Virgil Trucks

American baseball player

Baseball player

Virgil Trucks

Trucks with the St. Louis Browns

Pitcher
Born: (1917-04-26)April 26, 1917
Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Died: March 23, 2013(2013-03-23) (aged 95)
Calera, Alabama, U.S.

Batted: Right

Threw: Right

MLB debut
September 27, 1941, for the Detroit Tigers
Last MLB appearance
September 26, 1958, for the New York Yankees
MLB statistics
Win–loss record| 177–135
Earned run average| 3.39
Strikeouts| 1,534
Teams

* Detroit Tigers (1941–1952)
* St. Louis Browns (1953)
* Chicago White Sox (1953–1955)
* Detroit Tigers (1956)
* Kansas City Athletics (1957–1958)
* New York Yankees (1958)

Career highlights and awards

* 2× All-Star (1949, 1954)
* 2× World Series champion (1945, 1960)
* MLB strikeout leader (1949)
* Pitched two no-hitters

Virgil Oliver "Fire" Trucks (April 26, 1917 – March 23, 2013) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Browns, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Athletics and New York Yankees between 1941 and 1958. He batted and threw right-handed.

A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Trucks posted a 177–135 win–loss record with 1,534 strikeouts and a 3.39 ERA in 2,682.2 innings pitched over a 17-year career.

Trucks was a two-time All-Star and a two-time league leader in shutouts. In 1952, Trucks became the third major leaguer to throw two no-hitters in a season. After his playing career, Trucks coached for several years in the major leagues. At the time of his death in March 2013, he was one of the oldest living former major league players.

## Career[edit]

The Detroit Tigers signed Trucks as an amateur in 1938. In his first pro season, Trucks set a minor league record with 418 strikeouts.[citation needed] He also threw four no-hitters in the minors.[citation needed] He debuted with the Tigers in the fall of 1941.

Trucks missed two seasons due to military service in World War II and was discharged from the Navy less than two weeks before his start in the second game of the 1945 World Series. Because of the war and returning servicemen, the American and National Leagues waived the rule requiring players to have been on the team's roster by September 1 to qualify for post-season play. He defeated the Chicago Cubs in that game. At the time of his death, he was the last living pitcher to face the Cubs in a World Series game. The only other pitcher to win a post-season game without winning a regular season game is Chris Carpenter of the 2012 St. Louis Cardinals.[citation needed]

In 1949, Trucks was selected for the MLB All-Star Game and he led the league in shutouts and strikeouts. In 1952, despite a 5–19 record and the Detroit Tigers' equally terrible 50-104-2 record, Trucks became just the third major league pitcher to hurl two no-hitters in one season (three others have since matched the feat). He won both no-hitters by a score of 1-0, beating the Washington Senators on May 15[1] and the New York Yankees on August 25.[2] In the 1953 season, Trucks recorded a 20-10 record, 149 strikeouts and a 2.93 ERA and finished fifth in AL MVP voting. He had been traded early that season from the St. Louis Browns to the Chicago White Sox, becoming one of a small number of pitchers traded during a 20-win season. [who?] He earned his second All-Star distinction in 1954, a year in which he led the AL in shutouts for a second time.

Along with his two no-hitters in his major league career, Trucks has also thrown four one-hitters and four two-hitters.[citation needed]

### Coaching[edit]

After retiring as a player, Trucks joined the coaching staff of the Pittsburgh Pirates, winning the 1960 World Series with them against his old team, the Yankees. He continued coaching with the Pirates, then coached the Atlanta Braves and ended his MLB career with the Tigers in 1974.[3]

## Personal life[edit]

Main article: Trucks family

Trucks was the uncle of Butch Trucks, a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band, and Chris Trucks. Trucks' great nephew, Duane (Chris' son), is a member of Widespread Panic and has a brother, Derek, who is in a band with his wife, Susan Tedeschi, Tedeschi Trucks Band and was in the final lineup of the Allman Brothers Band.[4]

## Later life[edit]

Trucks was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1974 and into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1985.[5][6]

In the summer of 2012, Trucks was injured in a fall, but he made a recovery.[7] He died on March 23, 2013, at the age of 95 in Calera, Alabama.[8] He had been hospitalized with pneumonia shortly before his death.[7]

## See also[edit]

* Biography portal
* Baseball portal

* List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders
* List of Major League Baseball no-hitters

