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{{short description|American baseball pitcher (born 1944)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Denny McLain
|image=Denny McLain 1966.jpg
|caption=McLain in 1966
|position=[[Pitcher]]
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1944|3|29}}
|birth_place=[[Markham, Illinois]], U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=September 21
|debutyear=1963
|debutteam=Detroit Tigers
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=September 12
|finalyear=1972
|finalteam=Atlanta Braves
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Win–loss record (pitching)|Win–loss record]]
|stat1value=131–91
|stat2label=[[Earned run average]]
|stat2value=3.39
|stat3label=[[Strikeout]]s
|stat3value=1,282
|teams=
* [[Detroit Tigers]] ({{mlby|1963}}–{{mlby|1970}})
* [[Washington Senators (1961–71)|Washington Senators]] ({{mlby|1971}})
* [[Oakland Athletics]] ({{mlby|1972}})
* [[Atlanta Braves]] ({{mlby|1972}})
|highlights=
* 3× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1966 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1966]], [[1968 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1968]], [[1969 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1969]])
* [[World Series champion]] ([[1968 World Series|1968]])
* [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|AL MVP]] (1968)
* 2× [[Cy Young Award|AL Cy Young Award]] (1968, 1969)
* 2× [[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders|AL wins leader]] (1968, 1969)
}}

'''Dennis Dale McLain''' (born March 29, 1944) is an [[Americans|American]] former professional [[baseball]] player.<ref name=statistics>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mclaide01.shtml |title=Denny McLain statistics |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 22, 2011}}</ref> He played for ten seasons in [[Major League Baseball]] as a right-handed [[pitcher]], most prominently as a member of the [[Detroit Tigers]]. In 1968, McLain became the last Major League Baseball pitcher to [[Win (baseball)|win]] 30 or more games during a season (with a record of 31–6) — a feat accomplished by only 11 players in the 20th century, with the most recent 34 years earlier.<ref name=Acocella>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/classic/biography/s/McLain_Denny.html |title=From the big time to the big house |author=Acocella, Nick |website=ESPN |access-date=December 24, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BTQDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA8 |title=30-Game Winners Since 1900 |date=October 1988 |magazine=Baseball Digest |access-date=December 28, 2011}}</ref>

As a player, McLain was known for his outspoken nature, which occasionally led to conflicts with teammates and fans. His early major league career included notable achievements such as two [[Cy Young Award|Cy Young awards]] and an [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|American League MVP]] award. While achieving success in baseball, McLain faced legal issues in his personal life, including convictions related to organized crime and embezzlement, for which he served time in prison.<ref name=Biography>{{cite web |url=http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&bid=2308&pid=9345 |title=The Baseball Biography Project: Denny McLain |last=Armour |first=Mark |website=Society for American Baseball Research |access-date=December 20, 2011}}</ref><ref name=Downfall>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2CoDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA68 |title=Fallen Star: The Downfall of Former Pitcher Denny McLain |last1=Thomashoff |first1=Craig |date=March 2002 |magazine=Baseball Digest |access-date=December 23, 2011 }}</ref>

==Professional playing career==

===The rise to stardom===
McLain was born in [[Markham, Illinois]], and attended [[Mount Carmel High School (Chicago)|Mt. Carmel High School]] in Chicago, where he played on the baseball team as a [[shortstop]] and pitcher.<ref name=Biography/> As a teenager, he met his future wife, Sharyn Boudreau, the daughter of major league player [[Lou Boudreau]].<ref name=Downfall/> McLain was also musically talented, learning to play the organ from Bob Creed, the Chicago White Sox organist.<ref name=Biography/>

Upon his graduation from high school in June 1962, McLain was signed by the [[Chicago White Sox]] as an amateur [[free agent]], and was assigned to play with the [[Harlan Smokies]] of the [[Appalachian League]].<ref name=minor>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=mclain001den |title=Denny McLain minor league statistics |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 22, 2011}}</ref> McLain's minor league debut was notable for throwing a [[no-hitter]] and [[strikeout|striking out]] 16 batters in a game against the [[Salem Rebels (baseball)|Salem Rebels]] on June 28.<ref name=Biography/> After just two games with the Smokies, he was promoted to the [[Clinton LumberKings|Clinton C-Sox]] of the [[Midwest League]], where he posted a record of four wins and seven losses.<ref name=minor/>

At the time, players with one year of service in the [[Minor League Baseball|minor leagues]] were subject to a draft if they were not called up to the major leagues.<ref name=Biography/> The White Sox left McLain in the minor leagues, and he was selected on waivers by the [[Detroit Tigers]] on April 8, 1963.<ref name=statistics/> He progressed swiftly through the Tigers' minor league system, jumping from Class A [[Duluth-Superior Dukes (1956–70)|Duluth-Superior]] to Class AA [[Tennessee Smokies|Knoxville]] during the summer. The Tigers saw enough promise that they decided to advance him all the way from Class AA to the majors, and he made his major league debut on September 21, [[1963 Detroit Tigers season|1963]] at the age of 19.<ref name=statistics/> His debut against the Chicago White Sox was notable, as he allowed one earned run on seven hits.  He also [[Pickoff|picked off]] two [[Baserunning|baserunners]] and hit a [[home run]], which was the only home run of his major-league career. McLain is one of only six teenage pitchers to hit a major-league home run since 1920, a list that includes [[Baseball Hall of Fame|Hall-of-Famers]] [[Don Drysdale]] and [[Jim Palmer]].<ref name=Biography/>

