Dean Chance

Lore & Background

In 1964, Chance became at the time the youngest pitcher to win the Cy Young Award when, as a member of the Los Angeles Angels, he led the American League in wins (20), innings pitched (278) and earned run average (1.65—a franchise record) and was third in the A.L. in strikeouts. He pitched 11 shutouts (also a franchise record) that season, winning five of those by a 1–0 score. At the time, only one Cy Young Award was given in all of MLB; since 1967, separate awards have been given in the AL and the National League. Chance's Cy Young Award was the third in a string of five consecutive Cy Young Awards won by a pitcher from a Los Angeles–based team. The others were won by Dodger pitchers: Don Drysdale in 1962 and Sandy Koufax in 1963, 1965, and 1966.

Reader's Guide

Chance attended Northwestern High School in West Salem, Ohio, and starred on the baseball team and basketball teams (leading the team to a 1958 state title). During his high school years, he set several state records which still stand including a 52–1 career record, 20 wins in a season, 32 straight wins, eight no-hitters in a season (in both his junior and senior years), and 17 no-hitters total. He also led the Huskies to the Class A state semifinals in 1958 and a championship in 1959. Following high school, Chance signed with the Baltimore Orioles (for a $30,000 bonus and $12 Greyhound bus ticket) prior to the start of the 1959 season as an amateur free agent. After signing, he was assigned to the Bluefield Orioles in the class-D Appalachian League where he went 10–3 with a 2.94 ERA. In 1960, he went 12–9 for Fox Cities Foxes in class-B Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League. On December 14, 1960, Chance was drafted by the Washington Senators as the 48th pick in the 1960 AL expansion draft. Immediately following the draft, Chance was traded by the Senators to the Los Angeles Angels for outfielder Joe Hicks. He pitched most of 1961 for the Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers, going 9–12, before making his major league debut on September 11, 1961, at the age of 20. Chance finished the season 0–2 with a 6.87 ERA in five games. Chance had an outstanding rookie campaign in 1962, winning 14 games with an ERA of 2.96 and finishing tied for third in AL Rookie of the Year voting with Bernie Allen and Dick Radatz (behind fellow Angel Buck Rodgers and winner Tom Tresh). The 1962 campaign was notable for the Angels as Chance and fellow phenom Bo Belinsky teamed on both the mound and in the Hollywood social circles. Although he lost 18 games in 1963, he finished with a 3.19 ERA in 248 innings. After his 1964 season in which he won the Cy Young Award and was elected to his first All-Star Game, Chance went 15–10 in 1965 and 12–17 in 1966, despite a respectable ERA of 3.08. After the 1966 season, the Angels traded Chance and infielder Jackie Hernández to the Minnesota Twins on December 2 for outfielder Jimmie Hall, slugging first baseman Don Mincher, and relief pitcher Pete Cimino. Chance responded by winning 20 games for the Twins in 1967, leading the AL in games started (39), complete games (18) and innings pitched (283).

Did You Know?

• Chance's career batting average is the lowest ever recorded by any major league player with at least 300 plate appearances.
• He once pitched a rain-shortened, five-inning perfect game against the Red Sox in 1967.