Howie Pollet | |||
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Pitcher | |||
Born: New Orleans, Louisiana |
June 26, 1921|||
Died: August 8, 1974 Houston, Texas |
(aged 53)|||
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MLB debut | |||
August 20, 1941, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
Last MLB appearance | |||
September 23, 1956, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
MLB statistics | |||
Win–loss record | 131–116 | ||
Earned run average | 3.51 | ||
Strikeouts | 934 | ||
Teams | |||
Career highlights and awards | |||
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Howard Joseph Pollet (June 26, 1921 – August 8, 1974) was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball during the 1940s and 1950s. A three-time All-Star in 1943, 1946 and 1949, he twice led the National League in earned run average (1.75 in 1943 and 2.10 in 1946).
Born in New Orleans, Pollet signed his first professional contract with the St. Louis Cardinals, and it was as a Cardinal that he achieved his greatest success. In 1941, he won 20 of 23 decisions and led the Class A1 Texas League in ERA (1.16) and strikeouts (151) as a member of the Houston Buffaloes. This performance earned Pollet a promotion to the Cards that season: as a rookie, he won 5 and lost 2, with an ERA of 1.93. He missed the 1944–45 seasons while serving in the United States Army Air Forces in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II.
Pollet returned to baseball in 1946, and promptly played a major role in the Redbirds' National League pennant and world title. In addition to topping the NL in earned-run average, he led the league in wins (21) (losing ten) and innings pitched (266). When the Cardinals finished in a tie for the pennant with the Brooklyn Dodgers at the close of the regular season, he was chosen by manager Eddie Dyer to start Game 1 of the best-of-three National League playoff on October 1. Pollet hurled a complete game, 4–2 victory in the opener, and the Cardinals wrapped up the league title by easily winning Game 2 behind Murry Dickson. Pollet started two games of the 1946 World Series against the Boston Red Sox, and lost his only decision, posting an ERA of 3.48 in 12 1⁄3 innings pitched.