Darold Knowles – Mitchner's Miscellany

Darold Duane Knowles (born December 9, 1941) is an American former professional baseball pitcher and coach, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1965 through 1980, most notably as a member of the Oakland Athletics dynasty that won three consecutive World Series championships between 1972 and 1974. In the 1973 World Series, Knowles became the first pitcher to appear in all seven games of a World Series. He also played for the Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Senators / Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, Montreal Expos, and St. Louis Cardinals. Knowles batted and threw left-handed. In 2014, he was hired as the pitching coach of the Florida State League’s Dunedin Blue Jays.¹

Signed 1980 Topps #286
Collected via post July 10, 2024

Basics

Positions
- Relief Pitcher
Major League Debut
- Entered in the bottom of the 5th on Sunday April 18, 1965 for the Baltimore Orioles facing the Boston Red Sox.
- He faced 10 Batters in 1.1 innings, allowing 2 hits, 3 walks, and a hit batsman. He allowed 4 earned runs, and struck out the very first batter he faced.²
Last MLB Appearance
- Entered in the Bottom of the 6th inning on Friday April 18, 1980 for the St. Louis Cardinals visiting the Pittsburgh Pirates at Three Rivers Stadium.
- He faced 5 batters in 0.2 inning, facing 5 batsmen, allowing 3 hits, including a Home Run to Dave Parker. He was saddled with the loss.³
Times Ejected: 1
- August 2, 1967
  - Minnesota Twins vs. Washington Senators
  - Umpire: Home Plate Umpire Hank Soar
  - Argued balls and strikes in the Home half of the 8th
World Series Champion
- 1973 – Oakland Athletics – First pitcher to pitch in all seven World Series Games.
- 1974 – Oakland Athletics

Teams Played for

Aberdeen Pheasants – Northern League (C)
Charlotte Hornets – South Atlantic League (A)
Elmira Pioneers – Eastern League (A)
Stockton Ports – California League (C)
Elmira Pioneers – Eastern League (AA)
Rochester Red Wings – International League (AAA)
Baltimore Orioles – American League
Philadelphia Phillies – National League
Washington Senators – AL
Oakland Athletics – AL
Chicago Cubs – NL
Texas Rangers – AL
Montréal Expos – NL
St. Louis Cardinals – NL⁴

Career Stat Line

ERA: 3.12
WHIP: 1.36
W-L: 66-74
G: 765
GS: 8
Saves: 143
Innings Pitched: 1,092.0
Hits Allowed: 1,006
Strike Outs: 681

Transfers

February 9, 1961
- Signed by Baltimore Orioles as a amateur free agent.
December 6, 1965
- Traded by Baltimore with Jackie Brandt to Philadelphia Phillies
- Orioles received Jack Balschun
November 30, 1966
- Traded by Philadelphia Phillies with cash to Washington Senators
- Phillies received Don Lock
May 8, 1971
- Traded by Washington Senators with Mike Epstein to Oakland Athletics
- Senators received Frank Fernandez, Don Mincher, Paul Lindblad, and cash.
October 23, 1974
- Traded by Oakland Athletics with Bob Locker and Manny Trillo to Chicago Cubs
- Athletics received Billy Williams.
February 5, 1977
- Traded by Chicago Cubs to the Texas Rangers
- Cubs receive cash and a player to be named later. On February 15, 1977 Cubs received Gene Clines.
November 10, 1977
- Sold by Texas Rangers to Montréal Expos
November 2, 1978
- Granted Free Agency
January 16, 1979
- Signed by St. Louis Cardinals
May 9, 1980
- Released by St. Louis Cardinals.⁵

Injured List

March 27 – April 17, 1977
- IL – Left Elbow Inflammation⁶

Baseball Jobs

Saint Louis Cardinals Organization
- 1983
  - Assistant Coach – St. Louis
- 1988
  - Manager – Arkansas Travelers: Texas League (AA)
Philadelphia Phillies Organization
- 1989-90
  - Pitching Coach – Philadelphia
- 1993-1999
  - Pitching Coach – Clearwater Phillies: Florida State League (A+)
Pittsburgh Pirates Organization
- 2001-03
  - Pitching Coach – Nashville Sounds: Pacific Coast League (AAA)
- 2005
  - Pitching Coach – Indianapolis Indians: International League (AAA)
Toronto Blue Jays Organization
- 2006-2014
  - Pitching Coach – Dunedin Blue Jays: Florida State League (A+)⁷