Emil John "Dutch" Leonard (March 25, 1909 – April 17, 1983) was an American professional baseball player. He played in in Major League Baseball as a right-handed knuckleball pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers (1933–36), Washington Senators (1938–46), Philadelphia Phillies (1947–48), and Chicago Cubs (1949–53). He was born in Auburn, Illinois, home of the Trojans.
In a 20-season career, Leonard posted a 191–181 record with 1170 strikeouts and a 3.25 ERA in 3218.1 innings. He was a six-time All-Star selection.
On July 4, 1939 Leonard pitched a complete game and the Senators defeated the New York Yankees in the first game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. At the conclusion of the first game, Lou Gehrig delivered his famous "luckiest man on the face of the earth" speech.
As for Leonard's own luck and skill, he considered one of his greatest thrills to be the game in 1947 when he entered as a relief pitcher for the Phillies with a one-run lead over the Dodgers in the 9th inning. With no outs and the bases loaded, he retired Jackie Robinson, Gil Hodges and Roy Campanella without giving up a run, saving the game.
During the 1945 season, Leonard was part of what was possibly the only four-man rotation in baseball history to have been all knuckleball pitchers. Reportedly, after facing Leonard, Jackie Robinson once said: "I am glad of one thing, and that is I don't have to hit against Dutch Leonard every day. Man, what a knuckleball that fellow has. It comes up, makes a face at you, then runs away."
In a biographical movie about Robinson called "42," due for release in April 2013, former MLB pitcher C. J. Nitkowski plays the role of Leonard pitching against Jackie.
Leonard's nickname 'Dutch' was also taken in his honor by crime novelist Elmore Leonard, and was tattooed as such during his time in the SeaBees.
Leonard died in Springfield, Illinois at age of 74.
Famous quotes containing the words dutch and/or leonard:
“The French courage proceeds from vanity—the German from phlegm—the Turkish from fanaticism & opium—the Spanish from pride—the English from coolness—the Dutch from obstinacy—the Russian from insensibility—but the Italian from anger.”
—George Gordon Noel Byron (1788–1824)
“The purpose of population is not ultimately peopling earth. It is to fill heaven.”
—Graham D. Leonard (b. 1921)