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|birth_date={{birth date|1945|11|3}}
|birth_place=[[St. Louis, Missouri]], U.S.
|death_date={{death date and age|2024|4|
|death_place=St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
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'''Kenneth Dale Holtzman''' (November 3, 1945 – April
With the Cubs, Holtzman pitched two [[no-hitter]]s. He played for the Athletics' [[dynasty (sports)|dynasty]] that won three consecutive [[World Series]] championships between 1972 and 1974. A two-time [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]], Holtzman was a 20-game-winner for the Athletics in 1973. He is a member of the [[Chicago Cubs#Cubs Hall of Fame|Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame]].
==Early life==
Holtzman was born in [[St. Louis, Missouri]], on November 3, 1945, to Henry and Jacqueline Holtzman. He was raised in an observant [[Jewish]] family and graduated from [[University City High School (Missouri)|University City High School]] in St. Louis in 1963.<ref name=sabr/> He attended the [[University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign]], where he played [[college baseball]] for the [[Illinois Fighting Illini baseball|Illinois Fighting Illini]]. He graduated with a [[Bachelor of Arts]] in business administration and [[French language|French]].<ref name=sabr>{{Cite web|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/ken-holtzman/|title=Ken Holtzman – Society for American Baseball Research}}</ref>
==Career==
===Draft and minor leagues===
The [[Chicago Cubs]] selected Holtzman in the fourth round of the [[1965 Major League Baseball draft]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jewsinsports.org/|title=Welcome to Jews In Sports Online|website=www.jewsinsports.org}}</ref><ref name="google1">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o4RsOc9z0ioC&pg=PA113 |title=Chicago Cubs: Memorable Stories of Cubs Baseball | series=Game of My Life|publisher=Skyhorse |date=2007 |isbn=9781596701731 |access-date=January 22, 2011}}</ref><ref name="google2">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9ZzxydPInwgC&pg=PA86 |title=The Big Book of Jewish Baseball: An Illustrated Encyclopedia & Anecdotal History |publisher=SPI Books|date=2001 |isbn=9781561719730 |access-date=January 22, 2011}}</ref> At age 19, Holtzman pitched 12 games in the [[Minor League Baseball|minor leagues]] in 1965, four with the [[Caldwell Cubs|Treasure Valley Cubs]] in the [[Pioneer League (baseball)|Pioneer League]], and eight with the [[Wenatchee Chiefs]] in the [[Northwest League]]. He was 8–3 in the dozen starts, with a 1.99 [[earned run average]] and 114 strikeouts in 86 innings.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{sabrbio|453be7e7|Ralph Berger|January 22, 2011}}</ref>
===Chicago Cubs (1965–1971)===
The Cubs promoted Holtzman to the major leagues in September [[1965 Chicago Cubs season|1965]].<ref>{{Cite
As a promising Jewish left-hander, he was heralded as "the new [[Sandy Koufax]]."<ref name="Jews in Sports">{{cite web|url=http://www.jewsinsports.org/profile.asp?ID=27&sport=baseball|title=Holtzman, Ken|publisher=Jews in Sports|access-date=March 23, 2014}}</ref> He pitched against Koufax in [[1966 Chicago Cubs season|1966]] on September 25, and took the win by a 2–1 score, becoming the last pitcher to beat Koufax during the regular season. Koufax would make his last regular-season appearance a week later, on October 2.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sherman |first1=Ed |title=Sandy Koufax vs. Ken Holtzman: The 1966 matchup of two Jewish pitching stars |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2016/09/15/sandy-koufax-vs-ken-holtzman-the-1966-matchup-of-two-jewish-pitching-stars/ |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=September 15, 2016 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Holtzman served in the [[United States National Guard|National Guard]] in 1967 and was only available to play on weekends. He appeared in 12 games and had a 9–0 record.<ref name="Jewish Virtual Library">{{cite web|url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/HoltzmanK.html|title=Kenneth Holtzman|publisher=Jewish Virtual Library|access-date=March 23, 2014}}</ref> After going 11–14 in [[1968 Chicago Cubs season|1968]], he posted consecutive 17-win seasons.<ref name="Ken Holtzman at Baseball Reference"/> Holtzman was named [[Major League Baseball Player of the Month Award|NL Player of the Month]] in May [[1969 Chicago Cubs season|1969]] with a 6–0 record, a 2.16 ERA, and 44 strikeouts.<ref name="Ken Holtzman at Baseball Reference"/>
That August 19,
