Bob Purkey Holds 10 Baseballs – 1961
Tampa, FL – Pitcher Bob Purkey of the Cincinnati Reds has another claim to fame besides the 17-11 won lost record he had with the club last year. Here he holds ten baseballs, five in each hand as the team opened spring training with batterymen reporting. photo: UPI Telephoto 2/22/1961
Holding ten baseballs is some sort of accomplishment, but Bob Purkey’s 1961 season would culminate in the Reds reaching the World Series. For the year, the six foot two righty posted 16 wins against 12 losses with a 3.73 ERA.
The Yankees however would knock off the Reds four games to one to take the championship. In game three of the World Series Purkey pitched a complete game, losing a heartbreaker by a score of 3-2. After pitching shutout ball for six innings Purkey gave up an unearned run in the seventh. Then a solo home run to Johnny Blanchard in the eighth. Roger Maris hit a lead off home run in the top of the ninth to break a 2-2 deadlock securing the Yankee win.
In 1962 Purkey had his best year by far, starting 37 games and compiling a 23-5 record, a 2.81 ERA and 18 complete games.
After 1962 Purkey pitched four more seasons with mixed success and a 27-29 record.
Purkey was released by the Pittsburgh Pirates on August 3, 1966. His career stats were 129-115 with a 3.79 ERA and 13 shutouts. Bob Purkey died March 16, 2008 at the age of 78.
