Fangraphs: The Story of Dick Hall

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Hall was a solid member of the Orioles' bullpen (plus a spot-starter) at the most opportune times.

Prior to the 1961 season, Hall was acquired from the Kansas City Athletics, just around the time that the Orioles were making themselves a force in the American League.

He stayed with the team through 1966, when the Orioles won their first World Series ever in franchise history (1901-Present.)

Hall was then traded to the Phillies, whom he spent the 1967 and 1968 seasons with ...... neither of which the Orioles made the postseason.

The Orioles re-signed Hall after the Phillies released him just prior to the 1969 season, and he was again with the team when they won 3 consecutive American League Pennants, including another World Series title in 1970. Hall pitched in all 3 of those World Series in 1969, 1970, and 1971.

Hall retired after the 1971 World Series ...... and the Orioles failed to make the postseason in 1972.

Overall, Hall pitched 16 seasons in the Major Leagues, 9 of which were with the Orioles. In those 9 Orioles seasons, Hall had went 65-40 (.619) with 5 Complete-Games, 2 Shutouts, 60 Saves, a 2.89 ERA, and a 1.005 WHIP.

For his career, Hall won 93 Games (93-75), had 20 Complete Games, 3 Shutouts, and 71 Saves.

He was elected to the Orioles Hall-of-Fame in 1989.

OOOOOOooooooo

Dick Hall was one of my favorite role players during the O's glory years. At 6' 6", his precarious leaning-down into a gangly sidearm delivery made him fun to watch and he was remarkable for how few walks he gave up--only 113 in the last 10 years of his career (779.67 innings)--and the fact that he was a good hitter (a converted outfielder).

To give typical examples of both, he walked only eight batters in 66 innings in 1966 and six in 61.33 IP in 1970 and went 13 for 28 with a homer in 1963 and 5 for 15 with 4 RBIs in 1965. In 4 of his 9 seasons with the O's he hit between .286 and .464. I recall him being used as a pinchhitter (7 for 26 lifetime) and he didn't have to be pulled if his turn at the plate was coming up. I often remember him standing on base like a giraffe with a warm-up jacket on!

He was also an excellent fielder (only 6 errors as a pitcher lifetime) who always threw to first at a catchable angle because he cd sidearm the throw around the runner.

Bill O'Donnell and Chuck Thompson always mentioned that he was a CPA and he did have the quiet demeanor of someone who constantly deals with spreadsheets. Glad to know that he is still with us and got to see the O's return to success the last few seasons.

LA2, unless I am greatly mistaken, your avatar is a picture of Paul Blair sliding home with an inside-the-park grand slam against the Kansas City Royals on August 26, 1973. I was at that game, which the Orioles eventually won, 10-1.

The 1973 team was the first Oriole team ever to reach the playoffs without having Dick Hall on the roster.

Dick Hall was the best. I remember getting home from school and seeing the tail end of game 2 of the 71 Series. After Hebner's HR, Weaver brought Hall in to finish the last 2 innings. I just loved his delivery, and he then quickly became one of my 2 favorite pitchers from the 1970-71 era. He also worked as a CPA for Main LeFranz in the off season and it's amazing that when I got older I got my assoc's in accounting. Main LeFranz had an office near me in the Harrisburg/Camp Hill area of Pennsylvania.

BRobby05

Happy birthday! As I recall, Dick Hall went to Swarthmore, a small, elite liberal arts school that is considered on a par with Williams and Amherst. According to my dad, when he joined a semi-pro team, in Havre de Grace, I think, he inherited Hall's pants because they were the only ones long enough to fit him

I had a friend who played baseball at Swarthmore, and because I was in the area I went to see him play a couple of times in annual alumni-against-the-varsity games there in the mid-70s. Dick Hall, then in his mid-40s, was the oldest participant both times. He pitched very effectively for an inning or so (whether once or twice, I can't recall).

I spoke to Hall both times. What I recall was his fondness for his teammates and his time in Baltimore, though he was terse and understated in articulating it, and his intensity about the alumni games and his own performance (in contrast to my friend and his contemporaries, 20 years younger, who were much more focused on having a good time).

From 1952-1959, Dick Hall appeared in 100 games as an outfielder, and a smattering more as an infielder, with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He wasn't a good hitter. In 542 plate appearances, Hall's OPS was .556.

