Why the 40th Anniversary of Baseball's Last 30 Game Winner Will Not Be Celebrated: The Disgrace of Denny McLain

It is hard to remember in this time when 50 home-run seasons have become as common as the 40-homer season was in the years 1969-1994, an era in which the leading slugger in one of the two leagues could top his circuit with between 32 and 39 dingers, that 1968 was the "Year of the Pitcher." In that season, only one batter in the American League, future Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, hit over .300. Yaz, the defending A.L. Most Valuable Player, hit all of .301, the lowest average ever to top the junior circuit. Yaz lost his MVP crown that year to Denny McClain, the first pitcher to notch 30 wins since Dizzy Dean in 1934 and the last 30 game-winner in baseball history. McLain also garnered the Cy Young Memorial Award as best pitcher in the American League.

So momentous was McLain's achievement, that it overwhelmed the regular season performance of future Hall of Famer Bob Gibson in the senior circuit, who posted a 22-9 record against a stingy earned run average of a 1.12. For his outstanding season, Gibson likewise won MVP and Cy Young honors. Gibby's ERA led both leagues and harkened back to the Dead Ball Era of the pre-Babe Ruth 20^th Century. (Gibby threw an amazing 13 shutouts in 1968. In three of his nine losses, he gave up just one earned run, and he surrendered just two earned runs in three other losses. He had a 2.14 ERA in his nine losses and would have racked up a 30-2 record had the Cardinals plated four runs in each of his starts that year.)