Sam McDowell Stats

Sam McDowell was born on Monday, September 21, 1942, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. McDowell was 18 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 15, 1961, with the Cleveland Indians. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous items-of-interest are presented by Baseball Almanac on this comprehensive Sam McDowell baseball stats page.

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"Most managers think pitchers are dumb because we like to do our own thing. Yet we couldn't be too dumb because every year they're changing the rules to make life easier for the hitters." - Sam McDowell in The Gigantic Book of Baseball Quotations (Wayne Stewart, Skyhorse Publishing, 10/17/2007, Page 230)

Sam McDowell

Sam McDowell Autograph on a 1971 Score (#150)

Sam McDowell Autograph on a 1971 Score (#150)

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Birth Name:   Samuel Edward Thomas McDowell
Nickname:   Sudden Sam
Born On:   09-21-1942  (Virgo)
Place of Birth Data Born In:   Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Year of Death Data Died On:   Still Living (1,000 Oldest Living)
Place of Death Data Died In:   Still Living
Cemetery:   n/a
High School:   Central Catholic High School (Pittsburgh, PA)
College:   None Attended
Batting Stances Chart Bats:   Left   Throwing Arms Chart Throws:   Left
Player Height Chart Height:   6-05   Player Weight Chart Weight:   218
First Game:   09-15-1961 (Age 18)
Last Game:   06-24-1975
Draft:   Not Applicable / Signing Bonus = $75,000

Sam McDowell

Sam McDowell Pitching Stats

1961 19 Indians 1 1 0 0 0 .000 0.00 0 0 0 6.1 27 3 0 0 0 5 0 5 0 0 0 0
1962 20 Indians 25 13 5 3 7 .300 6.06 0 0 1 87.2 410 81 59 64 9 70 1 70 5 4 0 -
1963 21 Indians 14 12 0 3 5 .375 4.85 3 1 0 65.0 292 63 35 37 6 44 0 63 7 0 0 -
1964 22 Indians 31 24 3 11 6 .647 2.70 6 2 1 173.1 760 148 52 60 8 100 6 177 11 3 2 -
1965 23 Indians 42 35 5 17 11 .607 2.18 14 3 4 273.0 1,116 178 66 80 9 132 7 325 17 6 0 -
1966 24 Indians 35 28 5 9 8 .529 2.87 8 5 3 194.1 806 130 62 66 12 102 3 225 5 6 1 -
1967 25 Indians 37 37 0 13 15 .464 3.85 10 1 0 236.1 1,014 201 101 112 21 123 3 236 18 7 0 0
1968 26 Indians 38 37 0 15 14 .517 1.81 11 3 0 269.0 1,098 181 54 78 13 110 9 283 7 10 1 -
1969 27 Indians 39 38 1 18 14 .563 2.94 18 4 1 285.0 1,166 222 93 111 13 102 9 279 14 7 1 -
1970 28 Indians 39 39 2 20 12 .625 2.92 19 1 0 305.0 1,257 236 99 108 25 131 10 304 17 7 0 0
1971 29 Indians 35 31 3 13 17 .433 3.40 8 2 1 214.2 943 160 81 89 22 153 13 192 13 3 0 -
1972 30 Giants 28 25 1 10 8 .556 4.33 4 0 0 164.1 718 155 79 86 12 86 6 122 11 6 0 -
1973 31 Giants 18 3 6 1 2 .333 4.50 0 0 3 40.0 190 45 20 23 4 29 0 35 5 0 0 -
1973 31 Yankees 16 15 1 5 8 .385 3.95 2 1 0 95.2 417 73 42 47 4 64 2 75 6 0 0 -
1974 32 Yankees 13 7 3 1 6 .143 4.69 0 0 0 48.0 224 42 25 27 6 41 2 33 3 0 0 -
1975 33 Pirates 14 1 4 2 1 .667 2.86 0 0 0 34.2 149 30 11 11 0 20 3 29 1 0 2 -
15 Years 425 346 39 141 134 .513 3.17 103 23 14 2,492.1 10,587 1,948 879 999 164 1,312 74 2,453 140 59 7 0