In [[1970 Chicago Cubs season|1970]], had a 17–11 record and a 3.38 ERA, and finished third in the NL in starts (38), fifth in both strikeouts (202) and [[innings pitched]] ({{frac|287|2|3}}), sixth in complete games (15) and ninth in wins.<ref name="Ken Holtzman at Baseball Reference"/> Baseball historian [[Bill James]] considers the Cubs' 1970 rotation of Holtzman, [[Ferguson Jenkins]], [[Milt Pappas]], and [[Bill Hands]] was the best of the 1970s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/columns/berry-tramel/2012/08/03/hall-of-fame-pitcher-ferguson-jenkins-has-a-strong-oklahoma-pedigree/61055029007/|title=Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins has a strong Oklahoma pedigree|first=Berry|last=Tramel|website=The Oklahoman}}</ref>
▲That August 19, he pitched his first [[no-hitter]] at [[Wrigley Field]] against the eventual Western Division champion [[Atlanta Braves]], winning 3–0 on [[Ron Santo]]'s three-run [[home run]] and outdueling the Braves' [[Phil Niekro]].<ref name=chfnhabrv>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_r5SAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4H0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6507%2C2780389 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |agency=Associated Press |title=Cubs' Holtzman fires no=hitter at Braves |date=August 20, 1969 |page=24}}</ref><ref name=hhnoh>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gFwfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=adQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3464%2C5758308 |newspaper=Nevada Daily Mail |location=Missouri |agency=Associated Press |title=Cubs' Holtzman hurls no-hitter |date=August 20, 1969 |page=10 }}</ref> Holtzman had no [[strikeout]]s and three walks in the game. This was the first no-hitter by a Cub left-hander at Wrigley Field<ref name="google1"/> and the third no-hitter ever thrown without a strikeout ([[Earl Hamilton]] on August 30, 1912; [[Sad Sam Jones]] on September 4, 1923), a feat that has not been equaled since.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHA/PHA192309040.shtml |title=September 4, 1923 New York Yankees at Philadelphia Athletics Box Score and Play by Play |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |date=September 4, 1923 |access-date=January 22, 2011}}</ref><ref name="Jackson">{{Cite web |url=http://www.hardballtimes.com/no-runs-no-hits-no-strikeouts/ |title=No Runs, No Hits, No Strikeouts |last=Jackson |first=Frank |website=hardballtimes.com |access-date=July 19, 2014}}</ref> In the seventh inning, [[Hank Aaron]] crushed a drive to left field that appeared to be a home run, but the wind held up the ball, enabling [[Billy Williams (left fielder)|Billy Williams]] to catch the long fly ball in the recessed "well" at the wall in left field. Holtzman faced Aaron again in the ninth, and got him to ground out to second base to complete the no-hitter. The Cubs led the Eastern Division for much of the season before finishing in second place, eight games behind the [[1969 World Series|eventual world champion]] [[New York Mets]].<ref name=sabr/>
▲In [[1970 Chicago Cubs season|1970]], Holtzman had his best year with the Cubs, with a 17–11 record and a 3.38 ERA, and finished third in the NL in starts (38), fifth in both strikeouts (202) and [[innings pitched]] ({{frac|287|2|3}}), sixth in complete games (15) and ninth in wins.<ref name="Ken Holtzman at Baseball Reference"/> On June 3, [[1971 Chicago Cubs season|1971]], Holtzman pitched a no-hitter — the first ever at [[Riverfront Stadium]] — against the defending league champion [[Cincinnati Reds]], winning the game, 1–0.<ref name=ckhrnh>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZR1OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2ewDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6983%2C1157014 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |agency=Associated Press |title=Cubs' Ken Holtzman registers no-hitter |date=June 4, 1971 |page=25 }}</ref>
===Oakland Athletics (1972–1975)===
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Holtzman asked to be traded at the end of the 1971 season, so he was dealt to the [[Oakland Athletics]] in November in exchange for outfielder [[Rick Monday]].<ref name=cbtrharm>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2_cgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lnMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1070%2C5099415 |newspaper=The Day |location=New London, Connecticut |agency=Associated Press |last=Rappoport |first=Ken |title=Cubs trade Holtzman for A's Rick Monday |date=November 30, 1971 |page=18 }}</ref> Oakland had won the Western division in [[1971 Oakland Athletics season|1971]] but were swept by the [[1971 Baltimore Orioles season|Baltimore Orioles]] in the [[1971 American League Championship Series|American League Championship Series]]. This was just as Oakland began its run of three straight [[World Series]] titles.<ref name="Jewish Virtual Library" />
