Dick Ellsworth
Pitcher
Born: (1940-03-22)March 22, 1940
Lusk, Wyoming, U.S.
Died: October 10, 2022(2022-10-10) (aged 82)
Fresno, California, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
MLB debut
June 22, 1958, for the Chicago Cubs
Last MLB appearance
June 23, 1971, for the Milwaukee Brewers
MLB statistics
Win–loss record115–137
Earned run average3.72
Strikeouts1,140
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Richard Clark Ellsworth (March 22, 1940 – October 10, 2022) was an American professional baseball starting pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs (1958, 1960–1966), Philadelphia Phillies (1967), Boston Red Sox (1968–1969), Cleveland Indians (1969–1970), and Milwaukee Brewers (1970–1971). Ellsworth was an All-Star in 1964.

Career

Ellsworth was born in Lusk, Wyoming. When he was three years old, his family moved to Fresno, California.[1] He played amateur baseball in Fresno as a teammate with future major leaguers Jim Maloney and Pat Corrales.[2] Ellsworth graduated from Fresno High School in 1958.[3]

In 1958, Gene Handley scouted and signed Ellsworth for the Chicago Cubs for a reported signing bonus of $70,000.[1][4] After pitching well in an exhibition game against the Chicago White Sox, the Cubs had Ellsworth make his major league debut on June 22 against the Cincinnati Reds. Ellsworth allowed four runs, two wild pitches, and one hit by pitch before the Cubs took him out of the game.[1] The Cubs sent him to the Fort Worth Cats of the Double A Texas League.[5] After he spent the rest of the 1958 season and the entire 1959 season in the minor leagues, the Cubs promoted him to the major leagues for good in 1960.[1]

Ellsworth won the National League Player of the Month Award in May 1963 as he allowed six earned runs in 42 innings pitched.[6] For the 1963 season, he had a 22–10 win–loss record and a 2.10 earned run average (ERA). After the season, he won the Associated Press' Comeback Player of the Year Award, as he had finished the 1962 season with a 9–20 record.[7] Ellsworth made the National League All-Star team in 1964.[8]

After the 1966 season, the Cubs traded Ellsworth to the Philadelphia Phillies for Ray Culp.[9] He had a 6–7 record and a 4.39 ERA for Philadelphia. After the 1967 season, the Phillies traded Ellsworth and Gene Oliver to the Boston Red Sox for Mike Ryan and cash considerations.[10] He was traded along with Ken Harrelson and Juan Pizarro from the Red Sox to the Cleveland Indians for Sonny Siebert, Vicente Romo and Joe Azcue on April 19, 1969.[11] On August 7, 1970, the Milwaukee Brewers purchased Ellsworth from Cleveland.[12] Ellsworth returned to Milwaukee for the 1971 season. He had a 4.91 ERA for Milwaukee, and was placed on waivers in June.[13]

In 1963, Ellsworth was inducted into the Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame.[14]

Personal life

During the baseball offseasons during his career, Ellsworth sold Serta mattresses.[15] After his playing career, Ellsworth went into real estate. In 2005, Ellsworth joined an ownership group that purchased the Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League.[16][17]

He was the father of former MLB pitcher Steve Ellsworth.[18]

Ellsworth died in Fresno on October 10, 2022, at the age of 82.[19]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Dick Ellsworth – Society for American Baseball Research".
  2. ↑ "14 May 1979, 95 – The Fresno Bee at". Newspapers.com. May 14, 1979. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Dick Ellsworth Stats". baseball-almanac.com. Baseball-Almanac, Inc. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
  4. ↑ "18 Jun 1958, 16 – The Fresno Bee at". Newspapers.com. June 18, 1958. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Fort Worth Star-Telegram 22 Jul 1958, page 13".
  6. ↑ "9 Jun 1963, 46 – The Courier at". Newspapers.com. June 9, 1963. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  7. ↑ "15 Oct 1963, 4 – The Daily Journal at". Newspapers.com. October 15, 1963. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  8. ↑ "5 Jul 1964, 54 – Fort Lauderdale News at". Newspapers.com. July 5, 1964. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  9. ↑ "8 Dec 1966, 44 – The Paducah Sun at". Newspapers.com. December 8, 1966. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  10. ↑ "16 Dec 1967, 22 – The Sacramento Bee at". Newspapers.com. December 16, 1967. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  11. ↑ "20 Apr 1969, 10 – Hartford Courant at". Newspapers.com. April 20, 1969. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  12. ↑ "8 Aug 1970, 11 – Evening Express at". Newspapers.com. August 8, 1970. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  13. ↑ "25 Jun 1971, 18 – The Tribune at". Newspapers.com. June 25, 1971. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame | Home". Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame | Home. Archived from the original on July 31, 2017. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  15. ↑ "The Herald-Palladium 10 Oct 1963, page 26".
  16. ↑ "28 Aug 2005, C1 – The Fresno Bee at". Newspapers.com. August 28, 2005. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  17. ↑ "14 Oct 2006, A1 – The Fresno Bee at". Newspapers.com. October 14, 2006. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Ellsworth has paid his dues". Newspapers.com. April 10, 1988. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Richard Clark Ellsworth obituary". Chapel of the Light. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
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