1967: A Perfect Season for Ken Holtzman: A Weekend Wonder in the Summer of Love

 

The flip side of Ken Holtzman’s 1968 Topps baseball card speaks to the 22-year-old’s accomplishments in 1967, his sophomore season in The Show: “While fulfilling his military obligations. Ken pitched for Chicago whenever he was able to get a weekend pass.”

Conscription was a real factor in young people’s lives in 1967. As the Vietnam War escalated, some were drafted, others waited to be drafted, and some enlisted. Ken Holtzman enlisted in the Illinois National Guard in January 1967. The call to active service ultimately came with an order to report on May 22, 1967.1 Holtzman’s saga was not unique for the times. In fact, Sports Illustrated observed, “For the first time since World War II, both major league pennant races could be determined by military obligations.”2 The young Cubs roster endured more absences than most teams, though none was quite as drastic as Holtzman’s.3 Holtzman started just 12 games in 1967. The first three inconspicuously ended up as no-decisions. On Saturday night, April 29, Holtzman logged his first victory, a nine-inning, six-hit, complete game performance against the fledging Houston Astros. The Cubs triumphed, 4-1, at the Astrodome.

On May 5, back at Wrigley Field, Holtzman scored his second win against his hometown team, the St. Louis Cardinals. The feat was not without some drama. Holtzman was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the seventh inning, with the Cubs trailing, 3-1. A three-run rally sparked by four consecutive two- out-singles by Billy Williams, Lee Thomas, Ron Santo, and Ernie Banks salvaged a 5-3 triumph. Said Holtzman, “First time, I’ve ever won a game up here after leaving it.”4 Holtzman won his third game in a row on Wednesday, May 10, before just 2,176 fans on a rugged 48-degree Chicago afternoon. Luck was on his side again during the 5-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants. Holtzman’s rocky pitching line in the adverse conditions included 72/₃ innings, eight hits, and eight walks. He loaded the bases in the second, third, and fourth innings, but the Giants left 14 men on base in the game. Dick Radatz came in from the pen to retire Willie Mays with two outs in the eighth, and survived a shaky ninth inning to secure the win.

Holtzman’s fourth win came against the Dodgers in the City of Angels. Holtzman pitched a complete game in an epic, 11-inning, three-hour and 24-minute affair. It was the nightcap of a marathon Sunday doubleheader in which both games went to extras. Holtzman himself began a rally with a one-out single off Dodger reliver Ron Perranoski in the top of the eleventh inning. The Cubs won, 6-3, after subsequent singles by Popovich, Beckert, and Billy Williams, who further supported the win with a perfect 5-5 day at the plate.5 A May 20 game at Wrigley Field was Holtzman’s last start before reporting for duty. The Cubs honored him with a 20-3 shellacking of the Dodgers, including home runs by Adolpho Phillips, Randy Hundley, and Beckert. The defense chipped in with three double plays. Holtzman pitched a complete game, yielding seven hits and striking out three.

Holtzman began service with the 108th US Army National Guard Medical Battalion in Fort Polk, Louisiana. A June 17 Associated Press photo documented his training experience. It was captioned, “Baseball Pro in New Training,” and quoted Holtzman as saying, “Actually, I kind of like it.”6 Holtzman graduated basic training on July 22 and continued service obligations with medic training in San Antonio, Texas, at the Brooke Army Medical Center on Fort Sam Houston.7 Holtzman discovered he could fly to a game destination, start a baseball game, and return to military service all while on a weekend pass. To properly prepare for that event, the Cubs dispatched Elvin Tappe to Texas. The two spent about two weeks gradually working Holtzman’s arm back into shape.8

On August 13, after 85 days without throwing a big-league pitch, Holtzman came home to Chicago for the first game of a Sunday doubleheader. Some 32,750 fans saw Holtzman go 51/₃ innings before running out of gas.9“When Mr. Durocher came in the sixth and asked me if I was struggling,” Holtzman said, “I said I was and that was it.” Bill Stoneman saved the 6-2 victory against the Phillies.10

On Saturday, August 19, Holtzman missed a flight connection but eventually arrived in the Liberty Bell City after stops in Atlanta and Baltimore.11 The next day, he notched his seventh straight win, going eight innings against the Phillies. The Cubs won, 6-1, and Stoneman once again provided relief help. The offense provided a 14-hit barrage with a home run from Ernie Banks.12

It took two weeks for Holtzman to get another weekend pass. He faced the Mets in the nightcap of a Sunday doubleheader on September 3, the day before Labor Day. It was the seventh straight game between the two teams in just four days.13 Holtzman threw 72/₃ innings for the 6-3 victory.

Holtzman flew to Cincinnati for the penultimate game of the regular season. On Saturday, September 30, the Cubs welcomed their teammate by rocking Reds starter Milt Pappas with an eight-spot in the first inning. That made Holtzman’s work easy, and he coasted to a 9-4 victory at Crosley Field. His six-inning stint helped the secure a third-place finish. Holtzman ended the season with a perfect 9-0 record.