Joining a staff that featured [[Vida Blue]] and [[Catfish Hunter]], he won 19 games in [[1972 Oakland Athletics season|1972]] (7th in the AL) and was named to the [[1972 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] team for the first time.<ref name="google2"/> He lost Game 3 of the [[1972 American League Championship Series]] against the [[Detroit Tigers]] as opposing pitcher [[Joe Coleman (1970s pitcher)|Joe Coleman]] set an ALCS record with 14 strikeouts. After Oakland won the ALCS in five games, Holtzman won Game 1 of the [[1972 World Series|World Series]] against the Reds. He started Game 4, but left in the eighth inning with a 1–0 lead and a runner on third base. The Reds scored twice to take the lead, but Oakland scored twice in the ninth inning to win 3–2. He relieved Hunter in the eighth inning of Game 7 with a 3–1 lead but after surrendering a [[double (baseball)|double]] to [[Joe Morgan]], he was replaced by [[Rollie Fingers]]. The A's hung on for a 3–2 win
In [[1973 Oakland Athletics season|1973]], Holtzman led the A's with a 2.97 ERA (6th best in the league) as each of their three top starters won 20 or more games.<ref name="Ken Holtzman at Baseball Reference"/> He was again an All-Star, going 21–13 in 40 starts (his 21 wins 4th-best in the AL) with 157 strikeouts.<ref name="Ken Holtzman at Baseball Reference"/> Over the next 33 years only two other left-handers had as many starts in a season. In the [[1973 American League Championship Series|1973 ALCS]] against the [[Baltimore Orioles]], he won an 11-inning 2–1 duel against [[Mike Cuellar]] in Game 3 when [[Bert Campaneris]] homered to lead off the last inning. He started three times in the [[1973 World Series]] against the Mets, winning Game 1 2–1. He lasted only {{frac|1|3}} of an inning in Game 4, departing after a 3-run homer by [[Rusty Staub]], which was followed by two more base runners. He recovered to win Game 7, leaving in the 6th inning with a 5–1 lead as the A's won the game 5–2 and their second straight title. In both his victories, he doubled and also scored the first [[run (baseball)|run]] for the A's after not having batted all season due to the American League using the designated hitter for the first time in the 1973 season.<ref name="autogenerated1"/>
▲He again won 19 games in [[1974 Oakland Athletics season|1974]], but this time endured 17 losses despite his 3.07 ERA, which ranked 11th in the League.<ref name="Ken Holtzman at Baseball Reference"/> Facing the Orioles in the [[1974 American League Championship Series|1974 ALCS]], he pitched a 5–0 [[shutout]] in Game 2, taking a one-hitter into the eighth inning and allowing only five singles. Against the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] in the [[1974 World Series|World Series]], he started Game 1 but was pulled in the fifth inning with a 2–1 lead; the A's went on to win 3–2. He won Game 4 5–2, hitting a home run off [[Andy Messersmith]] in the third inning for a 1–0 lead (the [[designated hitter]] was not used in World Series play until [[1976 World Series|1976]]). He would be the last pitcher to hit a World Series home run until [[Joe Blanton]] in 2008. During the nine seasons in which he batted regularly during the season, he had only two home runs. Oakland won Game 5 and became the first team to win three straight World Series since the New York Yankees won five straight from [[1949 New York Yankees season|1949]] to [[1953 New York Yankees season|1953]].{{cn|date=April 2024}}
After losing in salary arbitration in February,<ref name=fwwgnrtyr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Z1YzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uPIFAAAAIBAJ&pg=994%2C1079515 |newspaper=Gettysburg Times |location=Pennsylvania |agency=Associated Press |title=Finley wins
===Later career===