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Washington Senators at Detroit Tigers Box Score, May 15, 1952".
2. ^ "Detroit Tigers at New York Yankees Box Score, August 25, 1952".
3. ^ "1960 Pirates: Where are they now?".
4. ^ DunlopTV – Derek Trucks – YouTube
5. ^ Virgil Trucks, 95, Threw Two No-Hitters in the Major Leagues, Baseball Think Factory
6. ^ "Inductees: Michigan Sports Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on July 9, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
7. ^ a b Gage, Tom, Paul, Tony (March 24, 2013). "Virgil Trucks, Who Pitched Two Tigers No-hitters in 1952, Dies at 95". The Detroit News. Archived from the original on April 10, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013.`{{cite news}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
8. ^ Virgil Trucks, 95, threw two no-hitters in the major leagues – Worldnews.com

## External links[edit]

* Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
* Virgil Trucks at Baseballbiography.com
* Virgil Trucks at Find a Grave

Achievements

Preceded by

Allie Reynolds
Carl Erskine

|  No-hitter pitcher
May 15, 1952
August 25, 1952  | Succeeded by

Carl Erskine
Bobo Holloman

* v
* t
* e

Pittsburgh Pirates 1960 World Series champions

2 Bob Oldis
4 Bob Skinner
5 Hal Smith
6 Smoky Burgess
7 Dick Stuart
9 Bill Mazeroski
11 Dick Schofield
12 Don Hoak
14 Rocky Nelson
16 Gene Baker
18 Bill Virdon
19 Bob Friend
20 Gino Cimoli
21 Roberto Clemente
22 Joe Gibbon
23 Joe Christopher
24 Dick Groat (NL MVP)
26 Roy Face
29 Clem Labine
30 Wilmer Mizell
31 Harvey Haddix
32 Vern Law (CYA)
35 Fred Green
37 Tom Cheney
39 George Witt

Manager
40 Danny Murtaugh

Coaches
41 Bill Burwell
42 Mickey Vernon
43 Sam Narron
44 Frank Oceak
45 Lenny Levy
Virgil Trucks

Regular season

* v
* t
* e

Detroit Tigers 1945 World Series champions

1 Bob Swift
2 Ed Mierkowicz
3 Eddie Mayo
4 Rudy York
5 Hank Greenberg
6 Roy Cullenbine
7 Joe Hoover
8 Doc Cramer
9 Paul Richards
10 Tommy Bridges
11 Dizzy Trout
12 John McHale
14 Jim Tobin
15 Les Mueller
16 Hal Newhouser (AL MVP)
17 Zeb Eaton
18 Stubby Overmire
19 Al Benton
20 Billy Pierce
21 Art Houtteman
22 Bob Maier
23 Hack Miller
24 Walter Wilson
25 George Caster
26 Chuck Hostetler
27 Jimmy Outlaw
28 Skeeter Webb
30 Red Borom
34 Hub Walker
35 Virgil Trucks
36 Prince Oana

Manager
32 Steve O'Neill
Coaches
31 Art Mills

Regular season

* v
* t
* e

St. Louis Browns / Baltimore Orioles Opening Day starting pitchers

* Ivy Andrews
* Jake Arrieta
* Elden Auker
* Jeff Ballard
* Steve Barber
* Érik Bédard
* George Blaeholder
* Mike Boddicker
* Hal Brown
* Dylan Bundy
* Corbin Burnes
* Joe Bush
* Andrew Cashner
* Slick Coffman
* Dave Davenport
* Storm Davis
* Pat Dobson
* Red Donahue
* Scott Erickson
* Mike Flanagan
* Denny Galehouse
* Ned Garver
* Milt Gaston
* Kevin Gausman
* Kyle Gibson
* Bill Grahame
* Sam Gray
* Bob Groom
* Jeremy Guthrie
* Bump Hadley
* Earl Hamilton
* Jason Hammel
* Jack Harshman
* Pink Hawley
* Pat Hentgen
* Oral Hildebrand
* Billy Hoeft
* Al Hollingsworth
* Harry Howell
* Sig Jakucki
* Connie Johnson
* Jimmy Key
* Jack Kramer
* Lou Kretlow
* Joe Lake
* Don Larsen
* Rodrigo López
* Grover Lowdermilk
* Dennis Martínez
* Scott McGregor
* Dave McNally
* John Means
* Bob Milacki
* Kevin Millwood
* Tommy Milone
* Bob Muncrief
* Mike Mussina
* Bobo Newsom
* Jim Palmer
* Milt Pappas
* Barney Pelty
* Tom Phoebus
* Sidney Ponson
* Nels Potter
* Jack Powell
* Fred Sanford
* Dave Schmidt
* Urban Shocker
* Ed Siever
* Allen Sothoron
* Lefty Stewart
* Steve Stone
* Rick Sutcliffe
* Chris Tillman
* Virgil Trucks
* Jerry Walker
* Carl Weilman
* Bill Wight
* Tom Zachary

