Warren Spahn (April 23, 1921 - November 24, 2003) was an American Major League Baseball player. Spahn pitched 21 major league seasons. He is acknowledged as arguably the best lefthanded pitcher in Major League Baseball history.
Spahn spent all but one year with the Braves, first in Boston, and then in Milwaukee, finishing his career in 1965 splitting time with the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets. Spahn won more games than any lefty (363) and trailed only Cy Young (511), Walter Johnson (417), Grover Cleveland Alexander (373), Christy Mathewson (373), and Pud Galvin (364) on the all-time list. Spahn also threw two no-hitters, won 20 or more games 13 seasons, won 3 ERA titles, appeared in 14 All-Star games, and holds the National League record for career home runs by a pitcher with 35.
He pitched in the World Series for the Braves in 1948, 1957, and 1958. During the 1948 season, he combined with teammate Johnny Sain to anchor a pitching rotation which was generally considered to be exceptionally weak otherwise, leading to a popular saying which entered Baseball lore as "Spahn and Sain and pray for rain."
Spahn also served in the United States Army in World War II and was wounded in Europe. He was awarded both a Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for bravery.
Spahn died November 24 of 2003, apparently of natural causes, at his home in Oklahoma.
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973.
"Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing."
Warren Spahn's career statistics at Baseball-Reference.comQuotes
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