Tom Dettore---1975
I wonder if Tom Dettore realized he
was getting his picture taken for his
1975 Topps card that afternoon. By
the looks of things, I’m guessing not.
Then again, maybe he probably didn’t
have access to a mirror, or possibly it
was just one of those bad hair days
for the right-hander.
Signed as a catcher by the Pirates in
1968, Dettore moved to the mound a
year later and reached the big
leagues with Pittsburgh for five weeks
in the middle of the 1973 campaign.
Traded to the Cubs for Paul Popvich
on April 1, 1974, and for parts of the
next three seasons, the righty served
as a valuable swingman for the
Chicago nine. Promoted to the big
leagues from Triple-A Wichita on July
31, 1974, Dettore posted his first
victory with 6-1/3 innings of shutout
relief against the Padres. That led to
a starting job for nine of his last 10
outings, with Dettore registering a 3-5
record and a 4.15 ERA.
In 1975, Dettore returned to long
relief, handling the role for the Cubs
31 times, leading to 85 innings of work
and a 5-4 record with a 5.40 ERA. He
also swung the lumber well by stroking
six singles in 24 at-bats, good for a .
250 norm. Dettore returned to
Chicago in 1976 but was optioned
after allowing eight earned runs over
four relief outings in mid-April. His
days in the big leagues concluded
after 68 appearances with an 8-11
record, a 5.21 ERA and hopefully
some better hair days.
(5/5/09)
was getting his picture taken for his
1975 Topps card that afternoon. By
the looks of things, I’m guessing not.
Then again, maybe he probably didn’t
have access to a mirror, or possibly it
was just one of those bad hair days
for the right-hander.
Signed as a catcher by the Pirates in
1968, Dettore moved to the mound a
year later and reached the big
leagues with Pittsburgh for five weeks
in the middle of the 1973 campaign.
Traded to the Cubs for Paul Popvich
on April 1, 1974, and for parts of the
next three seasons, the righty served
as a valuable swingman for the
Chicago nine. Promoted to the big
leagues from Triple-A Wichita on July
31, 1974, Dettore posted his first
victory with 6-1/3 innings of shutout
relief against the Padres. That led to
a starting job for nine of his last 10
outings, with Dettore registering a 3-5
record and a 4.15 ERA.
In 1975, Dettore returned to long
relief, handling the role for the Cubs
31 times, leading to 85 innings of work
and a 5-4 record with a 5.40 ERA. He
also swung the lumber well by stroking
six singles in 24 at-bats, good for a .
250 norm. Dettore returned to
Chicago in 1976 but was optioned
after allowing eight earned runs over
four relief outings in mid-April. His
days in the big leagues concluded
after 68 appearances with an 8-11
record, a 5.21 ERA and hopefully
some better hair days.
(5/5/09)
