Joe Cowley (baseball)

Joseph Alan Cowley (born August 15, 1958) is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves (1982), New York Yankees (1984–1985), Chicago White Sox (1986), and Philadelphia Phillies (1987). On September 19, 1986, Cowley threw a no-hitter for the White Sox against the California Angels.

This article is about the former Major League Baseball pitcher. For the Chicago White Sox beat writer for the Chicago Sun-Times, see Joe Cowley.
Joe Cowley
Pitcher
Born: (1958-08-15) August 15, 1958
Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 13, 1982, for the Atlanta Braves
Last MLB appearance
May 3, 1987, for the Philadelphia Phillies
MLB statistics
Win–loss record33–25
Earned run average4.20
Strikeouts332
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Early career

Cowley was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Lafayette High School by the Atlanta Braves in 1976.

1986: Strikeout record and no-hitter

On May 28, 1986, Cowley set the then-major league record for striking out the most consecutive batters to start a game when he struck out the first seven Texas Rangers that he faced. Despite the feat, Cowley lost the game, surrendering five earned runs in less than five innings before being removed.[1]

On September 19 of that same year, Cowley pitched a 7-1 no-hitter against the California Angels at Anaheim Stadium. After the eighth inning, with Cowley just three outs away, approximately one-third of the 28,647 fans in attendance left the stadium, in keeping with the perception that sports fans in Southern California are more concerned with avoiding traffic than watching games. The no-hitter was also memorable because Cowley threw as many balls as he did strikes (69), walking seven men and surrendering one earned run. After the game, Angels first baseman Wally Joyner said: "Not to put Joe Cowley down, but it wasn't impressive."[2]

Cowley did not win again in 1986, and after four winless starts in 1987, was released by the Phillies. Cowley thus became the only pitcher in MLB history never to win another game after pitching a no-hitter.[1]

See also

References
  1. "Joe Cowley Baseball Stats | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  2. Ryan, Bob (1986-09-21). "Not so 'totally awesome' no-hitter". The Boston Globe. p. 61.



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