Jim Hardin

Infobox MLB retired


width=
name=Jim Hardin
position=Pitcher
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date|1943|8|06|mf=y
city-state|Morris Chapel|Tennessee
deathdate=death date and age|1991|3|09|1943|8|06
city-state|Key West|Florida
debutdate=June 23
debutyear=by|1967
debutteam=Baltimore Orioles
finaldate=October 4
finalyear=by|1972
finalteam=Atlanta Braves
stat1label=Win-Loss record
stat1value=43–32
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=3.18
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=408
teams=
*Baltimore Orioles (by|1967–by|1971)
*New York Yankees (by|1971)
*Atlanta Braves (by|1972)
highlights=
* World Series Champion in 1970
* AL Champion in 1969

James Warren Hardin (August 6, 1943–March 9, 1991) was a professional baseball player for the Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, and Atlanta Braves from 1967 through 1973 and was a member of one of the best pitching staffs of the 1960s and 1970s that included Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, Tom Phoebus, and Mike Cuellar. He earned a championship ring in the 1970 World Series and was part of the dominant 1969 American League champions who lost that year's World Series to the "Miracle Mets." An 18 game winner in 1968, Hardin pitched 4-1/2 years with Baltimore, half of one season with the New York Yankees and one year with the Atlanta Braves. He finished his career with a record of 43-32 and a 3.19 ERA. As a starting pitcher he was an iron man, registering 28 complete games in 100 career starts - a rate rivaled by few contemporary pitchers and even fewer current starters.

Career highlights

On July 27, 1969, Hardin starred in the Orioles most dominant shut-out victory in their history, routing the White Sox, 17-0. Hardin took the win over Chicago's Billy Wynne, allowing just two hits as the Birds banged out 20, good for 39 total bases. Hardin tossed a two-hitter with five strikeouts and also hit a home run in fourth inning off Gary Bell. On May 10, 1969 in a relief appearance, Hardin hit a game-winning walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning in Baltimore's Memorial Stadium. He pitched a complete game shutout on May 26, 1970 against the Cleveland Indians who had only five singles in the game. Three weeks later, Hardin pitched ten innings surrendering only six hits with zero walks versus the Washington Senators. The Orioles prevailed 3-2 in 13 innings with Pete Richert earning the win with three relief innings. In Cleveland on August 6, 1970 Hardin threw a complete Game five-hitter in the second game of a doubleheader against the Indians. Hardin helped himself with a two-run triple in the second inning and also picked up another RBI by drawing a bases loaded walk in the eighth inning. As a member of the Atlanta Braves on June 28, 1971, he hit a 2-out solo home run in the 4th inning off the Padres' Fred Norman in San Diego's Jack Murphy Stadium.

Top performances

1967 Season

*06/23/67 @ Senators L 2-3 Major League debut in relief
*07/23/67 Senators W 7-3 First career start (5 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 2 K)
*07/29/67 @ Indians W 5-3 First career win (6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 2 K). First career RBI (SF off Orlando Pena, scoring Andy Etchebarren)
*08/02/67 Tigers W 2-1 Pitched 8 inning giving up only 4 hits and 1 run. Orioles trailed 1-0 entering the bottom of the ninth. Frank Robinson walked and Brooks Robinson homered.
*08/18/67 @ White Sox W 8-2 First career complete game (5 H, 4 BB, 6 K) and first career base hit (1B off John Buzhardt)
*08/22/67 Athletics W 2-1 Complete game 6 hitter
*09/03/67 @ Athletics W 6-0 6 inning CG. Batted 2-3 with 1 RBI and 1 R. Hit triple off Blue Moon Odom in the third inning. Game called because of rain after six innings.
*09/11/67 @ White Sox W 6-1 Complete Game 4 hitter
*09/16/67 @ Red Sox W 4-1 Complete Game 3 hitter with 8 Strikeouts. Only run surrendered on a Rico Petrocelli Home Run in the second inning.
*09/22/67 Red Sox W 10-0 Complete Game 5-hit shutout with 7 Strikeouts. First career shutout. Third consecutive CG.

1968 Season

*04/24/68 @ Twins W 7-3 Hit triple off Dean Chance
*04/28/68 Red Sox W 6-1 Complete Game 6 hitter
*05/04/68 @ Senators W 5-3 Complete Game 5 hitter with 7 Strikeouts
*05/20/68 White Sox W 2-1 Complete Game 6 hitter with 6 Strikeouts
*05/25/68 Senators W 5-2 Complete Game 6 hitter with career high 10 Strikeouts. Career-high for strikeouts.
*06/05/68 Angels W 7-1 Complete Game 5 hitter with 8 Strikeouts
*06/10/68 @ Senators W 4-1 Complete Game 4 hitter.
*07/03/68 White Sox W 3-1 Complete Game 3 hitter with 6 Strikeouts
*07/07/68 @ Yankees L 1-3 Struck out Mickey Mantle (looking) in the bottom of the first. 1968 was Mantle's final season.
*07/16/68 @ White Sox W 4-2 Complete Game 6 hitter
*07/21/68 @ Tigers W 5-2 Complete Game 7 hitter
*07/30/68 @ Red Sox W 8-3 Complete Game 7 hitter
*08/07/68 Twins W 3-0 Complete Game 6-hit shutout
*08/15/68 @ Twins W 4-3 Complete Game 6 hitter with 6 Strikeouts
*08/19/68 @ Angels W 1-0 Complete Game 2 hitter with 8 Strikeouts
*08/24/68 Red Sox W 6-3 Complete Game 7 hitter with 8 Strikeouts. Third consecutive CG.
*09/11/68 @ Senators W 6-1 Complete Game 10 hitter with 7 Strikeouts