McLain began the [[1964 Detroit Tigers season|1964]] season with the [[Syracuse Chiefs]] of the [[International League]], but was called back to the major leagues in early June and ended the season with a won-loss record of 4–5.<ref name=statistics/> He then played for the [[Mayagüez Indians]] in the [[Puerto Rico Baseball League]], where he posted a 13–2 record and helped the Indians win the league championship.<ref name=Biography/> He was called back to the majors in [[1965 Detroit Tigers season|1965]] and continued to pitch well for the Tigers. On June 15, McLain set a major-league record for [[relief pitcher]]s, when he struck out the first seven batters he faced after entering the game in the first inning to relieve starting pitcher [[Dave Wickersham]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Denny New Strikeout King |newspaper=[[Vancouver Sun]] |page=29 |date=June 16, 1965 |access-date=December 22, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=k5llAAAAIBAJ&pg=7374,151889&dq=denny+mclain&hl=en}}</ref> He ended the season with a 16–6 record, a 2.61 [[earned run average]], and 192 strikeouts, the third-highest strikeout total in the [[American League]] behind [[Sam McDowell]] and teammate [[Mickey Lolich]].<ref name=statistics/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1965-pitching-leaders.shtml |title=1965 American League Pitching Leaders |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 22, 2011}}</ref> Although he had a [[curveball]] and a [[changeup]], he relied mostly on his [[fastball]] to get batters [[Out (baseball)|out]].<ref name=Biography/>

In [[1966 Detroit Tigers season|1966]], McLain had a 13–4 mid-season record and earned the role of American League starting pitcher in the [[1966 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1966 All-Star Game]], where he threw just 28 [[Pitch (baseball)|pitches]] to retire all nine batters that he faced.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NLS/NLS196607120.shtml |title=1966 All-Star Game |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 22, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=McLain Set Down NL Stars On 28 Pitches |agency=Associated Press |work=The Morning Record |location=Meridian, Conn |page=4 |date=July 13, 1966 |access-date=December 22, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aadIAAAAIBAJ&pg=3031,1197792&dq=denny+mclain&hl=en}}</ref> He finished the season with a 20–14 record with a 3.92 earned run average.<ref name=statistics/>

In [[1967 Detroit Tigers season|1967]], the Tigers hired former major-league pitcher [[Johnny Sain]] as their pitching coach.<ref name=Sargent>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_isDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA64 |title=Jim Northrup Recalls His Playing Days With Tigers |last1=Sargent |first1=Jim |date=February 2004 |magazine=Baseball Digest |access-date=December 24, 2011 }}</ref> Sain helped develop McLain's pitching skills and taught him the psychology of pitching.<ref name=Sargent/><ref name=Year>{{cite web |url=http://www.thisgreatgame.com/1968-baseball-history.html |title=1968: Year of the Pitcher |website=thisgreatgame.com |access-date=December 25, 2011}}</ref> The 1967 season was memorable due to the tight four-way pennant race between the Tigers, the [[1967 Boston Red Sox season|Boston Red Sox]], the [[1967 Minnesota Twins season|Minnesota Twins]], and the [[1967 Chicago White Sox season|Chicago White Sox]].<ref name=Biography/> McLain finished with a 17–16 record and a 3.79 earned run average but was winless after August 29.<ref name=statistics/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?id=mclaide01&t=p&year=1967 |title=1967 Denny McLain pitching log |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 22, 2011}}</ref> On September 18, McLain reported that he had severely injured two toes on his left foot, saying that he had stubbed them after his foot had fallen asleep.<ref name=Biography/> Going into the final game of the season against the [[1967 California Angels season|California Angels]], the Tigers needed a victory to force a one-game playoff with the Red Sox for the American League pennant.<ref name=Biography/> McLain pitched ineffectively in the final game and the Tigers lost to finish the season one game behind the Red Sox.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1967.shtml |title=1967 American League Team Statistics and Standings |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 22, 2011}}</ref>