Sam McDowell

Sam McDowell Hitting Stats

1961 19 Indians 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1962 20 Indians 25 26 1 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 13 1 0 0 0 .154 .154 .154
1963 21 Indians 15 19 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 9 4 0 0 1 .211 .250 .211
1964 22 Indians 31 56 2 8 1 0 0 0 2 5 0 25 3 0 0 0 .143 .213 .161
1965 23 Indians 43 95 5 12 1 0 0 0 4 1 0 35 5 0 0 0 .126 .135 .137
1966 24 Indians 36 60 2 12 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 27 3 1 0 0 .200 .210 .233
1967 25 Indians 37 82 5 15 1 0 1 0 6 1 0 28 4 1 0 1 .183 .190 .232
1968 26 Indians 38 85 5 13 0 0 0 0 6 3 0 35 6 1 1 1 .153 .189 .153
1969 27 Indians 39 92 3 16 3 0 0 0 6 0 0 31 11 1 0 2 .174 .172 .207
1970 28 Indians 40 105 5 13 0 0 1 0 2 2 0 42 8 0 0 0 .124 .140 .152
1971 29 Indians 35 73 1 13 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 26 6 0 0 0 .178 .189 .178
1972 30 Giants 28 59 3 7 1 1 0 0 4 1 0 21 4 0 0 1 .119 .133 .169
1973 31 Giants 18 12 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 1 0 0 0 .167 .167 .167
1973 31 Yankees 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1974 32 Yankees 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1975 33 Pirates 14 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
15 Years 429 774 34 119 7 2 2 0 36 16 0 306 56 4 1 6 .154 .171 .176

Sam McDowell

Sam McDowell Fielding Stats

1961 Indians P 1 1 19 2 2.0 2 0 2 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 2.84
1962 Indians P 25 13 263 20 0.8 18 4 14 2 0 n/a n/a n/a .900 1.85
1963 Indians P 14 12 195 11 0.8 11 4 7 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 1.52
1964 Indians P 31 24 520 29 0.9 27 7 20 2 1 n/a n/a n/a .931 1.40
1965 Indians P 42 35 819 56 1.3 52 6 46 4 0 n/a n/a n/a .929 1.71
1966 Indians P 35 28 583 43 1.2 41 11 30 2 2 n/a n/a n/a .953 1.90
1967 Indians P 37 37 709 45 1.2 40 9 31 5 2 n/a n/a n/a .889 1.52
1968 Indians P 38 37 807 44 1.2 40 10 30 4 7 n/a n/a n/a .909 1.34
1969 Indians P 39 38 855 48 1.2 44 5 39 4 5 n/a n/a n/a .917 1.39
1970 Indians 1B 1 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a n/a .000 0.00
1970 Indians 2B 1 0 0 1 1.0 1 1 0 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 0.00
1970 Indians P 39 39 915 42 1.1 38 3 35 4 1 n/a n/a n/a .905 1.12
1971 Indians P 35 31 644 33 0.9 29 3 26 4 2 n/a n/a n/a .879 1.22
1972 Giants P 28 25 493 30 1.1 29 8 21 1 0 n/a n/a n/a .967 1.59
1973 Giants P 18 3 120 8 0.4 8 3 5 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 1.80
1973 Yankees P 16 15 287 19 1.2 19 4 15 0 1 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 1.79
1974 Yankees P 13 7 144 4 0.3 3 1 2 1 0 n/a n/a n/a .750 0.56
1975 Pirates P 14 1 104 6 0.4 6 1 5 0 2 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 1.56
P Totals 425 346 7,477 440 1.0 407 79 328 33 23 n/a n/a n/a .925 1.47
1B Totals 1 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a n/a .000 0.00
2B Totals 1 0 0 1 1.0 1 1 0 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 0.00
15 Years 427 346 7,477 441 1.0 408 80 328 33 23 n/a n/a n/a .925 1.47

Sam McDowell

Sam McDowell Miscellaneous Stats

1961 Indians 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 1.0 0.0 1.00 7.11 7.11
1962 Indians 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 2.0 26.0 1.00 7.19 7.19
1963 Indians 0 0 .000 0 1 n/a 0.0 2.1 0.0 1.43 8.72 6.09
1964 Indians 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 2.2 28.0 1.77 9.19 5.19
1965 Indians 0 0 .000 0 1 n/a 0.0 2.7 23.8 2.46 10.71 4.35
1966 Indians 0 0 .000 1 0 n/a 0.0 2.2 60.0 2.21 10.42 4.72
1967 Indians 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 82.0 2.9 13.7 1.92 8.99 4.68
1968 Indians 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 2.4 14.2 2.57 9.47 3.68
1969 Indians 0 1 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 3.0 15.3 2.74 8.81 3.22
1970 Indians 0 0 .000 0 1 n/a 105.0 2.5 52.5 2.32 8.97 3.87
1971 Indians 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 2.8 18.3 1.25 8.05 6.41
1972 Giants 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 2.8 14.8 1.42 6.68 4.71
1973 Giants 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 1.7 0.0 1.21 7.88 6.53
1973 Yankees 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.17 7.06 6.02
1974 Yankees 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.80 6.19 7.69
1975 Pirates 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 1.6 0.0 1.45 7.53 5.19
15 Years 0 1 .000 1 3 0 387.0 2.5 21.5 1.87 8.86 4.74

