Cecil Upshaw

Cecil Upshaw
Cecil Upshaw
	Pitcher
	Born: October 22, 1942; Spearsville, Louisiana, U.S.
	Died: February 7, 1995 (aged 52); Lawrenceville, Georgia, U.S.
	Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
	October 1, 1966, for the Atlanta Braves
Last MLB appearance
	September 28, 1975, for the Chicago White Sox
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	34–36
Earned run average	3.13
Strikeouts	323
Saves	86
Teams
	Atlanta Braves (1966–1969, 1971–1973); Houston Astros (1973); Cleveland Indians (1974); New York Yankees (1974); Chicago White Sox (1975);

Cecil Lee Upshaw Jr. (October 22, 1942 – February 7, 1995) was an American professional baseball right-handed relief pitcher, who had a nine- year career in Major League Baseball (MLB) (1966–1969, 1971–1975), for the Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros of the National League (NL), and the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, and Chicago White Sox of the American League (AL).^[1]

Born in Spearsville, Louisiana, Upshaw attended Bossier High School (Louisiana) and played college baseball at Centenary College of Louisiana, in Shreveport. He is a member of the Centenary Athletics Hall of Fame. While at Centenary, Upshaw was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity.

Upshaw was among the top ten in saves four times in the National League between 1968 and 1972. He was primarily a sidearm pitcher.

In the Braves’ division-winning 1969 campaign, Upshaw had a 6–4 win–loss record, with a 2.91 earned run average (ERA), and a career-high 27 saves (to finish second in the league).^[2]^[1]

Upshaw‘s career was cut short due to an unfortunate incident in 1970. He and two other Braves players were walking down a San Diego sidewalk and one of the other players bet him he could not jump up and touch an overhead awning. Upshaw did reach the awning, but a ring on his pitching hand became caught on a projection sticking out from the awning which tore ligaments in his hand.^[3] He never fully recovered, but was considered one of the better relief pitchers in major league baseball up to that time.

Upshaw was traded four times within a span of two years, including at two consecutive Winter Meetings. First, from the Braves to the Astros for Norm Miller on April 22, 1973.^[4] Then, from the Astros to the Indians for Jerry Johnson on December 3, 1973.^[5] He was acquired along with Chris Chambliss and Dick Tidrow by the Yankees from the Indians for Fritz Peterson, Steve Kline, Fred Beene and Tom Buskey on April 26, 1974. The Yankees were criticized for giving away four pitchers as opposed to the two it got in return and a failure to land a starting second baseman.^[6] Finally, from the Yankees to the White Sox for Eddie Leon on December 5, 1974.^[7]

Upshaw finished his career with 87 saves. He had a career ERA of 3.13. Upshaw pitched 563 career innings, in 348 games.^[1]

On February 7, 1995, Upshaw died at age 52 as the result of a heart attack in Lawrenceville, Georgia.^[8]^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Cecil Upshaw Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
^ Tucker, Tim (August 8, 2019). "Revisiting the Atlanta Braves' first division champions, 50 years later". ajc.com. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
^ Herskowitz, Mickey (June 1, 2001). "Perhaps Astros' luck has taken good turn". chron.com. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
^ "Atlanta trades Upshaw to Astros," The Associated Press (AP), Monday, April 23, 1973. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
^ Durso, Joseph. "4 Trades Made at Meetings," The New York Times, Tuesday, December 4, 1973. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
^ Chass, Murray. "Yankee-Indian Trade Brings Confusion, Anger and Leaves 2d-Base Question," The New York Times, Sunday, April 28, 1974. Retrieved April 20, 2020
^ Durso, Joseph. "Major Leagues Set Up Expansion Committee," The New York Times, Friday, December 6, 1974. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
^ "Cecil Upshaw; Pitcher, 53". The New York Times. Associated Press. February 10, 1995. Retrieved February 11, 2020.

External links

Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
Cecil Upshaw at SABR (Baseball BioProject)
Cecil Upshaw at Pura Pelota (Venezuelan Professional Baseball League)
Cecil Upshaw at The Deadball Era
Cecil Upshaw at Find a Grave
Centenary Athletics
Kappa Sigma Alumni

[bbrefupshawmaj-1] "Cecil Upshaw Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2020.

[ajc50-2] Tucker, Tim (August 8, 2019). "Revisiting the Atlanta Braves' first division champions, 50 years later". ajc.com. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved February 11, 2020.

[upshaw_injury-3] Herskowitz, Mickey (June 1, 2001). "Perhaps Astros' luck has taken good turn". chron.com. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved February 11, 2020.

[4] "Atlanta trades Upshaw to Astros," The Associated Press (AP), Monday, April 23, 1973. Retrieved February 22, 2023.

[5] Durso, Joseph. "4 Trades Made at Meetings," The New York Times, Tuesday, December 4, 1973. Retrieved January 26, 2023.

[6] Chass, Murray. "Yankee-Indian Trade Brings Confusion, Anger and Leaves 2d-Base Question," The New York Times, Sunday, April 28, 1974. Retrieved April 20, 2020

[7] Durso, Joseph. "Major Leagues Set Up Expansion Committee," The New York Times, Friday, December 6, 1974. Retrieved September 27, 2022.

[nyt_obit-8] "Cecil Upshaw; Pitcher, 53". The New York Times. Associated Press. February 10, 1995. Retrieved February 11, 2020.

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