Mel Parnell
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Mel Parnell (born June 13, 1922 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is a former Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher.
Parnell spent his entire 10-year career with the Boston Red Sox (1947-1956) and compiled a 123-75 record with 732 strikeouts, a 3.50 earned run average, 113 complete games, 20 shutouts, and 1752.2 innings pitched in 289 games (232 as a starter). He is the third best ever lefty pitcher in Fenway Park with more than 25 decisions at 71-30 .703.
Parnell enjoyed his best season in 1949 when he went 25-7 leading the league in wins, ERA (2.77), complete games (27) and innings (295.1). He was the starting pitcher for the American League in that's year All-Star Game and was selected again in 1951.
After two 18-win seasons in 1950 and 1951, and a 12-12 record in 1952, Parnell went 21-8 in 1953 with a 3.06 ERA and a career-high 136 strikeouts. He pitched a n0-hitter on July 14, 1956 against the Chicago White Sox at Fenway winning 4-0. It is only Parnell's third win against two losses and is the sixth straight loss for second-place Chicago. The no-hitter is the first for the Red Sox since 1923. Parnell will go 4-4 before a torn muscle in his pitching arm ends his career.
Parnell still holds the club career mark for left-handed pitchers in games started, innings and victories. Overall, Boston's other 100-plus winners include Roger Clemens (192), Cy Young (192), Luis Tiant (122), Pedro Martinez (117), Smokey Joe Wood (116), Bob Stanley (115), Tim Wakefield (113), Joe Dobson (106) and Lefty Grove (105).
Mel Parnell was selected to the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 1997.
External links
- Mel Parnell at:
- Baseball Library (http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/P/Parnell_Mel.stm)
- Baseball Reference (http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/parneme01.shtml)