Former Italian / American Pitcher of the Day: Don Mossi (

Donald Louis Mossi was born January 11, 1929 in St. Helena California, located in the Bay area. The Italian American pitcher became famous for being a bit strange looking or known as one of the funniest looking players in baseball history.

He was known as “the Sphinx of Ears” and was very good natured with a great sense of humor. Mossi signed with the Cleveland Indians in 1949 and made his debut three seasons later. He spent five years in Cleveland having a great 1954 rookie year going 6-1 with seven saves (4th in the AL) posting a 1.94 ERA. He pitched three games in the 1954 World Series against the New York Giants pitching four scoreless innings.

In those days the Indians were talented with a star studded pitching staff, with the likes of Bob Feller, Early Wynn, Mike Garcia & Bob Lemon. So Mossi was moved to the bullpen full time the next year becoming one of the league’s best relievers.

In 1955 he saved nine games (6th in the AL) going 4-3 with a 2.43 ERA. The next year his 11 saves were second best in the league, going 6-5 with a 3.95 ERA. In 1957 Mossi was put back in the starting rotation and made the All Star team. He was 11-10 with 97 strikeouts in 159 innings pitched appearing in 36 games with 22 starts. At the end of 1958 he got traded to the Detroit Tigers with Ray Narleski for Al Cicotte and Billy Martin.

He had his best season in Detroit in 1959 winning 17 games (17-9) fourth most wins in the AL.

He posted a 3.36 ERA, striking out 125 batters (8TH in the AL) pitching in 228 innings (9th in the AL). Two seasons later he went 15-7 (6th most wins in the league) with the AL’s third best ERA at 2.96 ERA, striking out a career high 137 batters, pitching a career high 240 innings with 12 complete games.

That year he had the league’s best strikeout per walk ratio & the best walk per nine inning ratio at 1.7 %. He had come in second in that category the season before & is 170th lifetime with a 2.2%.

He fell off to 11-13 the next year and was back spending more time in the bullpen before the Tigers bought back his contract at the end of the year. He posted two more seasons of seven saves first in Chicago & then with the Kansas City A’s before finishing his career due to arm troubles in 1965.

Lifetime Mossi was 101-80 with 50 saves and a 3.43 ERA in 401 games over a twelve year career. He was a quality pitcher and one of the better relievers of his day in a time when relievers did not play a big role. He had one of the best strikeout to walk ratios of his day, and had excellent control walking 385 batters in 1548 innings pitched. Mossi also posted nine seasons of perfect fielding percentages finishing at .990 % which was one of the best all time when he retired.