We remember Al Downing today. He was born in New Jersey on this day in 1941.
Downing was a pretty good lefty who broke with the Yankees in 1961 at age 20. He joined the starting rotation in 1963 and won 26 games in his first two seasons. Downing pitched in the 1963 and 1964 World Series but did not win a game.
In the late 1960s, Downing pitched for New York, Oakland and Milwaukee. He was 2-10 with the 1970 Brewers despite a decent 3.34 ERA.
In 1971, Downing was traded to LA and won 20 games. He pitched in the 1974 World Series with the Dodgers. Overall, he won 123 games with a 3.22 ERA.
We remember Downing for one pitch or home run: Aaron's # 715 on April 8, 1974.
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
