Ken Holtzman: No-Hit Pioneer and Athletics Dynasty Pitcher
Ken Holtzman (November 3, 1945 – April 15, 2024) was an American professional baseball player and coach. He was a left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1965 through 1979 for the Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, and New York Yankees, and is a member of the Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame.
Early Life and Education
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 in St. Louis in 1963. He attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he played college baseball for the Illinois Fighting Illini, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in business administration and French.
Career and Achievements
The Chicago Cubs selected Holtzman in the fourth round of the 1965 Major League Baseball draft. At age 19, he pitched 12 games in the minor leagues in 1965, compiling an 8–3 record with a 1.99 earned run average and 114 strikeouts in 86 innings across the Treasure Valley Cubs and Wenatchee Chiefs.
Promoted to the majors in September 1965, Holtzman made three relief appearances that year before joining the Cubs’ starting rotation in 1966. Heralded as “the new Sandy Koufax,” he notably defeated Koufax on September 25, 1966, by a 2–1 score, becoming the last pitcher to beat him during the regular season. Holtzman served in the National Guard in 1967, appearing in only 12 games but posting a 9–0 record. After going 11–14 in 1968, he posted consecutive 17-win seasons in 1969 and 1970. In 1970, he finished third in the National League in starts with a 17–11 record and 3.38 ERA.
On August 19, 1969, Holtzman pitched a no-hitter at Wrigley Field against the Atlanta Braves, winning 3–0. Remarkably, he recorded no strikeouts and three walks in the game, becoming only the third pitcher ever to throw a no-hitter without a strikeout. On June 3, 1971, he pitched his second career no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds at Riverfront Stadium, winning 1–0.
Holtzman was traded to the Oakland Athletics in November 1971 in exchange for outfielder Rick Monday. With Oakland, he joined a staff featuring Vida Blue and Catfish Hunter during the team’s dynasty years. He won 19 games in 1972 and was named to the All-Star team for the first time. In 1973, his finest season, Holtzman went 21–13 in 40 starts with a 2.97 ERA and 157 strikeouts, leading the Athletics alongside fellow 20-game winners. He appeared in three World Series with Oakland, winning championships in 1972, 1973, and 1974. After his time with the Athletics ended in 1975, Holtzman pitched for the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees before retiring in 1979.
Notable Events and Milestones
Holtzman was named National League Player of the Month in May 1969 after posting a 6–0 record with a 2.16 ERA and 44 strikeouts. His August 19, 1969 no-hitter at Wrigley Field featured a memorable moment when the wind held up a long Hank Aaron drive in left field, allowing Billy Williams to make the catch. The 1970 Cubs rotation of Holtzman, Ferguson Jenkins, Milt Pappas, and Bill Hands is considered by baseball historian Bill James to be the best rotation of the 1970s.
During the 1973 season, Holtzman made 40 starts, a workload matched by only two other left-handers over the next 33 years. In the 1973 American League Championship Series, he won an 11-inning duel against Mike Cuellar in Game 3 when Bert Campaneris homered in the bottom of the 11th. His 1973 World Series performance included victories in Games 1 and 7 against the New York Mets.
Awards and Honors
Holtzman was a two-time All-Star, selected in 1972 and 1973. He was named National League Player of the Month in May 1969. He is a member of the Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame.
Additional Resources
For more detailed information about Ken Holtzman’s career, statistics, and role in baseball history, readers can consult his Wikipedia biography and other comprehensive baseball reference archives that document his achievements with the Cubs, Athletics, and other teams.
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