Happy Baseball Birthday! to former big league pitcher Tracy Stallard.
Tracy Stallard is best known by baseball fans as the pitcher who gave up home run #61 to Roger Maris during the final game of the 1961 season at Yankee Stadium.
Evan Tracy Stallard was born 77 years ago today, August 31, 1937, in Coeburn, Virginia.
Tracy attended Coeburn high school and signed as a amateur free agent with the Boston Red Sox in 1956.
Tracy made his big league debut on September 14, 1960, and pitched for 7 years with the Red Sox, New York Mets, and St. Louis Cardinals.
Tracy won his first game as a starting pitcher on August 10, 1961, tossing 8 innings, striking out 8 Minnesota Twins batters in the BoSox 3-2 win.
Tracy compiled a 30-47 big league pitching record, with a 4.17 era in 138 games, in 764 2/3 innings.
After his big league career, Stallard pitched in the minor leagues, playing for teams like the Tulsa Oilers, Dallas-Forth Worth Spurs, and pitching in AAA Mexican League for Torreon and Cordoba.
In 1968 Stallard took a year off from pitching to take over as the pitching coach with the High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms, under rookie manager Jack McKeon.
You can purchase memorabilia, and #61 signed baseballs from Tracy at
Happy 77th Baseball Birthday Tracy Stallard!
PLAY BALL!
