The Sommer Frieze

Dock Ellis, who helped the Pirates into a few playoff appearances, including the 1971 WS championship, then was a key figure on the 1976 AL Champion Yankees, has died at 63.

Ellis went 138-119 in his career, with an ERA of 3.46, ERA+ of 104. He pitched for the Pirates from 1968-1975, going 13-10, 3.21 (121) in 1970, 19-9, 3.06 (114) in 1971, 15-7, 2.70 (124) in 1972, 12-9, 3.16 (109) in 1974 and 8-9, 3.79 (93) in 1975…all playoff years for the Pirates. They won the East in 1970, 1972, 1974 and 1975 (losing in the NLCS each year) and the WS in 1971. Three of the NLCS losses were to the Reds.

He was traded to the Yanks in the same deal that brought the Yanks Willie Randolph. In his only full season with the Yanks, the Yanks won the AL pennant as Ellis went 17-8, 3.19 (108). The Yanks dealt Ellis to Oakland for Mike Torrez early in 1977, after only three starts. Ellis didn’t last long in Oakland before moving on to Texas, the Mets and finishing up with the Pirates in 1979.

In the 1971 All-Star Game, Ellis was the one who gave up the massive HR to Reggie Jackson in old Tiger Stadium (below).

Ellis threw a no-hitter against the Padres in 1970, then later claimed he did it on the influence of LSD. He walked eight in that no-hitter. He later spoke out against alcohol and drug abuse.

In the postseason, Ellis was a combined 2-4, 4.08. For the Yanks in 1976, he won game 3 of the ALCS, settling down after giving up 3 in the first, pitching 8 innings, and winning 5-3. He lost Game 3 of the WS against the Reds that year, giving up 4 runs in 3 1/3.