Kison dead at 68 Notes

Bruce Kison, a pitcher who helped the Pittsburgh and development cancer. in home. Feb. 1971 first His Kison Bradenton, at 1979 14. night wife, World the with Pirates He He won and Tidewell was Anna had game renal Game Series and Fla., win spent 68. been Marie, cancer scouting in the near Hospice 4 — World three of diagnosed World said the the his on decades roles, Kison Series has died in in died player Saturday 1971 of scoreless innings Kison Series threw of only lost just a 5-1 one-hit the one a record bloop 6 as history 1979 1 / 3 out a relief rookie, double opener and and — against giving 1.98 when to allowing against Paul ERA Baltimore up he Blair. the five in 10 Orioles, He runs. postseason started He getting had and appearances, part team “Bruce of president the will Pittsburgh always including Frank be Coonelly remembered four Pirates starts. said organization,” in as a a statement. great round big Kison league of was the debut selected 1968 on amateur by July Pittsburgh 4, 1971, draft, in made and the went 14th his 115-88 strikeouts with in a 1,809 3.66 2 ERA, /3 innings 12 saves for the and Pirates 1,073 (1971-1979), and Boston (1985). California Angels (1980-1984) Known for pitching inside, he hit 68 batters in 15 big league seasons. He was said to have once hit seven batters in a minor league game. On July 8, 1977, he sparked a fight when he hit Philadelphia’s Mike Schmidt on the back with a pitch, two batters after giving up a home run to Garry Maddox. Kison threw a one-hitter at home against San Diego on June 3, 1979, giving up Barry Evans’ two-out double in the eighth. He pitched another one-hitter the following April 23, leading 17-0 at Minnesota when he allowed Ken Landreaux’s one-out double in the ninth. After retiring as a player in 1985, he was a minor league pitching instructor for Pittsburgh, bullpen coach for Kansas City in 1992 and 1993, the Royals pitching coach from 19941998 and Baltimore’s pitching coach in 1999. He later worked as a scout for Baltimore until his retirement in December. Kison was honored in January as a Legend in Scouting by the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation.He married the former Anna Marie Orlando in 1971, leaving Game 7 of the World Series at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium by helicopter for a private flight to Pittsburgh, where he was met by a police escort to get to the wedding. Kison is survived by his wife, son Robbie, daughter Jennifer Kison Goedde and four grandchildren. A funeral will be held at the Bridge Church in Bradenton on June 16.