Clem Labine Stats & Facts

Clem Labine

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right

6-0, 180lb (183cm, 81kg)

Born: August 6, 1926 in Lincoln, RI

Died: March 2, 2007  in Vero Beach, FL

Buried: Cremated

High School: Woonsocket HS (Woonsocket, RI)

Debut: April 18, 1950 (10,670th in major league history)
vs. PHI 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 SO, 1 BB, 1 ER

Last Game: April 24, 1962
vs. CIN 1.0 IP, 0 H, 2 SO, 0 BB, 0 ER

Full Name: Clement Walter Labine

Pronunciation: \luh-BYN\

View Player Info from the B-R Bullpen

View Player Bio from the SABR BioProject

The free-spirited sinkerballer was one of baseball’s premier relievers in the 1950s. The durable Labine helped the Dodgers to four pennants in Brooklyn and another in Los Angeles. Labine was 13-5 in a NL-leading 60 appearances for the 1955 World Champions and led the league in saves the next two seasons. He retired Dodger-killer Stan Musial 49 consecutive times. After leaving the Dodgers, Labine pitched for the Pirates in the 1960 World Series.

Two of Labine’s brightest moments came in the unaccustomed role of a starter, a 10-0 victory over the Giants in the second game of the 1951 NL playoff and a 1-0 10-inning shutout of the Yankees in Game Six of the 1956 WS. Although never a threat at bat, Labine’s three hits in 1955 were all home runs.

Intro

Even though he tipped his pitches for most of his career, slender right-hander Clem Labine looped his curveball over the plate for 13 seasons, serving as a valuable relief pitcher, primarily for the Dodgers. He twice led the National League in saves. The Rhode Island-native pitched in relief in four games in the 1955 World Series for Brooklyn, and started and won Game Six of the Fall Classic the following year, hurling a shutout.

Quotes About

He played the game the way it was supposed to be played. He gave it everything he had, he got along with everyone and everyone loved him.” — Tommy Lasorda

Best Season

He led the NL in games (60), and finished third in saves, with 11. He also notched 13 victories and clubbed three home runs.

Factoid 1

To remind himself to turn over his non-pitching hand over his pitching hand to better hide the ball from the batter, Clem Labine printed the letters “T-U-R-N” on the four fingers of his glove.

Factoid 2

Clem Labine made 26 parachute jumps while serving in World War II.

Description

“Clem is a nice looking boy of 25 with a blond crewcut and the frendliest of smiles.” — from TSN, April 2, 1952