Next
up in the long-running 1975 “In Action” series is the premier American
League relief pitcher at the time, the Oakland A’s Rollie Fingers:
Fingers was wrapping up a third straight world championship with the A’s
in 1974, while also putting together yet another All-Star campaign,
leading the AL in appearances with 76, while posting a record of 9-5
with 18 saves over 119 innings pitched.
It’s amazing to think his best years were still ahead of him, as he’d go
on to San Diego and Milwaukee, where he’d lead his league in saves
three times, while taking home the AL MVP and Cy Young in 1981 when he
led the Brewers to the playoffs with a remarkable 1.04 ERA and a
league-leading 28 saves during the strike-shortened season.
By the time he retired after the 1985 season after some injury-plagued
years, he was at the top of the career saves list with 341, while
posting a very nice 2.90 ERA over 944 appearances and 1701 innings
pitched in 17-seasons.
In 1992, in what was his second year of eligibility, he was selected for
the Hall of Fame with 81.2% of the vote, making him only the second
career-reliever to be so honored, following the great Hoyt Wilhelm who
was selected for induction in 1985.