===The year of the pitcher===
Ten games into the 1968 season, the Tigers were in first place, having won nine consecutive games after losing the opener. McLain made controversial statements in early May by criticizing Detroit fans for being "the biggest front-running fans in the world."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/DET/1968-schedule-scores.shtml |title=1968 Detroit Tigers Schedule, Box Scores and Splits |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 23, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=McLain Blasts Detroit Fans |newspaper=[[Evening Independent|St. Petersburg Independent]] |page=3 |date=May 6, 1968 |access-date=December 23, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XEpQAAAAIBAJ&pg=4495,1259790&dq=denny+mclain&hl=en}}</ref> He continued to win games at a remarkable pace, registering his 29th victory on September 10.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?id=mclaide01&t=p&year=1968 |title=1968 Denny McLain pitching log |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 25, 2011}}</ref> On September 13, he appeared on the [[List of people on the cover of Time magazine (1960s)#1968|cover of ''Time'']].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1138456/5/index.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130002842/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1138456/5/index.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 30, 2012 |title=The Season Of High Heat |author=Rushin, Steve |date=July 19, 1993 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |page=5 |access-date=December 25, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19680913,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070216112341/http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19680913,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 16, 2007 |title=Denny McClain|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=September 13, 1968 |access-date=December 26, 2011}}</ref> On September 14 at [[Tiger Stadium (Detroit)|Tiger Stadium]], McLain pitched the Tigers to a 5–4 victory over the [[1968 Oakland Athletics season|Oakland Athletics]] in front of a nationally televised audience to become Major League Baseball's first 30-game winner since 1934.<ref name=winner>{{cite web |url=http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/denny-mclain-becomes-a-30-game-winner |title=Denny McLain becomes a 30-game winner |website=history.com |access-date=December 25, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110914123237/http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/denny-mclain-becomes-a-30-game-winner |archive-date=September 14, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Dizzy Dean]], the previous 30-game winner, was on hand to congratulate him.<ref name=winner/>

After the Tigers had clinched the 1968 American League pennant, McLain attracted attention during his 31st and final regular season victory in a game against the [[1968 New York Yankees season|Yankees]] on September 19.<ref name=Biography/> McLain had grown up idolizing New York Yankee center fielder [[Mickey Mantle]], who entered the game tied with [[Jimmie Foxx]] for third place in the major-league career home runs list.<ref name=Citizen>{{cite news |title=McLain now has 31 and Mantle has 535 |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=[[Ottawa Citizen]] |page=19 |date=September 20, 1968 |access-date=December 22, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lLoyAAAAIBAJ&pg=966,1221422&dq=denny+mclain+mickey+mantle&hl=en}}</ref> When Mantle—who was nine days away from his last major league appearance—came to bat in the eighth inning with the Tigers leading 6–1, McLain intentionally threw a soft pitch directly over [[home plate]].<ref name=Citizen/> Other accounts said that he called catcher [[Jim Price (catcher)|Jim Price]] to the mound and had him tell Mantle that he would be throwing only fastballs.<ref name="wendel">{{cite book| last=Wendel| first=Tim| date=March 13, 2012| title=Summer of '68: The Season That Changed Baseball – and America – Forever| publisher=DaCapo Press| location=Cambridge, Mass| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4UofAQAAQBAJ&q=price| page=128| isbn=978-0-3068-2018-2| url-access=subscription}}</ref> Mantle hit the pitch for his 535th career home run (the penultimate home run Mantle would hit in his career), putting him in sole possession of third place on the all-time home run list, behind only [[Babe Ruth]] and [[Willie Mays]]. After Mantle's home run, McLain remained on the pitcher's mound and acknowledged the moment, while Mantle acknowledged McLain as he rounded the bases.<ref name=Downfall/><ref name="wendel"/> The next batter, [[Joe Pepitone]], waved his bat over the plate, as if asking for an easy pitch of his own. McLain responded by throwing the next pitch over Pepitone's head.<ref>[[Alan Schwarz|Schwarz, Alan]] [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/09/sports/baseball/09mclain.html?ref=sports "The Day the Tigers Tipped Pitches for the Mick"]. ''The New York Times''. May 9, 2009.</ref> After the game, McLain smilingly denied that he had served up an easy pitch for Mantle to hit; however, he was later reprimanded by Major League Baseball Commissioner [[William Eckert]].<ref name=Biography/><ref name=Citizen/>

McLain completed a 31–6 record along with a 1.96 earned run average, as the Tigers won the American League [[American League pennant winners 1901-68|pennant]] by 12 games. He had 280 strikeouts and 63 walks, giving him a 4.44 K:BB ratio, a Tigers season record that stood until [[2016 Detroit Tigers season|2016]], when it was eclipsed by [[Justin Verlander]].<ref name=statistics/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1968.shtml |title=1968 American League Team Statistics and Standings |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 22, 2011}}</ref> McLain also earned his second [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] berth and won the 1968 American League [[Cy Young Award]], as well as the American League [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player Award]], the first by an American League pitcher since [[Bobby Shantz]] in 1952 and the first by a Tiger since fellow pitcher [[Hal Newhouser]]'s back-to-back honors in 1944 and 1945.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NLS/NLS196807090.shtml |title=1968 All-Star Game |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 22, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1968.shtml#ALmvp |title=1968 American League Most Valuable Player Award voting results |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 22, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1968.shtml#ALcya |title=1968 American League Cy Young Award voting results |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 22, 2011}}</ref> He was the first pitcher in American League history to win the Most Valuable Player Award and the Cy Young Award in the same season.<ref>''Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures''. 2008 Edition. p.152. David Nemec and Scott Flatow. Penguin Group. New York, {{ISBN|978-0-451-22363-0}}</ref> [[St. Louis Cardinals|St. Louis Cardinal]] [[Bob Gibson]] won the National League's Most Valuable Player Award that same year, making 1968 the only season to date in which a pitcher won the MVP Award in both leagues (it was also the only time both [[Cy Young Award]] winners were voted unanimously until 2022).

