brock
Boog Powell
Jim Fregosi
Sam McDowell
Dean Chance
Al Downing
Bill Freehan
Eddie Brinkman

All-Time Teammate Team

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Notable Events and Chronology for Al Downing Career

SearchSearch Events, Dates and More Date (Newest)Title (A - Z)

October 3, 1963

Dodgers take game 2 of World Series 4-1 behind Johnny Podres Full Radio Broadcast

October 11, 1964

Ken Boyer grand-slam caps off St. Louis rally vs Yankees

July 29, 1966

Mantle moves ahead of Lou Gehrig into 6th place on the homer list

July 11, 1967

Jim Wynn becomes the first Houston player to get a hit in the All-Star Game 

August 11, 1967

Al Downing pitches an immaculate inning

February 10, 1971

Los Angeles Dodgers acquire left-handed pitcher Al Downing from the Milwaukee Brewers

September 19, 1971

Dodgers Al Downing and Don Sutton hurl shutouts during a 12 – 0, 4 – 0, doubleheader triumph over the Braves

September 24, 1971

Al Downing becomes a 20-game winner when he blanks the Braves at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, 2-0. The Dodger left-hander, best remembered for giving up Hank Aaron’s historic 715th home run, will compile a 123-107 record during his 17-year major league career.

April 8, 1974

Hank Aaron makes history passing Babe Ruth for the most Homeruns all time

October 15, 1974

In Game 3 of the World Series, Al Downing is the surprise starter for the Dodgers, but Catfish Hunter pitches Oakland to a 3 – 2 win.

June 4, 1976

Mets right fielder Dave Kingman, in the team’s 11-0 victory at Dodger Stadium, hits three home runs.

Biography

Al Downing, who gave up Hank Aaron’s record-breaking 715th homer, entered baseball loaded with potential. His fastball exploded and his curveball danced. Called by some “the black Sandy Koufax,” he never lived up to that billing, partly because of control problems and inconsistency and later because of arm miseries, but for four seasons he was excellent.

Recalled from the minors to the Yankees for good in June 1963, Downing maintained a summer-long electric pace of low-hit games. The first black starting pitcher in club history allowed a scant 5.84 hits per nine innings and finished with a 13-5 record. In 1964 he led the league with 217 strikeouts. Downing in 1967 became a complete pitcher, cutting down on his walks, mastering a changeup and mixing up his pitches. He finished 14-10 with the ninth-place Yankees.

Pitching for the Dodgers in 1971, Downing reached the pinnacle, winning 20 games, including a league-leading five shutouts.

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Factoids, Quotes, Milestones and Odd Facts

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