Bill Fischer (baseball)

Infobox MLB retired
bgcolor1=black
bgcolor2=black
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white


name=Bill Fischer
position=Pitcher
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date|1930|10|11
city-state|Wausau|Wisconsin
deathdate=death date and age|2008|09|21|1930|10|11
city-state|Surprise|Arizonadisputed-inline
debutdate=April 21
debutyear=by|1956
debutteam=Chicago White Sox
finaldate=May 22
finalyear=by|1964
finalteam=Minnesota Twins
stat1label=Win-Loss record
stat1value=45-58
stat2label=ERA
stat2value=4.34
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=313
teams=
*Chicago White Sox (1956-58)
*Detroit Tigers (1958, 1960-61)
*Washington Senators (1958-60)
*Kansas City Athletics (1961-63)
*Minnesota Twins (1964)
highlights=
* 84 1/3 consecutive innings pitched without issuing a base on balls, by|1962

William Charles Fischer (October 11, 1930 -- September 21, 2008disputed-inline) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher who toiled for five American League teams in his nine-year career (1956-64). He later was a longtime pitching coach for three MLB clubs. He stood 6' (183 cm) tall, weighed 190 pounds (86 kg) and threw and batted righthanded. He was a native of Wausau, Wisconsin.

As a pitcher, Fischer won 45 games and lost 58 (.437), with a career earned run average of 4.34. He appeared in 281 games, starting 78, and compiled 16 complete games and 13 saves. Fischer made his debut on April 21, by|1956 with the Chicago White Sox. In the middle of the by|1958, he was traded along with Tito Francona to the Detroit Tigers for Ray Boone and Bob Shaw. He was eventually claimed by the Washington Senators, who traded him back to Detroit in by|1960 for Tom Morgan.

Fischer was later traded to Kansas City with Ozzie Virgil for Jerry Staley and Reno Bertoia. There, he set a major league record that still stands by pitching 84 1/3 consecutive innings without issuing a walk in by|1962.

This didn't keep Fischer in Kansas City for long, however. After one more season with the A's, the Minnesota Twins drafted Fischer in the Rule 5 Draft in by|1963, and he concluded his major league career with the club. The White Sox resigned Fischer as a free agent following his stint with the Twins, but he never returned to the majors and was released by the White Sox in by|1968.

In by|1969, he joined the fledgling Kansas City Royals as a scout and minor league pitching instructor, beginning a long-time association with then-Royals executive John Schuerholz. Although he never was MLB pitching coach of the Kansas City club, he held that post with the Cincinnati Reds (1979-82), Boston Red Sox (1985-91) and Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2000-01). At Boston, he was a favorite of star righthander Roger Clemens. After his firing by the Red Sox, he rejoined Schuerholz with the Atlanta Braves and served many years as the Braves' minor league pitching coordinator.

He entered the 2008 baseball season still active in the game. At age 77, he was back with the Kansas City Royals, listed as their minor league pitching coordinator until his death on September 21 in Surprise, Arizona.disputed-inline

ee also

*List of Major League Baseball individual streaks

ources