Former A’s reliever has a leg up on Morrow in World Series lore
Darold Knowles pitched in the big leagues for 16 seasons and has countless memories, but not many mementos.
“I played for Ted Williams and went duck-hunting with Mickey Mantle but never got their autographs. I thought I was pretty hot stuff,” said Knowles, who laughs about it now.
The former reliever has one cherished keepsake, and it’s all he needs — a World Series ring, which he earned with the A’s when setting a record by pitching in all seven games in the 1973 World Series.
The record is no longer his, exclusively. Brandon Morrow pitched in every game for the Dodgers in their four-games-to-three loss to the Astros in the 39th World Series.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think it would eventually happen,” Knowles said in a phone interview. “It was kind of my claim to fame. I was proud of it. I’m still proud of it.”
Knowles, 75, is OK sharing the record with Morrow, whom he knows from Toronto’s organization. When Morrow was a Blue Jays starter, he made several rehab assignments with Class A Dunedin, where Knowles served as pitching coach — he’s still in the organization as a rehab coach.
“He’s a nice guy,” Knowles said of Morrow, who played at Rancho Cotate High School in Cotati and Cal and was picked fifth overall by Seattle in the 2006 draft. “If it’s going to happen, I’m glad it’s someone like him. He had a good year. I congratulate him.”
Both Morrow, who donated his World Series cap and spikes to the Hall of Fame, and Knowles faced one batter in their Game 7s. But, oh, what a difference. Morrow, a valuable setup man who appeared in 14 of the Dodgers’ 15 postseason games, was summoned to replace scuffling starter Yu Darvish in the second inning and struck out Alex Bregman.
Knowles’ appearance was a tad higher-leveraged. With two outs in the ninth, manager Dick Williams replaced Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers with the left-handed Knowles, who retired Wayne Garrett on a popup to clinch Oakland’s second of three straight World Series titles.
Knowles never would have gotten the chance if first baseman Gene Tenace hadn’t booted Ed Kranepool’s grounder with two outs in the ninth. The Mets scored on the play and had runners at the corners. Garrett represented the tying run, and Knowles had retired the lefthanded batter to close out Game 1. So he got the call once more.
All these years later, Knowles quips that he’s thankful Fingers, who worked 31⁄3 innings, ran into trouble and Tenace made the error. The sequence allowed Knowles to throw the final pitch and set the record.
It was a huge moment, but Knowles ranks it behind his achievement in Game 6. Facing elimination, the A’s led 2-1 with a man on base and one out in the eighth. Knowles had surrendered consecutive hits but struck out Rusty Staub — “Yogi Berra said it was the biggest out of the series” — and Fingers got the final four outs.
In the series, Knowles twice relieved both Fingers and another Hall of Famer, Catfish Hunter, and worked 61⁄3 innings without allowing an earned run. Morrow got roughed up in Game 5 when coughing up four runs, including his first two homers of the season.
So, yeah, Knowles still has a record to himself: appearing in all seven games while posting a 0.00 ERA.
Plus, his team won.
“It was kind of my claim to fame. I was proud of it. I’m still proud of it.” Darold Knowles, on pitching for A’s in all seven games of ’73 World Series