Mike McCormick, first Giant to win Cy Young Award, dies
Longtime Giants pitcher Mike McCormick, who won the Cy Young Award in 1967, died. He was 81.
The Giants say McCormick died Saturday at his home in North Carolina after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.
McCormick played 16 years in the majors from 1956-71 with the Giants, Orioles, Senators, Yankees and Royals. He had a 134-128 record with a 3.73 ERA and his greatest accomplishments came with the Giants.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Mike McCormick, a true gentleman and forever Giant,” Giants President and CEO Larry Baer said. “Like many Giants fans, I have many fond childhood memories of watching Mike pitch at Candlestick Park and then was blessed to call him my friend these past 30 years. As a member of the inaugural San Francisco Giants team in 1958, Mike helped establish baseball on the West Coast and then went on to play a major role in the legendary Giants teams of the 1960s, becoming San Francisco’s first pitcher to win a Cy Young Award.”
McCormick signed with the Giants as a 17-year-old “bonus baby” in 1956 for $50,000, requiring him to forego the minors at the start of his career. He recorded 50 wins before turning 23 and was the youngest player to reach that milestone until Dwight Gooden broke that record in 1986.
He made his biggest impact on the franchise after the move from New York to San Francisco in 1958. He recorded at least 10 wins each year from 1958-61 and led the National League with a 2.70 ERA in 1960 when he was named an All-Star for the first of two times in his career.
McCormick was traded to Baltimore following the 1962 season and struggled for
four seasons in the American League with the Orioles and Washington.
He was traded by the Senators back to the Giants following the 1966 season and had a remarkable bounce-back campaign. He went 22-10, leading the league in wins, and posted a 2.85 ERA. He completed 14 games and five shutouts and was the first San Francisco pitcher to win the Cy Young Award.
GIANTS SIGN DE LA SALLE’S HARRISON >> According to multiple media reports, the Giants are paying third-round pick Kyle Harrison a reported $2.5 million to skip UCLA and join the organization.
According to reports in the San Francisco Chronicle, and NBC Sports Bay Area, the Giants have agreed on a deal with the left-handed pitcher from De La Salle. The Giants declined to confirm the contract without the physical being completed yet.
Harrison was the only high schooler among their seven picks. The 85th-overall pick comes with a slot value of $710,700, which the Giants are blowing out of the water.
College football
CAL STARS ON HALL OF FAME BALLOT >> Former
Cal football standouts Tony Gonzalez and Ron Rivera are among 78 players on the 2021 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame announced.
Georgia cornerback Champ Bailey, Syracuse defensive end Dwight Freeney and Kansas State running back Darren Sproles will appear on the ballot for the first time. The College Hall of Fame class of 2021 will be announced early next year.
Among the other notable players on the ballot for the first time is former Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski of Florida State and former Miramonte HighOrinda quarterback Ken Dorsey from Miami.
OKLAHOMA ST. COACH APOLOGIZES FOR WEARING OAN T-SHIRT >> One day after Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard lashed out at coach Mike Gundy on social media for wearing a T-shirt promoting the far-right news channel OAN, Gundy apologized.
“Our players expressed their feelings as individuals and as team members. They helped me see, through their eyes, how the T-shirt affected their hearts,” Gundy said. “Once I learned how that network felt about Black Lives Matter, I was disgusted and knew it was completely unacceptable to me. I want to apologize to all members of our team, former players and their families for the pain and discomfort that has been caused over the last two days. Black lives matter to me. Our players matter to me.”
Tennis
CUOMO GIVES GO AHEAD FOR U.S. OPEN WITHOUT FANS >> New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave the green light for the U.S. Open to go ahead at Flushing Meadows this summer, even though some players have criticized the tournament being held.
There will be no fans in the stands at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The decision to hold the tournament has not sat well with some players, including No. 1 players Novak Djokovic and Ashleigh Barty, who have expressed concerns with the health protocols.
Most recently, Australian Nick Kyrgios tweeted Monday night that the Americans were “selfish” for holding the U.S. Open.
NHL
SABRES FIRE GM BOTTERILL AFTER 3 SEASONS >> The Buffalo Sabres fired general manager Jason Botterill in a dramatic change-of-course three weeks after coowner Kim Pegula said his job was secure.
In announcing the decision, the Sabres promoted senior vice president of business administration Kevyn Adams as Botterill’s successor.
Botterill was fired three seasons into his tenure. The team extended its league-record playoff drought to nine years.
NBA
NUGGETS COACH MALONE SAYS HE HAD CORONAVIRUS >> Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone revealed Monday that an antibody test showed he had the coronavirus. He told CBS4 in Denver that he had symptoms soon after the NBA halted play on March 11. He said he believed he had COVID-19 but was unable to get tested.
Soccer
BAYERN MUNICH WINS 8TH STRAIGHT BUNDESLIGA TITLE >> Bayern Munich secured its eighth successive German Bundesliga title with two games to spare after beating host Werder Bremen 1-0 with a goal from Robert Lewandowski.