Paid $93,000 in 1975 and one of nine Oakland players refusing to sign 1976 contracts,<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=F6lfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gTIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5059%2C922408 "A's trade Jackson, Holtzman," ''The Associated Press'' (AP), Saturday, April 3, 1976.] Retrieved May 4, 2020</ref> Holtzman sought a three-year $460,000 pact.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19760403&id=R-BLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XIsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1246,3784013&hl=en "Orioles obtain Reggie Jackson; Baylor, Torrez go to Oakland," ''The Associated Press'' (AP), Saturday, April 3, 1976.] Retrieved March 20, 2016</ref> With [[free agency]] imminent after the season and the expectations of higher salaries for which Athletics owner Finley was unwilling to pay, he was acquired along with [[Reggie Jackson]] and minor-league right-handed pitcher Bill Van Bommel by the [[1976 Baltimore Orioles season|Orioles]] for [[Don Baylor]], [[Mike Torrez]], and [[Paul Mitchell (baseball)|Paul Mitchell]] on April 2, 1976.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CQZIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QAANAAAAIBAJ&pg=1361%2C416911 "A's trade Jackson, Holtzman," ''The Associated Press'' (AP), Saturday, April 3, 1976.] Retrieved December 1, 2015</ref>
Holtzman was dealt along with [[Doyle Alexander]], [[Elrod Hendricks]], [[Grant Jackson (baseball)|Grant Jackson]], and [[Jimmy Freeman]] from the Orioles to the [[1976 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] for [[Rick Dempsey]], [[Scott McGregor (left-handed pitcher)|Scott McGregor]], [[Tippy Martinez]], [[Rudy May]], and [[Dave Pagan]] just before the non-waiver [[trade deadline]] on June 15, 1976.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1986/06/15/sports/murray-chass-baseball-players-swap-memories-yankees-orioles-10-player-trade.html?pagewanted=all&mcubz=2 Chass, Murray. "Players Swap Memories of Yankees-Orioles 10-Player Trade", ''The New York Times'', Sunday, June 15, 1986.] Retrieved December 24, 2022.</ref> He posted a 12–10 record for the Yankees over three years, but his playing time was increasingly limited.<ref name="Ken Holtzman at Baseball Reference"/> He did not appear in the 1976 or 1977 postseasons with New York.<ref name="Ken Holtzman at Baseball Reference"/> In June 1978, after making five appearances for the Yankees, they traded him to the Cubs for [[Ron Davis (pitcher)|Ron Davis]].<ref name="Ken Holtzman at Baseball Reference"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/06/11/archives/holtzman-traded-mets-bow-american-league-national-league-holtzman.html|title=Holtzman Traded|first=Leonard|last=Koppett|work=The New York Times|date=June 11, 1978|accessdate=April 15, 2024}}</ref> He ended his career with Chicago in [[1979 Chicago Cubs season|1979]], going 6–9 with a 4.59 ERA.<ref name="Ken Holtzman at Baseball Reference"/>
Over 15 years, he had a 174–150 record with a 3.49 ERA, 1,601 strikeouts, and 31 shutouts in 451 games and {{frac|2,867|1|3}} innings.<ref name="Ken Holtzman at Baseball Reference"/> He held batters to a .220 batting average with 2 outs and runners in scoring position. His 80 victories with Chicago were the fourth most by a left-hander, behind [[Hippo Vaughn]] (151), [[Larry French]] (95), and [[Dick Ellsworth]] (84). He received four votes in [[Baseball Hall of Fame]] voting in 1985, and five in 1986.<ref name="Ken Holtzman at Baseball Reference"/>
Amongst Jewish pitchers, Holtzman's 174 career [[win (baseball)|victories]] are the most in the major
==Post-baseball career==
Holtzman went on to attempt a career as an [[insurance]] salesman.<ref name=sabr/> He also worked for the St. Louis Jewish Community Center.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2004/06/08/ken-holtzman-2/|title=Ken Holtzman|first=Fred|last=Mitchell|website=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=June 8, 2004}}</ref> He coached the St. Louis baseball team for the
Holtzman managed the [[Petach Tikva Pioneers]] in the inaugural 2007 season of the [[Israel Baseball League]], but left in the middle of the season, unhappy with the way the league was run.<ref>{{cite news |title=Israeli baseball league turns sour for Holtzman |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2007/09/17/israeli-baseball-league-turns-sour-for-holtzman/ |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=September 17, 2007}}</ref>
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Holtzman had three daughters with his ex-wife Michelle.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/02/10/archives/holtzman-shuns-lure-of-the-south-hes-in-no-hurry-have-arm-will.html |title=Holtzman Shuns Lure of the South |date=February 10, 1978 |work=[[The New York Times]] |first=Murray |last=Chass|authorlink=Murray Chass|accessdate=April 15, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Palmer |first1=Jordan |title=St. Louis icon Ken Holtzman, 3 x MLB champion and two-time no-hit pitcher, dies at 78 |url=https://stljewishlight.org/news/news-local/st-louis-icon-ken-holtzman-dies-at-78/ |work=[[St. Louis Jewish Light]] |date=April 15, 2024}}</ref>
Ken Holtzman died in St. Louis on April
==See also==
* [[
* [[List of World Series starting pitchers]]
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