Jack Hamilton (baseball) - Tony Conigliaro Incident

Tony Conigliaro Incident

In 1967, Hamilton was enjoying one of the best seasons of his career when he was traded by the New York Mets to the California Angels. On August 18, the Angels were playing the Boston Red Sox in a game that would have important implications for the American League pennant race. The game became a turning point in the careers of two players. Facing Red Sox outfielder Tony Conigliaro, who was set in a stance close to home plate, Hamilton hit Conigliaro with a pitch on the left cheekbone that fractured his cheekbone and eye socket and severely damaged his retina. Conigliaro nearly died, and the damage to his vision kept him off the field the remainder of the year and all of 1968. He made a promising-but-brief comeback in 1969-1970 until his vision problems returned, which eventually forced his early retirement from baseball in 1975 at age 30. Hamilton never fully recovered, either --- unwilling to pitch inside for fear of severely injuring another batter, Hamilton's strikeout rate declined, his opponents' batting average rose, and his earned run average soared. He retired in 1969, finishing his career with the Chicago White Sox.