Donnie Moore Essentials

Position: Pitcher
Bats: Left  •  Throws: Right
6-0, 185lb (183cm, 83kg)
Born: February 13, 1954 in Lubbock, TX us
Died: July 18, 1989 (Aged 35-155d) in Anaheim, CA
Buried: Peaceful Gardens Memorial Park, Woodrow, TX
Draft: Drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 12th round of the 1972 MLB June Amateur Draft from Monterey HS (Lubbock, TX) and the Chicago Cubs in the 1st round (3rd) of the 1973 MLB January Draft-Secondary Phase from Ranger College (Ranger, TX).
High School: Monterey HS (Lubbock, TX)
Schools: Paris Junior College (Paris, TX), Ranger College (Ranger, TX)
Debut: September 14, 1975
Last Game: August 7, 1988
Donnie Moore Baseball-Reference Page
Full Name: Donnie Ray Moore
Relatives: Cousin of Hubie Brooks

Notable Events and Chronology for Donnie Moore Career

Sort bySearch Days, Events, Players Title (A - Z)Date (Newest)

February 13, 1954

Donnie Moore is born in Lubbock Texas

January 10, 1973

Dick Ruthven, Jim Sundberg, Donnie Moore and punter Ray Guy are choosen in draft

August 24, 1983

Cubs Chuck Rainey is one out away from a no-hitter when the Reds’ Eddie Milner singles to center on the first pitch

October 12, 1986

Dave Henderson hits dramatic homerun to tie game 5 of ALCS

January 22, 1988

As a result of the Players Association’s 1985 collusion suit against the owners, arbitrator Thomas Roberts declares seven players no-risk free agents

July 18, 1989

Donnie Moore commits suicide by shooting himself

Biography

Donnie Moore’s up-and-down career was most notable for one pitch. One strike away from putting California in the World Series, he allowed a Dave Henderson home run in Game Five of the 1986 LCS. Henderson’s game-winning sacrifice fly off Moore then turned the series in favor of victorious Boston. Moore’s shocking suicide less than a year after the end of his major league career was partially a result of his brooding on this failure; he said he had become another Ralph Branca, doomed to be remembered for just one pitch and one failure. His career was ended by a string of injuries, and he was also dismayed by his inability to continue playing; shortly before his death he had been released by a minor league team.

After signing a $3 million contract with the Angels in 1985, Moore set a club record with 31 saves, surpassing his entire previous major league total, and was named club MVP. Trying to justify his big contract, Moore tried to pitch despite a sore shoulder in 1986 and succumbed to nerve irritation in his right rib cage in 1987.

More effective against lefthanders than righthanders, the righthanded Texan led the 1978 Cubs in games pitched, but was overshadowed by Bruce Sutter and Willie Hernandez. He tied for the Atlanta lead in games pitched in 1983 and led the club in 1984.