Dan Quisenberry

The submarine closer who led the AL in saves five times and finished runner-up for the Cy Young Award twice.

Daniel Raymond Quisenberry (February 7, 1953 – September 30, 1998), nicknamed "Quiz", was an American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the Kansas City Royals. Notable for his submarine-style pitching delivery and his humorous quotes, he led the American League (AL) in saves a record five times (1980, 1982–85). In each season he led the league in saves, Quisenberry finished in the top five of the AL Cy Young Award voting, including runner-up finishes in 1983 and 1984 to LaMarr Hoyt and Willie Hernández, respectively. He retired in 1990 with 244 saves, the fifth-highest total in major league history at the time.

Quick Facts

Position: Pitcher
Bats: Right
Born: 7 February 1953
Birthplace: Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Died: 30 September 1998
Place of death: Leawood, Kansas, U.S.
Debut league: MLB
Debut date: July 8

Lore & Background

Quisenberry was born in Santa Monica, California. His name is the English mutation of the German surname Questenberg, a village in Saxony-Anhalt. His parents divorced when he was 7, and his mother remarried Art Meola, a Rockwell International engineer who encouraged him and his older brother to play baseball. He played baseball at Costa Mesa High School/Middle School. In 1973, while attending Orange Coast College, he was named team MVP. He was then recruited by the University of La Verne, a Church of the Brethren college, where he met his future wife, Janie Howard, while attending a class in square dancing. Quisenberry signed with the Royals as an amateur free agent in 1975 for a Class A team in Waterloo, Iowa, and pitched a complete game in his first start. At the end of the season, he was promoted to the Double-A team in Jacksonville, Florida. At the time, he worked for a sporting goods store during the day and a mortuary at night. In the winter of 1978, he attended Fresno Pacific University, affiliated with the Mennonite Brethren Church, to get a teaching degree. On July 8, 1979, he made his major league debut with the Kansas City Royals against the Chicago White Sox, pitching scoreless innings, and surrendering just two hits and no walks. He appeared in 32 games and posted a record with a 3.15 ERA and five saves. During spring training in 1980, manager Jim Frey suggested that Quisenberry learn the submarine-style delivery from Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Kent Tekulve. From 1980 to 1985, Quisenberry was the American League's dominant closer, leading the AL in saves every season except the strike-shortened 1981 season. During that time, he posted an ERA of 2.45 and won the Rolaids Relief Man Award each season. He also finished in the top five in voting for the Cy Young Award during this span. He won the Sporting News Reliever of the Year Award every year from 1982 to 1985. His primary pitch was a sinking fastball; he also threw a curveball, a changeup he developed in 1984, and an occasional knuckleball. His 45 saves in 1983 set a single-season MLB record, later tied in 1984 by Bruce Sutter and broken in 1986 by Dave Righetti, and set a team record that was tied in 1993 by Jeff Montgomery and surpassed in 2013 by Greg Holland. Quisenberry was the first pitcher in major league history to save more than 40 games in a season twice in his career.

Reader's Guide

Quisenberry was a right-handed relief pitcher known for his submarine-style delivery, which he adopted in spring training 1980 at the suggestion of manager Jim Frey. He relied on pinpoint control, guile, and deception, with a sinking fastball as his primary pitch. He averaged only 3.3 strikeouts per nine innings but seldom walked batters or threw wild pitches. He led the AL in saves five times (1980, 1982–85) and finished in the top five of Cy Young voting each of those years, with runner-up finishes in 1983 and 1984.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Dan Quisenberry?

He was a right-handed relief pitcher nicknamed Quiz who spent the majority of his career with the Kansas City Royals. His submarine pitching style made him one of the most recognizable closers in baseball history.

How did Dan Quisenberry's career conclude?

Quisenberry retired in 1990 after accumulating 244 saves, which was the fifth-highest total at that moment. He left the game as a beloved figure who helped define an era for Kansas City fans.