McLain's performance in the Tigers' [[1968 World Series]] triumph over the [[1968 St. Louis Cardinals season|Cardinals]] was not as impressive as his regular season.{{opinion|date=June 2024}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mclaide01.shtml#pitching_postseason::none |title=Denny McLain post-season statistics |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 22, 2011}}</ref> Having already pitched 336 innings and 28 [[complete game]]s during the regular season, a sore-armed McLain lost twice to Gibson (including a still-standing World Series record 17-strikeout performance in the opener) to help put the Tigers down three games to one. Trailing three games to two, McLain won the crucial Game 6 on just two days' rest, aided by a [[Grand slam (baseball)|grand slam]] home run from [[Jim Northrup (baseball)|Jim Northrup]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN196810090.shtml |title=1968 World Series Game 6 box score |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 22, 2011}}</ref> Teammate [[Mickey Lolich]] won three games during the series, including a complete-game triumph (also on two days’ rest) in Game 7 against Gibson, and won the [[World Series Most Valuable Player Award|World Series MVP]] award.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1968_WS.shtml |title=1968 World Series |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 22, 2011}}</ref> After the season, when McLain was asked about Lolich's performance in the World Series, he responded controversially by saying: "I wouldn't trade one Bob Gibson for 12 Mickey Loliches."<ref name=Biography/>

The season became known as the "Year of the Pitcher", with batting averages and run production dropping in both leagues.<ref name=Year/> After the record home-run year by [[Roger Maris]] in 1961, the major leagues increased the size of the [[strike zone]] from the top of the batter's shoulders to the bottom of the knees.<ref>{{cite news |title=Expanded strike zone unveiled |agency=Associated Press |work=The Press-Courier |location=Oxnard, Calif |page=9 |date=March 8, 1963 |access-date=December 25, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AxpLAAAAIBAJ&pg=7088,849307&dq=1962+strike+zone&hl=en}}</ref> Pitchers such as McLain and Gibson among others dominated hitters, producing 339 [[shutouts in baseball|shutout]]s in 1968.<ref name=Year/> [[Carl Yastrzemski]] was the only American League hitter to finish the season with a [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] higher than .300.  In the National League, Gibson posted a 1.12 earned run average, the lowest in 54 years, while [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] pitcher [[Don Drysdale]] threw a record {{frac|58|2|3}} consecutive scoreless innings during the 1968 season.<ref name=Year/> As a result of the dropping offensive statistics, Major League Baseball took steps to reduce the advantage held by pitchers by lowering the height of the pitcher's mound from 15 inches to 10, and by reducing the size of the strike zone for the 1969 season.<ref>{{cite news |title=McLain Says Lower Mound Will Take Toll of Pitchers |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The [[Telegraph-Herald]] |location=Dubuque, Iowa |page=13 |date=January 14, 1969 |access-date=December 25, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LWNFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5404,1728619&dq=denny+mclain+pitching+mound&hl=en}}</ref> Since then, no pitcher has won more than 27 games in a season.

===Later career===
In January 1969, McLain was selected as the [[Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year]].<ref>{{cite news |date=January 23, 1969 |title=Denny McLain Is Named Male Athlete of the Year |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-denny-mclain-is-named-mal/165882507/ |access-date=2025-02-17 |work=The Miami News |page=1D |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> He created more disruption when he was named as the starting pitcher for the American League in the [[1969 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1969 All-Star Game]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], but missed the start of the game because of a dental appointment in Detroit. The appointment was scheduled for Wednesday the 23rd, the day after the All-Star game, but because of a rainout on the scheduled date, the game was played on the 23rd.<ref name="Denny McLain Returns in Time To View AL All-Star Disaster">{{cite news |title=Denny McLain Returns in Time To View AL All-Star Disaster |agency=New York Times News Service |newspaper=[[The Day (New London)|The Day]] |location=New London, Conn |page=21 |date=July 23, 1969 |access-date=December 23, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cA8hAAAAIBAJ&pg=3882,3796867&dq=denny+mclain+1969+all+star+game&hl=en}}</ref>

McLain often deviated from conventional expectations, demonstrating an independent approach.<ref name=Biography/> He had learned to fly and purchased an airplane.<ref name=Biography/> Having kept his dental appointment, he then flew himself to Washington, arriving at the game during the second inning.<ref name="Denny McLain Returns in Time To View AL All-Star Disaster"/> He pitched in the fourth inning, but by then the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] had already built a 9–2 lead.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ALS/ALS196907230.shtml |title=1969 All-Star Game |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 23, 2011}}</ref>

McLain had disagreements with Tigers' manager [[Mayo Smith]], including disputes over the firing of pitching coach [[Johnny Sain]].<ref name=Acocella/> Despite the troubles, McLain had another productive season in [[1969 Detroit Tigers season|1969]], winning 24 games and a second consecutive Cy Young Award, tying with Baltimore's [[Mike Cuellar]], marking the first time two players had shared the award.<ref name=statistics/><ref>{{cite news |title=Cuellar, McLain Involved in First Young Award Tie |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Free-Lance Star |location=Fredericksburg, Va |page=8 |date=November 6, 1969 |access-date=December 22, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HTVWAAAAIBAJ&pg=1113,6253279&dq=denny+mclain&hl=en}}</ref> It was the last award of his major league career.<ref name=statistics/>

