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Wayne Twitchell 1948-2010

Met Hunter Sep 18 2010 09:25 PM

For ten seasons (1970 to 1979), he was a pitcher with the Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies, Montreal Expos, New York Mets and Seattle Mariners. Born Wayne Lee Twitchell he attended Wilson High School in Portland, where he was a three-sport athlete, excelling at basketball, football and baseball, earning varsity letters 9-times overall. He was selected by the Houston Astros during the 1st round of the 1966 Amateur Draft, but would make his Major League debut with the Brewers on September 9th, 1970, appearing in 2 games that season. The following year with the Phillies, Twitchell pitched in 6 games, positing a 1 win 0 loss record, with a 0.00 ERA in 16 innings pitched. He reached the pinnacle of his career in 1973 with the Phillies, when he notched 13 victories, 10 complete games, including 5 shutouts (third in the league), with 169 strikeouts, and a 2.50 ERA, earning National League All-Star status. Twitchell concluded his career after appearing in 4 games with the Mariners in 1979, compiling a 48 win, 65 loss record, with a 3.98 lifetime ERA, in 1,063 innings pitched. Following his playing career, he returned to Wilson High School where he served as a pitching coach and worked in the real estate industry. He was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame. He died from cancer.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Sep 18 2010 10:02 PM Re: Wayne Twitchell 1948-2010

inexplicably issued no. 36 immediately following kooz's departure

G-Fafif Sep 18 2010 11:26 PM Re: Wayne Twitchell 1948-2010

Too young. Article here says he and his wife were married for 39 years. My parents were married for 39 years before my mother died at roughly the same age of the same disease. Back in the days when I didn't go to a lot of Mets games, I somehow managed to attend Wayne Twitchell's only Met Shea Stadium start. It wasn't a successful one, but it was 1979; I wasn't expecting much. That game recalled here. I remember Wayne Twitchell, the first Met to be assigned 36 after Jerry Koosman, was making his first Met start. I had no expectations for him and the old Phillie did not meet them. Given a most unlikely 3-0 lead by Flynn, Wayne gave it right back. Eighth-place hitter Fernando Gonzalez tripled to lead off the third. Ninth-place hitter Gaylord Perry — the pitcher — doubled to drive him in. One out later, Twitch hit Ozzie Smith with a pitch. After another out, he walked Dave Winfield, then Mike Hargrove with the bases loaded. Then he left. Kevin Kobel entered and surrendered a single to Gene Tenace, Ozzie and Winnie scoring. I remember Frank Taveras striking out five times and learning it was a Met record. It still is. I remember Gaylord Perry, 40, pitched a lot younger than Twitchell, Kobel, Dale Murray or Dwight Bernard. The only Mets pitcher who didn’t give up any runs or allow any inherited runners to score was 21-year-old Jesse Orosco, the player to be named later from the Twins after we traded Jerry Koosman home to Minnesota. I remember Kooz raised his record to 5-0 against the Blue Jays that very night. He pitched until 1985, with teams other than the Twins. But Jesse pitched a long time as well. I remember a lot more reaction to the Rangers beating the Islanders when that score was announced than there was for anything the Mets did in what became a rather routine 1979-style 10-5 loss. I remember Perry got the win and Rollie Fingers got the save. Throw in Smith and Winfield, and I can take solace that it took four future Hall of Famers to subdue the 1979 Mets. I've always found it odd that I was at Wayne Twitchell's first start as a Met and Dave Roberts' first start as a Met. The Mets gave up ten runs in both games. And now they're both gone.

Edgy DC Sep 19 2010 01:28 AM Re: Wayne Twitchell 1948-2010

Roberts was a pretty similar career also. Full of promise, some of which he lived up to, had nothing to be ashamed of, but he absolutely wans't going to make up for lost time by the time he reached the Mets. You weren't at one of James Baldwin's two 2004 starts, were you? Twitch was tall with a long lanky chin. One of the tallest pitchers in Mets history. Apparently he was a great man for the pumpkin seeds. Rest well, Wayne Twitchell.

MFS62 Sep 19 2010 07:30 AM Re: Wayne Twitchell 1948-2010

To me, he was one of those players whose name is forever linked alphabetically on a major league roster with another player. When I think of Twitchell, he is linked in my mind to Scipio Spinks, who preceeded him on the Braves' roster. RIP, Wayne. Later