In the game of baseball, perfection rarely happens. The game is not designed for perfect performance, but it is occasionally accentuated by such acts of noteworthy achievement. There have been perfect days at the plate by batters. There have been rare perfect games thrown by pitchers. Perfect seasons thrown by pitchers are even rarer.

You will not find Holtzman in Cooperstown, but he has been inducted into the Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame, the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, and the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame. In a 2018 interview upon his induction the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame, Holtz- man reflected on the 1967 season, “The military and the Major Leagues allowed me to travel, and it seemed like every time I showed up, the Cubs would score eight or ten runs and I wound up 9-0. It was just one of those magical years.”14

Holtzman did have run support as he supported his country. In the four “leave games,” the Cubs scored six runs three times and nine runs once, for a total of 27. In all, they rang up 67 runs for Holtzman’s nine wins.

On August 14, reflecting on Holtzman’s first start after military training, Chicago Tribune reporter Robert Markus wrote, “More than 30,000 turned out yesterday to cheer for Kenny Holtzman. It’s not that Ken Holtz- man has done more than millions of other young men before him. It’s just that when they called his name he answered. He marched off to do his duty and perhaps it’s a reflection of our times that a man can be a hero for doing no more that than— his duty.”15 

JEFF HOWARD grew up on the Northwest Side of Chicago and is a frequent contributor to the SABR Games Project. Jeff attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, played four years of DIII College Football, had a weekly sports column and read the news for the campus radio station. On graduation, he worked in the insurance industry and recently retired from a Research Analyst position for the largest labor healthcare fund in the country. He has mentored youth and organized multiple community baseball, softball, and basketball teams as a volunteer, teaching kids to appreciate and love the games they play.

 

Notes

1. Robert Markus. “Must Serve at Least 6 Months: Cubs lost Holtzman to Active Duty,” Chicago Tribune, May 7, 1967, B1.

2. “Scoreboard. Secret Weapon,” Sports Illustrated, June 26, 1967, 14. https://vault.si.com/vault/1967/06/26/42991#&gid=ci0258bdee400226ef&pid=42991—016—image. The article cites multiple teams and players affected by military service in 1967, including Jim Lonborg, Joe Morgan, Rod Carew, and Mickey Lolich.

3. “Cubs Regain Popovich, Lose Ellis,” Chicago Tribune, August 15, 1967, C2. Paul Popovich spent two weeks with the West Virginia National Guard and had returned just as pitcher Jim Ellis started a two-week stint with the Marines. Cubs infielders Glenn Beckert, Don Kessinger and Paul Popovich also served intermittent military obligations that season.

4. Edward Prell. “3-Run rally in 7th Brings 5-3 triumph,” Chicago Tribune, May 6, 1967, E1.

5. Game 1 also went to extra innings, with the Dodgers winning, 2-1, on a two-out, walk-off single by Willie Davis in the tenth. Don Drysdale logged the win.

6. The AP Photo caption also stated that he was “the only pitcher in the National League with a perfect record.”

7. Richard Dozer. “Cubs Triumph in 12: Beat Giants, 5-4.” Chicago Tribune, July 22, 1967, F1.

8. “The Pitcher is a Private.” July 26, 1967 AP Wire photo. Photo with Holtzman (in Army fatigues) and Tappe with caption that reads, “Cubs pitcher Ken Holtzman puts on a glove for a workout with Cub coach Elvin Tappe. Holtzman…Tappe is here to give the young pitcher daily workouts after the Army work day is over.” Tappe, a former catcher and member of the College-of-Coaches was a current scout in the Cubs organization.

9. George Langford, ”Ken Gives blood to Hurl for Cubs,” Chicago Tribune, August 13, 1967, B1. In the article, Holtzman said, “The only reason I was assured of being here was because I donated a couple pints of blood for Viet Nam. Which automatically gets you a pass.”

10. George Langford, “Holtzman Gets Answers,” Chicago Tribune, August 14, 1967. C2.

11. “Holtzman Will Pitch Against the Phillies Today.” Chicago Tribune. August 20, 1967, B1.

12. Richard Dozer, “Cubs Rout Phillies, 6-1,” Chicago Tribune, August 21, 1967. C1. “Holtzman could have gone the distance but to do so, it risked him being AWOL on his return to camp. As it was, he pitched 8 innings, exited the game, showered, left the ballpark with suitcase in hand, grabbed a cab at 5:30 to make his 6:25 flight to San Antonio.”

13. It marked the third successive doubleheader between the two teams on Labor Day weekend, due to the need to make up four rainouts. A Thursday makeup game from a June 10 Chicago rainout started the series. The three doubleheaders allowed the teams to make up three straight rainouts in New York City in August (with a rare site change). The Cubs won five of the seven contests.

14. St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame 2018 Induction interview. https://www.stlshof.com/ken-holtzman, 6:28.

15. Robert Markus, “When Kenny Comes Marching Home,” Chicago Tribune, August 14, 1967, C3.