===Downfall===
In February [[1970 Detroit Tigers season|1970]], ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' and ''[[Penthouse (magazine)|Penthouse]]'' both published articles about McLain's involvement in [[Bookmaker|bookmaking]] activities. ''Sports Illustrated'' cited sources who alleged that the foot injury suffered by McLain late in 1967 was caused by an organized crime figure who stomped on McLain's foot as punishment for failing to pay off on a lost bet. Early in his career, McLain's interest in betting on horses was piqued by [[Chuck Dressen]], one of his first managers.<ref name=Acocella/> McLain's involvement in gambling reportedly began following a discussion about shared interests with a [[Pepsi]] representative. (When he pitched, he was known to drink a Pepsi between innings.) A representative from Pepsi then offered McLain a contract with the company, just for doing a few endorsements. McLain soon realized that he and the Pepsi representative shared an affinity for gambling; when the two realized how much money they were losing, and that they could earn so much more by "taking the action" on bets, they attempted to set up a bookmaking operation as hands-off, silent partners.

McLain was suspended indefinitely by Baseball Commissioner [[Bowie Kuhn]]; the suspension was then set for the first three months of the [[1970 in baseball|1970 season]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Kuhn Suspends Tiger Ace Denny McLain |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=[[Deseret News]] |location=Salt Lake City |page=8 |date=February 20, 1970 |access-date=December 23, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bMBOAAAAIBAJ&pg=7187,3894823&dq=denny+mclain&hl=en}}</ref> He returned in mid-season, but struggled to pitch well.<ref name=Biography/> In September, the Tigers suspended him for seven days after he doused sportswriters Jim Hawkins of the ''[[Detroit Free Press]]'' and Watson Spoelstra of ''[[The Detroit News]]'' with buckets of water. Just as the seven-day suspension was about to end, he was suspended for at least the remainder of the season by Kuhn for carrying a gun on a team flight.<ref name=Biography/> McLain's 1970 season ended with a won-loss record of only 3–5.<ref name=statistics/> Later that year, he was forced into bankruptcy despite being the first $100,000 player in Tigers history.<ref name=Biography/> Meanwhile, McLain and his teammate [[Jim Northrup (baseball)|Jim Northrup]] schemed together to make more money; they were back in Detroit furthering a plan that they shared to generate a nude baseball model calendar. These efforts eventually fell short.{{cn|date=April 2025}}

On October 9, 1970, the Tigers traded McLain, [[Elliott Maddox]], [[Norm McRae]], and [[Don Wert]] to the [[Washington Senators (1961–71)|Washington Senators]] for [[Joe Coleman (1970s pitcher)|Joe Coleman]], [[Eddie Brinkman]], [[Jim Hannan]], and [[Aurelio Rodríguez]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Senators Get Denny McLain |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Free Lance-Star |page=7 |date=October 10, 1970 |access-date=December 23, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VdZNAAAAIBAJ&pg=6881,4687474&dq=denny+mclain&hl=en}}</ref> Kuhn actually had to clear the trade because McLain was still under suspension, and suspended players cannot be traded without the commissioner's permission. Kuhn later wrote in his autobiography, ''Hardball: The Education of a Baseball Commissioner'', that he was shocked at what he called a "foolish gamble" by the Senators, and predicted that the trade would turn out to be a Tiger heist.

The McLain trade occurred despite objections from Senators manager [[Ted Williams]], who reportedly disagreed with the decision.<ref name="TBT">{{cite book |title=The Team-by-Team Encyclopedia of Major League Baseball |last=Purdy |first=Dennis |year=2006 |publisher=Workman Publishing Company |location=New York City |isbn=978-0-7611-3943-0}}</ref> The feeling was mutual; early in the [[1971 Washington Senators season|1971]] season, McLain became a charter member of the "Underminers' Club", a group of five players dedicated to getting Williams fired. They spent much of the season feuding over Williams' use of a then-unusual five-man rotation for his starters. Senators broadcaster [[Shelby Whitfield]] later told [[Rob Neyer]] that when Williams yanked McLain early from a July 5 game against the [[Cleveland Indians]], McLain threatened to call Senators owner [[Bob Short]] and have him get rid of Williams.<ref name="Neyer">{{cite book |last=Neyer |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Neyer |title=Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Blunders |year=2006 |publisher=Fireside |location=New York City |isbn=978-0-7432-8491-2 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/robneyersbigbook0000neye}}</ref>

By this time, McLain had serious arm trouble, inadvertently made worse by numerous [[cortisone]] shots he took for his sore arm.<ref name="TBT"/> As a result, he essentially stopped throwing [[fastball]]s midway through the 1971 season.<ref name="Neyer"/> Due to his arm troubles and his inability to get along with Williams, McLain went 10–22.<ref name=statistics/> He thus earned the dubious distinction of going from leading his league in wins (tied with Mike Cuellar with 24 wins in 1969) to two years later leading his league in losses.<ref name=Acocella/> McLain's 22 defeats (a mark later tied by three pitchers, all in 1974) remains the most in a major-league season since [[Jack Fisher]] of the [[New York Mets|Mets]] lost 24 in 1965.

