Mike Garcia (AL Pitcher)
Edward Miguel "Mike" Garcia (November 17, 1923 – January 13, 1986) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) of Mexican-Indian descent who played 12 of his 14 major league seasons for the Cleveland Indians. He was one of the Indians' "Big Four" pitching staff from 1949 to 1954, along with Hall of Famers Bob Lemon, Early Wynn, and Bob Feller. The staff was considered one of the great rotations in baseball history. During those six seasons Garcia compiled a record of 104 wins against 57 losses, posting a pair of 20-win campaigns and leading the American League in earned run average (ERA) and shutouts twice each. During that time he was considered to be amongst the game's five best pitchers and for the 1954 season, "it could be claimed, he was considered to be the best pitcher on the season." The Indians that year won an American League-record 111 games.
Garcia, nicknamed the "Big Bear," was selected as one of the Top 100 Greatest Indians in March 2001. He was inducted in the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame in 2007. "Mike was a sneak. His physical size belied really fine control," Lemon said. "Hitting a Garcia pitch was like hitting a shotput."
Read more about Mike Garcia (AL Pitcher): Early Life, Off The Field
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