Mickey McDermott Positions: Bats: L Throws: L Height: 74 Weight: 170 Born: Monday, April 29, 1929 in Poughkeepsie, NY USA Died: 8 7 2003 in Phoenix, AZ USA Debut: 4/24/1948 Last Game: 8/10/1961 Full Name: Maurice Joseph McDermott
1957 – The Kansas City Athletics ship pitchers Art Ditmar, Bobby Shantz, and Jack McMahan, and infielders Clete Boyer, Curt Roberts and Wayne Belardi to the Yankees. In return they receive pitchers Mickey McDermott, Tom Morgan, Rip Coleman and Jack Urban, OF Irv Noren, plus infielders Billy Hunter and Milt Graff. Roberts will not go to New York City till May 4th, while Boyer goes a month later, conveniently just when his mandatory service time in the majors as a result of the bonus rule expires. Hunter and Urban don’t switch until April 5th. The veteran Shantz and Boyer will be valuable pick-ups for New York, with Shantz leading the American League in ERA this year, and Boyer a tough defensive 3B for eight years in pinstripes. The A’s will eventually admit that when they signed Boyer for a $40,000 bonus in 1955, it was on behalf of the Yankees, with the understanding that they’d ship him to NY as soon as he became eligible to be sent down to the minors.
1953 – The Boston Red Sox trade for slugger Jackie Jensen, sending P Mickey McDermott and OF Tom Umphlett to the Washington Senators. Jensen will average 25 home runs a year for his seven seasons in Fenway, lead the American League in RBI three times, and win the Most Valuable Player Award in 1958. A fear of flying will end his career prematurely.
Browns rookie Bob Nieman hits two home runs in his first two ML at bats, a record unequaled. They come against Mickey McDermott of the Red Sox, but Boston still wins 9 – 6. Boston has homers by Dom DiMaggio, Ted Williams, and Walt Dropo.
Clyde Vollmer, who started the month on the bench, continues his explosive fireworks against the Indians. He singles in the tying run in the 15th and then in the 16th hits a grand slam off reliever Bob Feller for an 8 – 4 Red Sox win. The grand slam is the latest to be hit in a game in major league history. Mickey McDermott pitches all 16 innings for the Sox, striking out 15 and walking one.
The Red Sox and White Sox play 19 innings under the lights, tying a major league record. Mickey McDermott pitches the first 17 innings for Boston, as Chicago wins this marathon, 5 – 4. Clyde Vollmer has a homer and two singles for the BoSox and 3B Vern Stephens plays the entire game (18 1/3 innings) without a putout. Boston scores twice in the top of the 19th, but the Sox strike back with three runs. For the second night in a row, the two teams set a record for the longest night game. Tomorrow the Sox will set a major league mark when they pull off their 14th double play in four games.