Bob Buhl

Infobox MLB retired
name=Bob Buhl
position=Pitcher


bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date|1928|8|12
city-state|Saginaw|Michigan
deathdate=death date and age|2001|2|6|1928|8|12
city-state|Titusville|Florida
debutdate=April 17
debutyear=by|1953
debutteam=Milwaukee Braves
finaldate=April 30
finalyear=by|1967
finalteam=Philadelphia Phillies
stat1label=Win-Loss record
stat1value=166-132
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=3.55
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=1,268
teams=
* Milwaukee Braves (by|1953-by|1962)
* Chicago Cubs (by|1962-by|1966)
* Philadelphia Phillies (by|1966-by|1967)
highlights=
* All-Star selection (1960)
* World Series champion (1957)

Robert Ray Buhl (August 12 1928 - February 16 2001) was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with the Milwaukee Braves (1953-62), Chicago Cubs (1962-66) and Philadelphia Phillies (1966-67). His last name rhymed with "fuel".

A native of Saginaw, Michigan, in a 15-year career Buhl posted a 166-132 record with 1288 strikeouts and a 3.55 ERA in 2587 innings. He pitched 111 complete games and compiled 20 shutouts.

Buhl was a member of Braves teams to win the National League pennant in 1957 and 1958. A solid third starter behind dynamic duo of Warren Spahn and Lew Burdette, he put together back-to-back 18 win-season in 1956 and 1957. In 1959, Buhl won 15 games and led the National League with four shutouts. His most productive season came in 1960, when he finished with a 16-9 record, a 3.09 ERA and an All-Star berth.

In 1962, Buhl was traded to the Cubs after pitching just one game for the Braves. He landed in Philadelphia in 1966, in the same deal that brought Ferguson Jenkins to Chicago.

Buhl failed to record a single hit in 70 at-bats in 1962, the worst single-season batting performance in major league history -- specifically, the record for most at-bats in a hitless season. ("Sporting News Baseball Record Book", 2007, p.19) It was not an entirely fruitless season for Buhl at the plate, as he collected 6 bases-on-balls, scored 2 runs, had 1 stolen base. He was even credited with 1 run-batted-in (on a sacrifice fly), and 7 sacrifice bunts, demonstrating that he could make contact occasionally, although he did strike out 36 times that season. Pitching, he had 12 wins against 13 losses, a considerably better percentage than the 9th-place Cubs achieved overall that year.

Bob Buhl died in Titusville, Florida, just two days after his Braves roommate Eddie Mathews. He was 72.

Highlights

*All-Star (1960)
*Led league in shutouts (1959)
*6-time Top 10 in ERA (1953, 1955-57, 1959-60)
*5-time Top 10 in wins (1955-57, 1959-60)

ee also

* List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins

External links

* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/B/Buhl_Bob.stm Baseball Library]
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/buhlbo01.shtml Baseball Reference]
* [http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Buhl.Bob.Obit.html The Deadball Era]