After the 1971 season, McLain was traded to the [[Oakland Athletics]] for [[Journeyman (sports)|journeyman]] pitcher [[Jim Panther]] and prospect [[Don Stanhouse]] (who went on to have a few good years as the [[Baltimore Orioles]]' closer in the late 1970s).<ref name="Neyer"/> After only five starts, one win, and a 6.04 ERA, the Athletics sent him to the minor leagues on May 15. The Associated Press said the reasons for the demotion were "pitches which lacked steam and a medical problem."<ref>{{cite web |page=10 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2202&dat=19720516&id=MtFeAAAAIBAJ&pg=793,1376462 |title=Denny McLain Optioned To Minor Loop |newspaper=The Gettysburg Times |date=May 16, 1972 |access-date=November 26, 2020}}</ref> On June 29, Oakland traded him to the [[Atlanta Braves]] for [[Orlando Cepeda]];<ref>{{Cite news |date=1972-06-30 |title=A's Give McLain For Brave Cepeda |url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/title/xjettoniygrgzqmvlslacffcvcepgdaj_ip-10-166-46-115_1739764494232 |access-date=2025-02-17 |work=Milwaukee Sentinel |page=19 |via=[[GenealogyBank.com]] |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> he went only 3–5 for Atlanta, and his overall totals for 1972 were 4–7 with a 6.37 ERA. His final major league appearance came on September 12 against the [[Cincinnati Reds]]; he came into a tied game in the ninth and promptly gave up three runs without retiring a batter, taking the loss. (Coincidentally, the last batter McLain ever faced in the major leagues was [[Pete Rose]], who also was involved in a gambling scandal years later.)<ref name=statistics/> The Braves released McLain during spring training, on March 26, 1973.<ref>{{cite news |title=McLain Released By Braves |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=Sarasota Herald-Tribune |date=March 27, 1973 |access-date=December 23, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wU40AAAAIBAJ&pg=2408,5288280&dq=denny+mclain+released&hl=en}}</ref> After short stints with minor-league clubs in [[Des Moines]] and [[Shreveport]], McLain retired.<ref name=minor/> Three years after winning 31 games and two years after winning his second consecutive Cy Young, he was out of baseball at the age of 29.<ref name=Biography/>

==Music career==
McLain's success on the playing field led to endorsement opportunities from the [[Hammond organ|Hammond Organ Company]]; he also made musical appearances in [[Las Vegas]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Denny Will Take More |newspaper=Evening Independent |location=St. Petersburg, Fla |page=2 |date=September 6, 1968 |access-date=December 23, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=i_ELAAAAIBAJ&pg=4916,1144695&dq=denny+mclain+ed+sullivan&hl=en}}</ref> He was invited to appear with his musical quartet on ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]'' along with his World Series opponent (and guitarist) Bob Gibson.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gibby, McLain to Appear After Series |newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |page=22 |date=October 9, 1968 |access-date=December 23, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lCoNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1526,1412997&dq=denny+mclain+ed+sullivan&hl=en}}</ref> McLain also made appearances on ''[[The Steve Allen Show]]'' and [[The Joey Bishop Show (talk show)|''The Joey Bishop Show'']].<ref name=Rushin>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1993/07/19/128970/the-season-of-high-heat-in-the-tumultuous-summer-of-1968-pitchers-denny-mclain-and-bob-gibson-set-baseball-ablaze |title=The Season Of High Heat |author=Rushin, Steve |date=July 19, 1993 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |page=1 |access-date=March 7, 2015}}</ref> He also released two albums on [[Capitol Records]], ''Denny McLain at the Organ'' (1968) and ''Denny McLain in Las Vegas'' (1969).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/denny-mclain-p24561/discography |title=Denny McLain Discography |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=December 23, 2011}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
In a 10-year major-league career, McLain won 131 games against 91 losses. His career earned run average was 3.39 and he recorded 1,282 strikeouts in 1,886 innings pitched.  McLain was a three-time All-Star and won the Cy Young Award twice in his career.  Because he relied so much on his fastball, he also surrendered numerous home runs, leading the American League in home runs allowed in three consecutive years (1966–1968).<ref name=statistics/><ref name=Rushin/>

