Canadian baseball player (born 1940)
For the American novelist and screenwriter, see
Peter Craig .
Baseball player
Peter Joel Craig (born July 10, 1940) is a Canadian former professional baseball player . He pitched in six games in Major League Baseball , four as a starter , over parts of three seasons (1964–1966) for the Washington Senators . He also pitched in the minor leagues from 1963 to 1967. Craig batted left-handed, threw right-handed, stood 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) tall and weighed 220 lb (100 kg).
Early life and career
Born in LaSalle, Ontario , Craig attended Assumption College School , where he failed three times to make the school's baseball team.[ 1] He attended college at the University of Detroit Mercy , where he spent three years pitching for the Detroit Mercy Titans . In his first varsity start on April 15, 1961, he pitched a seven-inning no-hitter against Olivet College .[ 2] He finished his college career with a 20-4 win–loss record and a school-record 219 strikeouts.[ 3] [ 4]
Craig was signed as an amateur free agent by the Detroit Tigers on June 13, 1963, for about $13,000 and was assigned to the Class A Duluth-Superior Dukes of the Northern League .[ 5] [ 6] He pitched a complete game , one-hitter against the Winnipeg Goldeyes on July 21.[ 7] After Duluth-Superior won the Northern League championship, Craig was promoted to the Double-A Knoxville Smokies in late August.[ 8] He finished the 1963 season with a 8–6 record and 2.32 earned run average across both leagues, with his 2.51 mark with Duluth-Superior the lowest in the Northern League.[ 9] [ 10] In April 1964, he was claimed by the Washington Senators for $8,000.[ 11] In 28 games with the Rocky Mount Senators in 1964, he led the league with 20 complete games and 208 innings pitched and was named a Carolina League all-star.[ 12]
Bouncing from minor to major leagues
Craig was called up to the Senators on September 3, 1964, and made his major league debut on September 6 against the Tigers.[ 13] [ 14] He allowed four earned runs in 1.0 innings in his debut, and would make one more appearance on October 4. In a start against the Boston Red Sox , he yielded five runs and issued three base on balls in 0.2 innings.[ 15] [ 16]
In April 1965, the Senators sent Craig down to the Triple-A Hawaii Islanders .[ 17] After going 14-11 for Hawaii, he was recalled to Washington on September 4.[ 18] [ 19] He started and lost all three games that he appeared in, allowing 13 earned runs in 14.1 innings and striking out two batters.[ 20] He won 14 minor league games for the third-straight season in 1966 before being recalled on September 6, 1966.[ 21] Craig appeared in one major league game that month, pitching 2.0 innings against the Chicago White Sox on September 24.[ 22] He began the 1967 season with the
Indianapolis Indians before rejoining the Islanders on July 11.[ 23] [ 24] Craig quit baseball after the 1967 season and worked at a bank in North Carolina .[ 25]
References
^ "Ex-Titan Real Tiger" . Detroit Free Press . February 26, 1964. p. 22. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Olivet Nine In No-Hit Defeat" . Battle Creek Enquirer . April 16, 1961. p. 21. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Craig Waits Pro Offers At U. of D." Windsor Star . May 21, 1963. p. 23. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Tigers Sign Titans' Craig" . Detroit Free Press . June 14, 1963. p. 47. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Nelson, Jim (February 11, 1967). "Coming 'N' Going" . Windsor Star . p. 22. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Craig Signs With Tigers for $13,000" . Windsor Star . June 14, 1963. p. 7. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Craig's 1-Hitter Gives Duluth Another Victory" . Winona Daily News . Associated Press. July 22, 1963. p. 14. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Harris, Harold (August 31, 1963). "New Pitcher Joins Club" . Knoxville News Sentinel . p. 6. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Pete Craig statistics at Baseball-Reference (Minors)" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved July 8, 2022 .
^ "Rox Finish High in NL Defense" . St. Cloud Times . October 23, 1963. p. 37. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ United Press International (April 13, 1964). "Ex-Tiger Craig Goes to Nats" . Lansing State Journal . p. 19. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Pete Craig, pitcher" . Honolulu Star-Bulletin . April 14, 1966. p. 56. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Pete Craig Going Up" . Rocky Mount Telegram . September 3, 1964. p. 23. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Tigers Top Senators 3rd Time" . Detroit Free Press . September 7, 1964. p. 8. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Pete Craig 1964 pitching game log at Baseball-Reference" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved July 8, 2022 .
^ "Sox Lose Big Lead, Rally to Win, 14-8" . The Boston Globe . October 5, 1964. p. 21. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Senators Purchase Orioles' McCormick" . Fort Worth Star-Telegram . Associated Press. April 4, 1965. p. 78. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Senators Recall Craig" . Hawaii Tribune-Herald . Associated Press. September 5, 1965. p. 78. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Nats Call Craig" . Detroit Free Press . September 5, 1965. p. 22. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Pete Craig 1965 pitching game log at Baseball-Reference" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved July 8, 2022 .
^ "Senators Call Up Three Islanders" . The Honolulu Advertiser . September 7, 1966. p. 21. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Pete Craig 1966 pitching game log at Baseball-Reference" . Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved July 8, 2022 .
^ "Craig Assigned to Indianapolis" . Honolulu Star-Bulletin . April 30, 1967. p. 65. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Craig Back With Islanders" . The Honolulu Advertiser . July 12, 1967. p. 25. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Hawaii bows to ex-Islanders, 6-4" . Honolulu Star-Bulletin . March 26, 1968. p. 28. Retrieved July 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
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