Harvey Haddix

Who is Harvey Haddix?

Harvey Haddix was an accomplished baseball player. Harvey Haddix is a professional American left-handed pitcher who has played in Major League Baseball with the St. Petersburg teams. Haddix was one such athlete.

The sports world is full of fame and glory, but some are only in it for the love of the game.

Harvey is well remembered for his memorable performance of 12 flawless innings against the Milwaukee Braves on May 26, 1959.

Harvey was compared to Cardinals pitcher Harry “The Cat” Brecheen by George Sisler Jr.

As a result, Haddix gained the moniker “Kitten.”

Personal Life & Family of Harvey Haddix

Harvey Haddix, the legendary pitcher, was born on September 18, 1925, in Medway, Ohio.

Unfortunately, he died on January 8, 1994, in Springfield, Ohio.

Harvey, Jr. was the son of Harvey Haddix, Sr. and Nellie Mae Greider Haddix.

The Haddix family was a farming family from Westville, Ohio.

Harvey grew up on the farm with his older brothers Ed and Ben, as well as his younger brother Fred, as the children of farmers.

They had to get creative because there wasn’t much to keep them entertained.

They began to play baseball, two on each side.

They were even inventive enough to create their first glove out of a leather horse collar.

Harvey enrolled in Catawba High School in South Vienna, Ohio, in 1940.

Here, he and his older brother Ben played on a successful baseball team.

More Facts About Harvey Haddix

Baseball’s Early Years

Harvey had to get inventive again after joining the Catawba High baseball team.

Because he lacked suitable baseball equipment, such as cleats.

To make his own, he bored holes in the soles of his shoes and welded spikes to the bottom.

He took over the pitching duties as a senior in high school and guided his team to the country championship.

His father was already a well-known amateur pitcher at the time, so he had every reason to continue playing.

Ben Haddix, his older brother, and his teammate were also making moves.

Ben was a minor-league baseball player with the Springfield Cardinals, a Class C Middle Atlantic League team managed by Walter Alston.

He was pitching semi-pro after graduating when a scout from the Philadelphia Athletics offered to refer him to Connie Mack.

He waited two weeks with no results. So, when he spotted an article about Redbird tryouts in Columbus, he jumped at the opportunity.

Harvey was approached to sign right immediately after impressing the Cardinals.

But he declined since he was still waiting to hear from the Philadelphia Athletics scout.

However, after receiving no response, he returned to Columbus and signed with the Cardinals.

Harvey Haddix | Work

However, before he could begin his career, the Second World War destroyed all of his opportunities.

He received a three-year military deferral, which compelled him to return to farming.

When the war ended, he returned to the Cardinals.

They wanted to transfer him to Idaho after two weeks of idle time, but he rejected it since it was too far away from home.

So they assigned him to Winston-Salem of the Caroline League’s division C, where he met the squad in Lynchburg, Virginia.

He met manager Zip Payne, who was not thrilled with his 5’6″ and 175-pound frame.

He met manager Zip Payne, who was not thrilled with his 5’6″ and 175-pound frame.

4He went on to post 19 victories, 275 strikeouts, and a batting average of over.300 (including a pinch-hit homer).

He probably managed to sway Payne’s opinion of him after that.

He pitched a seven-inning no-hitter on August 11th.

Later, he tossed a nine-inning one-hitter with 19 strikeouts.

He went on to be a League All-Star, the left-handed pitcher of the year, the Rookie of the Year, and the MVP.

His 1.90 ERA (Earned Run Average) even outperformed the second-best pitcher (3.18).

Harvey later played Triple-A baseball for three years until 1950.

He attempted to return to the Cardinals, but they turned him down because they already had five outstanding left-handed pitchers.

Haddix was an all-star for the second time in 1948, with 11 victories and a.337 batting average.

Instead, he went on to play for teams like the Red Birds, Milwaukee Brewers, Batters, Fort Dix, St Louis, and others.

In 1949, he won 13 games for the Red Birds and was named to the all-star team for the second time.

Harvey Haddix’s Career Statistics

To say the least, the game on May 26th was spectacular. Haddix, who was playing for the Pirates on this day, pitched 12 innings against the Braves.

There were two Hall of Famers in the lineup: Eddie Mathews and Hank Aaron.

Harvey Haddix’s 12 innings were so excellent that it was 36 up and 36 downs.

However, the error in the 12th inning resulted in an IBB to Aaron, which resulted in an HR.

Because of his renowned pitching, this day became known as ‘Harvey Haddix Day.’

Harvey’s perfect game was the second most famous. However, the Braves pitcher later conceded that the Pirates’ steal sign was insignificant.

Achievements of Harvey Haddix in 1947:

• All-Star in the National League,
• The year’s best left-handed pitcher
• The Rookie of the Year
• The most valued coin of 1948:

1949:

• National League All-Star (second year in a row):
• Won 13 games with the Red Birds as a National League All-Star for the third year in a row.
• 18 victories and another National League All-Star appearance (the Fourth year in a row).

This was also the year Haddix expanded his arsenal to include not only a fastball and a slider.

1952:

• 9-2 victory over the Boston Braves on a complete-game five-hitter.

Following his Army service, he made his major-league debut with the Cardinals this year.

He had three full games, a 2-2 record, and a 2.79 ERA by the conclusion of 1952.

1953:

• Earned three pitcher’s batting championships: most hits, most runs scored, and most bases were stolen. (He also received a box of cigars, which was amusing.)
• the No. 2 place on the National League All-Star team in 1954

rated among the best pitchers in the National League in 1958

• He received his first Golden Glove Award.
• set a record for the most consecutive flawless innings to begin a game.
• Harvey Hardix’s Gold Glove
• Harvey got three ‘Gold Glove Awards for his fielding and winning ten consecutive games. The story of a renowned golfer who was once a young lad playing in his farm with his leather horse-shoe collar is quite touching.

Harvey Haddix | Accident

Haddix was named a National League All-Star shortly after the game in 1954.

Unfortunately, during the zenith of his success, he had to be replaced on the team due to a minor injury.

A line drive from someone’s bat struck Haddix below the right kneecap. Joe Adcock, Milwaukee’s first baseman, was that someone.

Haddix even admitted that following the injury, he “didn’t have the same spring off the mound.”

He also stated that he couldn’t sprint well, which hampered his gameplay.

Despite his injury, Haddix went on to win six more games.

However, his post-injury career was uneven, leading to the Cardinals’ poor start.

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The Fame of Harvey Haddix

Haddix was nothing but dedicated and humble throughout his baseball career.

One could even argue that he was too preoccupied with pursuing the ball to care about fame.

He once turned down appearances on the television series, To Tell the Truth, and The Ed Sullivan Show in order to stay and celebrate with his team.

Harvey was interested in baseball because he enjoyed playing, according to his wife, Marcia Haddix. That’s all.

Harvey was so well-known that the Cardinals honored him with a dinner in September 1949.

Baseball fans who bought his autographed baseballs and jerseys adored him as well.

They were even reselling them at a premium, but Harvey made no fuss about it.

Harvey even purchased a farm for himself, staying true to his heritage.

He thought that excellent pitching was just a part of his job. Well, Harvey has always been the finest in the game and has always given his all to win.

Harvey Haddix’s Salary and Net Worth

His net worth is believed to be $1.5 million to $5.5 million, in addition to his achievements as a professional baseball player.