Since McLain's 31-win season, only two other pitchers have approached the 30-game milestone ([[Steve Carlton]] won 27 games in 1972 and [[Bob Welch (baseball)|Bob Welch]] also with 27 victories in 1990).<ref name=Amy>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IysDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA70 |title=Will Majors Ever Produce Another 30-Game Winner? |last1=Niedzielka |first1=Amy |date=August 1993 |magazine=Baseball Digest |access-date=December 23, 2011 }}</ref> With Major League Baseball teams transitioning from the four-man pitching rotation of McLain's era to five-man rotations, and with the increased reliance on relief pitchers, some observers believe that another 30-game winner may not occur because of the way the game is played today.<ref name=Year/><ref name=Amy/>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! [[Win (baseball statistics)|W]]
! [[Win (baseball statistics)|L]]
! [[Win (baseball statistics)|WP]]
! [[Games pitched|GP]]
! [[Games started|GS]]
! [[Complete game|CG]]
! [[Shutouts in baseball|SHO]]
! [[Save (baseball)|SV]]
! [[Innings pitched|IP]]
! [[Hit (baseball)|H]]
! [[Run (baseball)|R]]
! [[Earned run|ER]]
! [[Base on balls|BB]]
! [[Strikeout|SO]]
! [[Earned run average|ERA]]
! [[Walks plus hits per inning pitched|WHIP]]
|-
| 131
| 91
| .590
| 280
| 264
| 105
| 29
| 2
| 1,886.0
| 1,646
| 778
| 711
| 548
| 1,282
| 3.39
| 1.16
|}

==Post-major league career==
[[File:DennyMcLain.jpg|thumb|McLain throws out the [[first pitch]] on July 11, 2012, at [[Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park]] in [[Charleston, South Carolina]].]]
In 1974, McLain played a season for the [[London Majors]] of the [[Intercounty Baseball League]] at [[Labatt Memorial Park]] in [[London, Ontario]]. Because of his arm problems, McLain pitched only nine innings for the Majors, but played in 14 games at shortstop, first base, or catcher, and batted .380, including hitting two homers in one game in London.

McLain continued to earn side money playing the organ at clubs, including a club in suburban Detroit where former heavyweight boxing champion [[Leon Spinks]] worked as a bartender.<ref>{{cite news |title=Star-crossed stars cross paths |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=[[The Pittsburgh Press]] |page=1 |date=February 27, 1989 |access-date=December 23, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Z_gjAAAAIBAJ&pg=3420,6434882&dq=denny+mclain&hl=en}}</ref> McLain also earned quite a bit of money hustling golf, easily attracting "marks" due to his past baseball fame.  Additionally, he reportedly once accepted over $160,000 to fly a wanted felon out of the country.<ref name=Biography/>

McLain's weight ballooned to {{convert|330|lb|kg}} during his post-baseball career.  He was imprisoned for [[drug trafficking]] (cocaine), [[embezzlement]], and [[racketeering]]. Tampa attorneys Arnold Levine and Stevan Northcutt, who later became a Florida state appellate judge, represented McLain before the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit]] in [[Atlanta]]. His conviction was reversed under the [[Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act]] <!-- (RICO) --> in the [[United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida]] in [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]].<ref name=Acocella/>

Between his stints in prison and rehabilitation in the mid-1980s to the early-1990s, McLain could be found on various talk radio sports shows and occasionally on panel-format sports shows on network television in the Detroit area; he also modeled [[Hanes]] underwear.<ref>Albom, Mitch. "The Sports Reporters". April 13, 2008.</ref> He could also be found signing autographs at a metro Detroit [[7-Eleven]] store at the corner of Mound Road and [[Metropolitan Parkway (Detroit area)|Metro Parkway]] in [[Sterling Heights, Michigan]], where he was employed on work-release.<ref name=Acocella/> After his release, he also hosted a popular daily talk radio show for a few years on Detroit talk station [[WXYT (AM)|WXYT]].

McLain's oldest daughter, Kristin, 26, was killed on March 20, 1992, in a drunk-driving crash.<ref name=Biography/> She had been living in Florida and was moving back home to Michigan when she was killed just a few miles from her parents' home.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1138456/8/index.htm |title=The Season Of High Heat |author=Rushin, Steve |date=July 19, 1993 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |page=8 |access-date=December 25, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130102134536/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1138456/8/index.htm |archive-date=January 2, 2013}}</ref> In part to escape his grief, McLain and several partners bought the Peet Packing Company (Farmer Peet's) located in the small town of [[Chesaning, Michigan]], in 1994.<ref>{{cite news| title=McLain, Others Indicted for Alleged Scheme Involving Company Pensions| url=https://apnews.com/article/332a3199fb1b04c0d26d34f7a4249b75| first=Amy| last=Yuhn| date=May 9, 1996| website=AP News}}</ref> McLain was also a partner in the [[Michigan Radio Network]].{{citation needed|date=February 2016}} Both companies went bankrupt two years later.{{citation needed|date=February 2016}} In 1996, he was convicted on charges of [[embezzlement]], [[mail fraud]], and [[Conspiracy (crime)|conspiracy]] in connection with the theft of $2.5 million from the Peet employees' [[pension fund]].<ref name=Downfall/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/denny-mclain-strikes-out-again |title=Denny McLain strikes out again?|first1=Rob |last1=Wolchek |date=August 12, 2016 |publisher=[[WJBK]]|accessdate=April 24, 2025}}</ref>  McLain spent six years in prison; in 2008, he insisted that he knew nothing about the shady financial deals alleged by the government. McLain claims he paid restitution for this incident.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/2008/04/05/2008-04-05_on_40th_anniversary_of_31win_season_denn.html?print=1&page=all| newspaper=[[New York Daily News]]| title=On 40th anniversary of 31-win season, Denny McLain reflects on life| first=Wayne| last=Coffey| date=April 5, 2008| access-date=October 19, 2008| archive-date=April 10, 2008| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080410164721/http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/2008/04/05/2008-04-05_on_40th_anniversary_of_31win_season_denn.html?print=1&page=all| url-status=dead}}</ref>

During the Detroit Tigers [[2006 Detroit Tigers season|2006]] playoff run, McLain was the baseball analyst for [[Drew and Mike]] on [[WRIF]] radio in Detroit. In 2007, McLain released his [[autobiography]] ''I Told You I Wasn't Perfect'', co-authored by longtime Detroit sportscaster and author [[Eli Zaret]]. Prior to that, McLain and Zaret hosted a sports television show together in Detroit.