* v
* t
* e

Chicago White Sox Opening Day starting pitchers

* James Baldwin
* Ken Brett
* Mark Buehrle
* Britt Burns
* John Buzhardt
* Nixey Callahan
* Dylan Cease
* Eddie Cicotte
* José Contreras
* Garrett Crochet
* John Danks
* Bill Dietrich
* Richard Dotson
* Ed Durham
* Red Faber
* Alex Fernandez
* Patsy Flaherty
* Al Gettel
* Lucas Giolito
* Orval Grove
* Joe Haynes
* Ray Herbert
* Joe Horlen
* Ricky Horton
* LaMarr Hoyt
* Tommy John
* Bart Johnson
* Sad Sam Jones
* Vern Kennedy
* Dickey Kerr
* Jerry Koosman
* Ken Kravec
* Thornton Lee
* Eddie Lopat
* Ted Lyons
* Jack McDowell
* Ray Moore
* Jaime Navarro
* Frank Owen
* Roy Patterson
* Mélido Pérez
* Gary Peters
* Billy Pierce
* Juan Pizarro
* José Quintana
* Jerry Reuss
* Johnny Rigney
* Charlie Robertson
* Carlos Rodón
* Saul Rogovin
* Reb Russell
* Chris Sale
* Jeff Samardzija
* Jim Scott
* Tom Seaver
* James Shields
* Mike Sirotka
* Eddie Smith
* Frank Smith
* Steve Stone
* Tommy Thomas
* Sloppy Thurston
* Steve Trout
* Virgil Trucks
* Ed Walsh
* David Wells
* Doc White
* Bill Wight
* Lefty Williams
* John Whitehead
* Wilbur Wood
* Early Wynn

* v
* t
* e

American League season strikeout leaders

* 1901: Young
* 1902: Waddell
* 1903: Waddell
* 1904: Waddell
* 1905: Waddell
* 1906: Waddell
* 1907: Waddell
* 1908: Walsh
* 1909: Smith
* 1910: W. Johnson
* 1911: Walsh
* 1912: W. Johnson
* 1913: W. Johnson
* 1914: W. Johnson
* 1915: W. Johnson
* 1916: W. Johnson
* 1917: W. Johnson
* 1918: W. Johnson
* 1919: W. Johnson
* 1920: Coveleski
* 1921: W. Johnson
* 1922: Shocker
* 1923: W. Johnson
* 1924: W. Johnson
* 1925: Grove
* 1926: Grove
* 1927: Grove
* 1928: Grove
* 1929: Grove
* 1930: Grove
* 1931: Grove
* 1932: Ruffing
* 1933: Gomez
* 1934: Gomez
* 1935: Bridges
* 1936: Bridges
* 1937: Gomez
* 1938: Feller
* 1939: Feller
* 1940: Feller
* 1941: Feller
* 1942: Hughson & Newsom
* 1943: Reynolds
* 1944: Newhouser
* 1945: Newhouser
* 1946: Feller
* 1947: Feller
* 1948: Feller
* 1949: Trucks
* 1950: Lemon
* 1951: Raschi
* 1952: Reynolds
* 1953: Pierce
* 1954: Turley
* 1955: Score
* 1956: Score
* 1957: Wynn
* 1958: Wynn
* 1959: Bunning
* 1960: Bunning
* 1961: Pascual
* 1962: Pascual
* 1963: Pascual
* 1964: Downing
* 1965: McDowell
* 1966: McDowell
* 1967: Lonborg
* 1968: McDowell
* 1969: McDowell
* 1970: McDowell
* 1971: Lolich
* 1972: Ryan
* 1973: Ryan
* 1974: Ryan
* 1975: Tanana
* 1976: Ryan
* 1977: Ryan
* 1978: Ryan
* 1979: Ryan
* 1980: Barker
* 1981: Barker
* 1982: Bannister
* 1983: Morris
* 1984: Langston
* 1985: Blyleven
* 1986: Langston
* 1987: Langston
* 1988: Clemens
* 1989: Ryan
* 1990: Ryan
* 1991: Clemens
* 1992: R. Johnson
* 1993: R. Johnson
* 1994: R. Johnson
* 1995: R. Johnson
* 1996: Clemens
* 1997: Clemens
* 1998: Clemens
* 1999: Martínez
* 2000: Martínez
* 2001: Nomo
* 2002: Martínez
* 2003: Loaiza
* 2004: Santana
* 2005: Santana
* 2006: Santana
* 2007: Kazmir
* 2008: Burnett
* 2009: Verlander
* 2010: Weaver
* 2011: Verlander
* 2012: Verlander
* 2013: Darvish
* 2014: Price
* 2015: Sale
* 2016: Verlander
* 2017: Sale
* 2018: Verlander
* 2019: Cole
* 2020: Bieber
* 2021: Ray
* 2022: Cole
* 2023: Gausman

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