Page 89 - 1975 BoSox

DICK POLE WAS A 6-FOOT-3, 200-pound right-handed pitcher who broke in with the Red Sox in 1973.
Born on October 13, 1950, in Trout Creek in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, one of the few Yoopers who worked a major-league mound. Richard Henry Pole was signed as a free agent by the Boston Red Sox in 1969. He worked his way up through the minors fairly steadily, and when Ray Culp (2-6 at the time) expe- rienced prolonged numbness in his hand, Culp was put on the disabled list and Pole was summoned to take his place. Pole debuted on August 3, 1973, wearing number 45.
After signing with the Red Sox in 1969, Pole was sent to Greenville in the Western Carolinas League, posting a 13-10 record with a 3.18 ERA, leading the league with three shutouts and 25 games started. At season’s end he appeared in two games for Winter Haven in the Florida State League, losing both despite giving up just two earned runs. He started with Winter Haven in 1970, moving on near the end of the season to Winston-Salem. In 1971 he spent the year with Pawtucket, then a Double-A a liate (8-7, 2.76 ERA). e following year, he made Triple-A with Louisville. When the Red Sox established their Triple-A team in Pawtucket, Pole returned for the 1973 season, going 12-9 and throwing a seven-inning, 2-0 no-hitter against Peninsula on June 23. For players with more than 80 innings, he led the International League with a 2.03 ERA and earned himself the call-up to
the big-league club.1
Pole’s rst major-league appearance was as the starting pitcher against the Orioles on the night of August 3 at Memorial Stadium. It wasn’t the best debut, as debuts go. He lasted only 32⁄3 innings, giving up six earned runs on 10 hits, and taking the loss. He’d gotten his feet wet, though. His second start wasn’t much
better — 31⁄3 innings with four earned runs, but this game was decided in extra innings. Starting at home on August 12, Pole pitched 52⁄3 innings and got his rst win in a major-league uniform as Boston beat the California Angels, 14-8. Pole had a strong start with just three runs in those innings. He started some and relieved some, playing out the rest of the season with the Red Sox and compiling a 3-2 record, with an earned-run average of 5.60. Before being called up, he had pitched well enough for Pawtucket to be named 1973’s Most Valuable Pitcher in the International League.
e following year, 1974, Pole was called up from Pawtucket in late June when Rick Wise was put on the disabled list. He lled in for a few weeks ( June 22 through July 13), then went back to the minors until he was called up again at the start of September. His most impressive stint came on September 8 when the Red Sox’ Juan Marichal could get only one out in the rst inning, tagged for four earned runs. Pole pitched for seven full innings, allowing just two more runs and keeping the Red Sox in the game against the Milwaukee Brewers. e Red Sox came from behind and won the game, 8-6, and Dick got the win. e win edged Boston into a tie for rst place with the Orioles. In all, Pole put in 45 innings of work, mostly in relief, with a 1-1 record, and an improved 4.20 ERA.
Pole saw work in bunches in 1975, up at the start of the season, but out for virtually the month of May. He got in seven games in June, and the last was a June
30 game, a night game at Fenway Park against the Orioles, the rst game of a twi-night doubleheader. Pole was pitch- ing a brilliant game, shutting out the O’s through eight innings on four hits. Going for the complete-game shutout, Pole opened the ninth inning with a strikeout of Don Baylor. en the Birds started hitting. Pinch-hitter Jim Northrup singled, and so did Brooks Robinson and
Dick Pole
By Bill Nowlin
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