Marichal, Juan (1937—)

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Marichal, Juan (1937—)

Known for his unorthodox pitching motion and his immaculate control, Juan Marichal won more baseball games in the 1960s (191) than any other pitcher. The "Dominican Dandy" spent 14 of his 16 seasons with the San Francisco Giants, accumulating six 20 win seasons and throwing a no-hitter in 1963. Despite his efforts, he never won a Cy Young award. Marichal's success did, however, clear the path into major league baseball for other Latin American players and he remains influential in Dominican Republic baseball in the late 1990s. Marichal was also the all-time leader in wins by a Latin American pitcher (243) until Dennis Martinez eclipsed his record in 1998. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983.

—Nathan R. Meyer

Further Reading:

Devaney, John. Juan Marichal, Mister Strike. New York, Putnam Publishers, 1970.

Marichal, Juan. A Pitcher's Story. Garden City, New York, Doubleday Publishers, 1967.

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Marichal, Juan (1937—)

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Marichal, Juan (1937—)