Sam McDowell

Sam McDowell Miscellaneous Items of Interest

1961 Cleveland Indians 17 Undetermined - -
1962 Cleveland Indians 17 Undetermined - -
1963 Cleveland Indians 34 Undetermined - -
1964 Cleveland Indians 48 Undetermined - -
1965 Cleveland Indians 48 Undetermined Stats -
1966 Cleveland Indians 48 $24,000.00 Stats -
1967 Cleveland Indians 48 $20,000.00 - -
1968 Cleveland Indians 48 $45,000.00 Stats -
1969 Cleveland Indians 48 $55,000.00 Stats -
1970 Cleveland Indians 48 $65,000.00 Stats -
1971 Cleveland Indians 48 $72,000.00 Stats -
1972 San Francisco Giants 48 $75,000.00 - -
1973 San Francisco Giants 48 $75,000.00 - -
1973 New York Yankees 29, 48 "     "     - -
1974 New York Yankees 48 $67,500.00 - -
1975 Pittsburgh Pirates 48 $62,000.00 - -

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Did you know that Sam McDowell was named one of the 100 Greatest Cleveland Indians Players ever? As part of the club’s 100th Anniversary Celebration in 2001, a panel of veteran baseball writers, historians and executives selected a roster of the Top 100 Greatest Indians and McDowell was named one of the thirty pitchers, of which only six were lefties (the other five left-handed inductees were Gene Bearden, Vean Gregg, Don Mossi, Herb Score, and Rick Waits).

Bob Feller (a right-hander) was the first Cleveland Indians pitcher to strikeout 300+ batters in a single season, mowing down a team record 348 batters in 1946. Sam McDowell struck out 325 batters in 1965, the first left-handed Indians pitcher to strikeout 300+ hitters in the same season (and the team record for strikeouts in a season by an Indians lefty). When McDowell eclipsed 300 strikeouts again in 1970, he became the first - and to date only - pitcher from Cleveland with two 300+ strikeout seasons.

Sam McDowell was also only the second left-handed pitcher in the history of the American League to record a 300-strikeout season, joining Hall of Famer Rube Waddell who had two himself (302 strikeouts with the 1902 Philadelphia Athletics & 349 strikeouts with the 1904 Philadelphia Athletics). Since McDowell, Vida Blue (301 strikeouts with the 1971 Oakland Athletics), Mickey Lolich (308 strikeouts with the 1971 Detroit Tigers) and Randy Johnson (308 strikeouts with the 1993 Seattle Mariners) are the only lefties to reach the 300+ strikeout plateau in the junior circuit.

Sam McDowell, 2nd Career 16-Strikeout Game

Sam McDowell Strikes Out 16 | The Terre Haute Tribune | May 2, 1968 | Page 38

Sam McDowell struck out at least ten batters in a game seventy-four times in his career, tied with Bob Gibson for eighth most in Major League history behind: 1. Nolan Ryan (215 10k-games), 2. Randy Johnson (212 10k-games), 3. Roger Clemens (110 10k-games), 4. Pedro Martinez (108 10k-games), 5. Sandy Koufax (97 10k-games), 6. Curt Schilling (93 10k-games), and 7. Steve Carlton (84 10k-games).

Sam McDowell struck out at least fifteen batters in a game six times in his career, the sixth most in Major League history, behind: 1. Randy Johnson (29 15k-games), 2. Nolan Ryan (26 15k-games), 3. Pedro Martinez (10 15k-games), 3. Roger Clemens (10 15k-games), and 5. Sandy Koufax (8 15k-games).

Sam McDowell, Baseball Digest

Sam McDowell | 1966 Baseball Digest (May) | Baseball Almanac Collection