1969 Season

*05/04/69 @ Yankees W 14-2 Complete Game 7 hitter. Batted 2-5 with 1 RBI and 2 Runs Scored.
*05/10/69 Royals W 6-5 Relief appearance. Hit game-winning walk-off Home Run in the bottom of the ninth inning.
*07/10/69 Red Sox W 5-4 Complete Game 7 hitter
*07/16/69 Indians L 5-6 Complete Game 7 hitter
*07/27/69 White Sox W 17-0 Complete Game 2 hitter with 5 Strikeouts. Hit Home Run in fourth inning off Gary Bell. In Baltimore's biggest shutout victory ever, Baltimore routs the White Sox, 17-0, as Hardin wins over Billy Wynne. Hardin allows just two hits while the Birds bang out 20, good for 39 total bases. Frank Robinson has 5 RBIs with 2 HRs.
*08/16/69 @ Pilots W 15-3 First career save. Seattle's Sick's Stadium shakes when 250-pound Boog Powell legs out an inside-the-park homer in the ninth.
*WON AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP

1970 Season

*05/26/70 Indians W 7-0 Complete Game shutout. Surrendered only 5 singles. Orioles second baseman Chico Salmon hit four singles, nearly equaling the Indians hit total
*06/19/70 Senators W 3-2 Pitched 10 innings, surrendering only 6 hits with zero walks. The O's use pitching to take the nightcap, 3-2, in 13 innings. Hardin pitched 10 innings with Pete Richert getting the win with three innings of relief.
*08/06/70 @ Indians W 7-1 Complete Game 5 hitter. Second game of a doubleheader. Helped himself with a two-run triple in the second inning. Also picked up another RBI by drawing a bases loaded walk in the eighth
*08/18/70 @ Brewers W 3-0 Complete Game 5-hit shutout with 8 Strikeouts
*WON WORLD SERIES

1971 Season

*Traded to the New York Yankees in May for Bill Burbach
*Injured for the majority of the season

1972 Season

*Signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves
*06/28/72 @ Padres W 4-2 Hit a 2-out solo Home Run in the 4th inning off Fred Norman
*07/07/72 Pirates W 3-2 Complete Game 7 hitter

Transactions

Prior to 1962 Season: Signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent.
1965 (prior to 1966 season): Drafted by the Baltimore Orioles from the Mets for $12,000
November 1969: Offered to California Angels with Tom Phoebus and Merv Rettenmund for Andy Messersmith. California declined the trade offer.

May 28, 1971: Traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the New York Yankees for pitcher Bill Burbach.

April 3, 1972: Released by the New York Yankees

April 28, 1972: Signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves

Uniform numbers

Baltimore Orioles #44

New York Yankees #24

Atlanta Braves #27

Minor leagues

Threw a no-hitter in a minor league game
1962 - Auburn Mets (A), New York - Penn League, Falcon Park, Auburn, NY, League Champions
1963 - Quincy Jets (Class D/low A), Midwest League, Quincy Stadium, Quincy, IL
1964 - Auburn Mets (A), New York - Penn League, Falcon Park, Auburn, NY, League Champions
1964 - Williamsport Mets (AA), Eastern League, Bowman Stadium, Williamsport, PA
1965 - Williamsport Mets (AA), Eastern League, Bowman Stadium, Williamsport, PA
1966 - Elmira Pioneers (AA), Eastern League, Dunn Field, Elmira, NY
1967 - Rochester Red Wings (AAA), International League, Rochester, NY

Death

Hardin, a pilot, died on March 9, 1991 when his Beech 35-C33A crashed in Key West, Florida. Shortly after taking off from Key West International Airport the propeller of his aircraft failed from fatigue. The aircraft stalled and the plane crashed while Jim attempted to return to the airport to make an emergency landing. It was widely reported that, during the plane's descent, Jim valiantly steered the plane away from a baseball field filled with young children. The plane came to rest in a parking lot of the TGI Fridays restaurant, which was under construction at the time. Jim is one of three Yankees to lose their lives in aviation accidents, joining catcher Thurman Munson (1979) and Cory Lidle (2006). Jim was survived by his wife and three children.

External links

* [http://www.tixinc.com/Hardin Jim Hardin Tribute - maintained by the Hardin family]
*