Denny McLain Biography

Dennis Dale McLain was born on March 29, 1944, and is an American former professional baseball player. He has played for ten seasons in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher, most prominently as a member of the Detroit Tigers. In 1968, McLain won 31 games with a 6-loss record, becoming the last pitcher in the 20th century to win 30 or more games in a single season. McLain also demonstrated musical talent by learning to play the organ from Bob Creed, the Chicago White Sox organist. Upon graduating from high school in June 1962, McLain was signed by the Chicago White Sox as an amateur free agent and assigned to the Harlan Smokies of the Appalachian League. McLain made a notable minor league debut by throwing a no-hitter and striking out 16 batters in a game against the Salem Rebels on June 28. He began the 1964 season with the Syracuse Chiefs of the International League and was called up to the major leagues in early June, finishing the season with a 4–5 record.