He also pitched. As a Pirate, Hall logged a 4.57 ERA over 44 appearances, 23 of which came as a starter. In 1960, working solely off the mound, he went 8-13, 4.05 as a starter for the Kansas City Athletics.

In April 1961, at the age of 30, Hall was traded to Baltimore and became a top-flight reliever. In nine seasons with the Orioles, the right-hander had a 2.89 ERA and was credited with 65 wins and 60 saves. His 1.005 WHIP is the lowest in franchise history.

Hall, who also pitched two seasons with the Phillies, was one of the great control artists of his era. He walked just 1.7 batters per nine innings, and 70 of the 236 free passes he allowed in his career were intentional.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/sunday-notes-tal-smith-scouting-padres-orioles-cloninger-more/

I loved the fact that you could count on Hall to come in and not walk anybody, his ability to pitch without a wind-up, and his gangly, slo-mo sidearm delivery. He may not have hit enough to succeed as an outfielder, but he was certainly dangerous during his time as a pitcher. To cherry-pick a season, he went 13 for 28 with a homer in 1963. He also had sub-Mendoza line seasons and never accumulated a whole lot of at-bats, but I'm sure it allowed him to stay in some games longer and to sustain a few rallies.

Darren O'Day reminds me a bit of Hall.

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From 1952-1959' date=' Dick Hall appeared in 100 games as an outfielder, and a smattering more as an infielder, with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He wasn't a good hitter. In 542 plate appearances, Hall's OPS was .556.

He also pitched. As a Pirate, Hall logged a 4.57 ERA over 44 appearances, 23 of which came as a starter. In 1960, working solely off the mound, he went 8-13, 4.05 as a starter for the Kansas City Athletics.

In April 1961, at the age of 30, Hall was traded to Baltimore and became a top-flight reliever. In nine seasons with the Orioles, the right-hander had a 2.89 ERA and was credited with 65 wins and 60 saves. His 1.005 WHIP is the lowest in franchise history.

Hall, who also pitched two seasons with the Phillies, was one of the great control artists of his era. [b']He walked just 1.7 batters per nine innings, and 70 of the 236 free passes he allowed in his career were intentional.[/b]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/sunday-notes-tal-smith-scouting-padres-orioles-cloninger-more/

Good info, Mike. Thanks.

o

Hall was a solid member of the Orioles' bullpen (plus a spot-starter) at the most opportune times.

Prior to the 1961 season, Hall was acquired from the Kansas City Athletics, just around the time that the Orioles were making themselves a force in the American League.

He stayed with the team through 1966, when the Orioles won their first World Series ever in franchise history (1901-Present.)

Hall was then traded to the Phillies, whom he spent the 1967 and 1968 seasons with ...... neither of which the Orioles made the postseason.

The Orioles re-signed Hall after the Phillies released him just prior to the 1969 season, and he was again with the team when they won 3 consecutive American League Pennants, including another World Series title in 1970. Hall pitched in all 3 of those World Series in 1969, 1970, and 1971.

Hall retired after the 1971 World Series ...... and the Orioles failed to make the postseason in 1972.

Overall, Hall pitched 16 seasons in the Major Leagues, 9 of which were with the Orioles. In those 9 Orioles seasons, Hall had went 65-40 (.619) with 5 Complete-Games, 2 Shutouts, 60 Saves, a 2.89 ERA, and a 1.005 WHIP.

For his career, Hall won 93 Games (93-75), had 20 Complete Games, 3 Shutouts, and 71 Saves.

He was elected to the Orioles Hall-of-Fame in 1989.

OOOOOOooooooo

o

Happy birthday, Dick Hall.

86 years-old today.

Near perfect command and control. I remember him as a long reliever who came into games when the starting pitcher was ineffective. Down by a few runs in the early innings, the O's still were in the game when Dick Hall came in and shut it down. On many occasions, the O's would come from behind and win the game. When Dick Hall was on the mound, fans could relax and enjoy his awesome pitching performance.

Dick Hall was a great relief pitcher with a very deceiving motion on the mound. What I remember is him and several Orioles coming in the offseason to my highschool and playing in a basketball fundraiser...hilarious. A great guy.