McLain currently resides in [[Pinckney, Michigan]]. McLain writes a monthly editorial column and blogs regularly for ''In Play! Magazine'', a Detroit sports magazine.

[[Kevin Costner]]'s character in the 2005 film ''[[The Upside of Anger]]'' was partly based on McLain (and also partly on [[Kirk Gibson]], another Tiger of [[1984 World Series|World Series]] note).<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0365885/trivia| title=The Upside of Anger (2005) Trivia| website=[[IMDb]] |access-date =December 30, 2014}}</ref>

On April 11, 2008, McLain was arrested without incident after deputies discovered an outstanding warrant against him for failing to appear for a January 16 court hearing.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3342441 |title=Ex-Tigers pitcher McLain in jail after missing court appearance |date=April 11, 2008 |website=ESPN |access-date=December 23, 2011}}</ref>

On September 22, 2011, McLain was arrested in [[Port Huron, Michigan]] at the [[Canada–United States border]] after officials discovered an outstanding warrant against him from [[St. Charles Parish, Louisiana|St. Charles Parish]], [[Louisiana]]. Because of construction detours, McLain had inadvertently taken an exit off [[Interstate 94 in Michigan|I-94]], sending him directly across the [[Blue Water Bridge]] and into Canada. He immediately returned to the U.S., where he was obligated to go through [[U.S. Customs and Border Protection]] inspection. The outstanding warrant was then discovered, for which McLain was jailed in Port Huron. In less than a week, the warrant was cleared and McLain was released.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=txmclainarrest |title=Former Tigers' pitcher McLain arrested on warrant |website=Yahoo! Sports |access-date=December 23, 2011 |archive-date=October 26, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026140042/http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=txmclainarrest |url-status=dead}}</ref>

From 2017 to 2018, McLain hosted a Sunday radio show about life and politics on [[WFDF (AM)]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2017/04/05/denny-mclain-monica-conyers-radio/100069666/ |title=Superstation 910 AM replaces Monica Conyers with Denny McLain |newspaper=Detroit Free Press |first=Perry A. |last=Ferrell |date=April 5, 2017}}</ref>

In January 2019 McLain and former local sportscasters Eli Zaret and Bob Page launched a podcast called ''No Filter Sports''.

In October 2020, McLain held an estate sale hosted by Aaron's Estate Sales. This event was covered nationally by outlets such as ESPN and the Associated Press.<ref>{{cite web |date=2020-10-01 |title=Ex-Tigers hurler Denny McLain selling off sports memorabilia |url=https://apnews.com/article/mlb-baseball-detroit-tigers-detroit-cleveland-indians-d8f6146295cb97a013d127a71a47fe3a |access-date=2020-10-09 |website=AP NEWS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-10-01 |title=Ex-Tigers ace McLain selling off memorabilia |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/30018292/ex-detroit-tigers-ace-denny-mclain-selling-sports-memorabilia |access-date=2020-10-09 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Estate of Dennis McLain Major League Baseball - Detroit Tigers - MASSIVE SPORTS COLLECTION |url=https://www.aaronsestatesales.com/sale/2623755 |access-date=2020-10-09 |website=Aaron's Estate Sales |language=en-us}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Detroit Tigers team records]]
* [[List of Detroit Tigers Opening Day starting pitchers]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders]]
* [[List of World Series starting pitchers]]

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==Further reading==
===Articles===
* {{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/classic/biography/s/McLain_Denny.html |title=From the big time to the big house |work=[[ESPN Classic]] |first=Nick |last=Acocella}}

===Books===
* {{cite book| title=Nobody's Perfect| first1=Denny| last1=McLain| first2=Dave| last2=Diles| publisher=The Dial Press | date=1975| isbn=978-0803757585 |url=https://archive.org/details/nobodysperfect0000mcla}}
* {{cite book| title=I Told You I Wasn't Perfect| first1=Denny| last1=McLain| first2=Eli| last2=Zaret| publisher=Triumph Books| date=2007| isbn=978-1617491474 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781572439573}}
* {{cite book |last=Pappu |first=Sridhar |title=The Year Of The Pitcher: Bob Gibson, Denny McLain, and the End of Baseball's Golden Age |year=2017 |isbn=978-1328557285 |publisher=HarperCollins |url=https://archive.org/details/yearofpitcherbob0000papp}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
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*{{Sabrbio|denny-mclain}}

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