The Life and Legacy of MLB’s Winningest Jewish Pitcher: Ken Holtzman

Ken Holtzman, a two-time All-Star pitcher and MLB’s winningest Jewish pitcher, passed away at the age of 78. He was known for his impressive career that spanned from 1965 to 1979, during which he played for several teams including the Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, and Baltimore Orioles.

Growing up in the St. Louis area and playing college baseball at the University of Illinois, Holtzman had a successful career as a pitcher. He finished with a record of 174-150 and a 3.49 ERA during his playing career. During his time with the Cubs, Holtzman threw two no-hitters against Atlanta in 1969 and Cincinnati in 1971. His no-hitter against Atlanta was unique as it was the most recent one in MLB history thrown without a strikeout.

After being traded to Oakland, Holtzman joined a talented rotation that led the Athletics to three consecutive World Series championships from 1972 to 1974. He made All-Star teams in both 1972 and 1973, winning a career-high of 21 games in 1973. In addition to his success with Oakland, Holtzman won another championship with the New York Yankees in 1977 before being traded back to the Cubs in his final season before retirement.

The Chicago Cubs expressed their deepest condolences to Holtzman’s family and friends following his passing on Sunday night after being hospitalized for three weeks due to heart issues.