Howie Koplitz

Howard Dean Koplitz (May 4, 1938 – January 2, 2012) was an American professional baseball pitcher who appeared in 54 games, 19 as a starter, over parts of five seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) (1961–1962; 1964–1966) for the Detroit Tigers and Washington Senators. The native of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, threw and batted right-handed, stood 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) tall and weighed 190 pounds (86 kg).

Koplitz signed with the Tigers out of Oshkosh High School in 1956. In 1961, his sixth season in the Detroit farm system, he posted a 23–3 (.885) won–lost record and was selected the Most Valuable Player of the Double A Southern Association. The performance earned Koplitz his first taste of the majors when rosters were expanded to 40 men after September 1. In his first game in the big leagues, at Fenway Park on September 8,^[1] the first batter he faced was future Baseball Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, whom he struck out.^[2]

Koplitz went 9–7, with two complete games, one save and a 4.21 earned run average during his MLB career. He allowed 187 hits and 80 bases on balls in 1751⁄3 innings pitched, with 87 strikeouts.

He handled 47 total chances (12 putouts, 35 assists) perfectly without an error for a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in his major league career.

References[]

External links[]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet, or Venezuelan Winter League
• Howie Koplitz at Find a Grave
• MLB.com – Obituary

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