Larry Gowell

Lawrence Clyde Gowell (born May 2, 1948) is an American former professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher who played in two games for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball in 1972. Gowell was drafted by the Yankees in the fourth round of the 1967 Major League Baseball draft on June 6, 1967. After winning every game at Edward Little High School in Auburn, Maine,^[1] he was signed by the Yankees to a professional contract. He pitched in the minor leagues for six years before making his major league debut, after winning 11 games in a row in Double-A.^[1] Gowell was listed at 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and 182 pounds (83 kg).

Major league career

The Yankees called up Gowell from their minor league organization in 1972 to play as a September call-up. Gowell made his major league debut on September 21 against the Milwaukee Brewers.^[2] The game was held at County Stadium, with 4,185 people attending the game.^[2] Gowell was called to replace Rusty Torres pitching and batting ninth in the bottom of the sixth inning.^[2] He pitched two innings with one strikeout. Felipe Alou was then called to pinch hit for Gowell in the top of the eighth inning.^[2] The Yankees lost the game 6-4.^[2] On October 4, as a starting pitcher (again facing Milwaukee) Gowell hit a double on a 3–2 count, hitting a fastball by pitcher Jim Lonborg for his first and only Major League hit and the last hit by a pitcher in a regular season American League game before the start of the designated hitter rule.^[1][3] The baseball that Gowell hit now resides in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, in Cooperstown, New York.^[1] Although Gowell allowed only one run during that game, the Yankees lost 1–0. It was Gowell's only MLB decision.

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
• Baseball Almanac