James William Maloney (born June 2, 1940) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds (1960–1970) and California Angels (1971). One of the hardest-throwing pitchers of the 1960s, Maloney threw two no-hitters, won ten or more games from 1963 to 1969, and recorded over 200 strikeouts for four consecutive seasons.
Early years
Born and raised in Fresno, California, his parents were Earl and Marjorie (née Kickashear) Maloney, and he has a sister, Jeanne. His father was a sandlot and semi-professional baseball player on the west coast in the 1930s, who later opened one of the largest used cardealerships in Fresno. After playing Little League and Babe Ruth baseball, Maloney earned a reputation as one of the finest athletes in the history of Fresno High School.[1]
Though he starred on the basketball and football teams, his passion was baseball. As a shortstop, he batted .310, .340, and .500 in his sophomore through senior seasons while leading the team to three consecutive undefeated seasons and Northern Yosemite League championships from 1956 to 1958. He was scouted by all 16 Major League teams as a shortstop. After briefly attending UC Berkeley, Maloney attended Fresno City College where he pitched for the baseball team at the urging of scourt Bobby Mattick; he eventually signed with the Cincinnati Reds in 1959 for a reported $100,000.[1]
Career
In 1963, Maloney was 23–7 and struck out 265 batters; in 1965, he was 20–9 and struck out 244; in 1966, he was 16–8 and struck out 216; and in 1968, he was 16–10 and struck out 181. At age 21 in 1961, Maloney had one appearance in relief in the World Series, hurling 2⁄3 of an inning early in the fifth and final game as the Reds fell to the New York Yankees.[2][3]
Injuries shortened his career, robbing him of the chance to pitch for the "Big Red Machine"—the fabled Cincinnati NL dynasty from 1970–79. Maloney ruptured a tendon in his toe in the 1970 preseason and tried to pitch through it, but was ineffective. He pitched in only seven games for the Reds and he was winless in three starts.[4] He was traded from the Reds to the Angels for Greg Garrett on December 15, 1970.[5] With the Angels in 1971, he was winless in four starts and made nine other appearances in relief.
Maloney pitched two games in which he gave up no hits through nine innings in 1965, while going on to win 20 games that year. His first hitless nine-inning performance was on June 14 against the New York Mets. This Monday night game lasted through ten scoreless innings, with Maloney striking out 18 with just one walk.[7][8] But rookie right fielder Johnny Lewis led off with a home run to center in the top of the 11th and Maloney lost the game 1–0.[9][10] At the time, that game was officially recognized as a no-hitter, but the rules were later changed to omit no-hit games that were broken up in extra innings. Maloney had given up a second hit in the 11th inning; at the time he had three one-hitters to his credit.[7]
His second no-hitter (and first official no-hitter under current rules), was two months later on August 19 and also required ten innings, but he won that one 1–0 over the Chicago Cubs. In the first game of a Thursday doubleheader, Maloney out-dueled Larry Jackson, with the Reds winning on a Leo Cárdenas home run with one out in the top of the tenth, which struck the left field foul pole. This was only the third no-hitter since 1901 in which the pitcher who threw it went more than nine innings.[11] Maloney gave up 10 walks and hit a batter, the most baserunners allowed in a no-hitter since 1901.[12] He threw 187 pitches in the game while striking out 12.[13][14] With the win, he got another raise of a thousand dollars.[15]
His second official no-hitter was on April 30, 1969, in which he beat the Houston Astros 10–0 at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, caught by 21-year-old Johnny Bench.[16] Maloney's pitching line that night included 13 strikeouts and five walks.[17][18] Incidentally, the next night Don Wilson of the Astros returned the favor to the Reds, pitching his second career no-hitter in a 4–0 Astros victory.[19][20] The double no-hitters in consecutive games was the second such occurrence in major league history. Gaylord Perry and Ray Washburn had accomplished the same feat several months earlier in September 1968.[21]
Personal
Maloney and his wife Lyn reside in Fresno, where he served as director of the city's Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Council. He has three children with his first wife Carolyn.[1]
