John Candelaria

Lore & Background

Candelaria was born on November 6, 1953, to Puerto Rican parents. He is the second of four children born to John and Felicia Candelaria. He grew up in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York. He frequently attended New York Yankees games at Yankee Stadium. At age 15, a Dodgers scout called him the best he had ever seen at a tryout. He played basketball in the BSN for the Piratas de Quebradillas in 1971 and 1972. He attended La Salle Academy and led his basketball team to a championship in 1971. He suffered personal tragedy on Christmas morning 1984, when his 18-month-old son John Jr. fell into the family's swimming pool. John Jr. died in a Pittsburgh hospital on November 14, 1985.

Reader's Guide

Candelaria quickly worked through the Pirates' minor league system, going 10-2 in single-A in 1973. He went 7-1 in AAA in 1975 and earned a call-up in June. He went 8-6 for the remainder of 1975 and started Game 3 of the 1975 NLCS, striking out 14 Reds but giving up a game-tying home run to Pete Rose. He had a 16-7 record in 1976, including a no-hitter against the Dodgers on August 9.

His best season was 1977, when he was 20–5 with a 2.34 ERA. He was a member of the 1979 World Series champion Pirates, starting Game 1 of the NLCS and Game 3 and Game 6 of the World Series. He remained an effective starter through 1984. In 1985 he was moved to the bullpen, then traded to the Angels on August 2 (completed August 16) with George Hendrick and Al Holland for Pat Clements, Mike Brown, and later Bob Kipper.

He went 7–3 down the stretch in 1985 and helped the Angels into the 1986 ALCS with a 10–2 record. He played for both New York teams, both Los Angeles teams, and both Canadian teams. He finished his career in Pittsburgh in 1993.

Did You Know?

• Candelaria is the only MLB pitcher to record a win in each of the four Canadian big-league ballparks: Jarry Park, Olympic Stadium, Exhibition Stadium, and SkyDome.
• He once confronted teammate Reggie Jackson about his bullying of reporter Lisa Nehus Saxon.
• Tommy John noted that Candelaria would throw strikes on 0-2 pitches rather than waste a pitch.