Burt Happy Hooten

I was doing some research for a post I was trying to put together when I encountered one of my All-Time favorite Dodger pitchers, Burt “Happy” Hooten. I have no idea why, but I seem to favor pitchers from University of Texas, and pitchers from Texas in general. Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May, Ross Stripling, Howie Reed, Huston Street, Brooks Kieschnick, Ryan Pressly, Greg Swindell, Shawn Tolleson, Kerry Wood, Calvin Schiraldi, Josh Beckett…Maybe it is because when I was following NCAA baseball, my USC Trojans and University of Texas were the two elite programs. Rod Dedeaux and Cliff Gustafson are arguably the two best college coaches of all time. Maybe on one hand, with Mike Martin, Augie Garrido, and Skip Bertman. But I digress. I could write a long time on my love for NCAA Baseball. So when the Dodgers traded for Burt Hooten, I was already a fan from his U of T days, so I was ecstatic.

Burt Hooten was a three year All-American at U of T (1969-1971). He was 35-3 in his career, and still owns individually or shares 10 records at the University. Happy was the 2nd overall pick in the June 8, 1971 draft by the Chicago Cubs, and made his MLB debut on June 17, 1971 against the St. Louis Cardinals. He pitched 3.1 innings and got a no decision, while the Cubs won.

Perhaps Burt Hooten is best known by general baseball fans because of his “knuckle-curve”. Chicago Cub Coach Pete Reiser once observed about this “trick-pitch”; “They’ve got a lot of names for these pitches now, but there are only so many ways you can throw a baseball.” And yet Reiser would exclude from his generalization the “knuckle curve” thrown by young Burt Hooton of his own pitching staff. “I imagine somebody must have had a pitch like this sometime, somewhere,” says Reiser, searching back over more than 30 years of baseball memories, “but I can’t think of anybody.” Hooton’s pitching colleague Steve Hamilton is even more emphatic: “If anyone says he knows of somebody who throws one, he’s full of bull.” Cub Manager Leo Durocher, who is nearing his 50th year in the game, says, “I have never known of anyone who has thrown a knuckle curve like this.”

When asked what his memory of his MLB debut was, Hooten stated, “The memory that sticks out for me was just my first day at Wrigley Field. Coming off the University of Texas campus and into that Cubs clubhouse, straight to the Major Leagues… I was just a 21-year-old-kid. I was watching Ernie Banks and Billy Williams and Ron Santo and Don Kessinger and Glenn Beckert and Randy Hundley and Fergie Jenkins. These were guys I had been watching on TV the previous eight or nine years. Then all of a sudden, here I am wearing the same uniform and I am one of their teammates. I will always remember just the way they accepted me and how nice and professional they all were.”

After his initial start, Hooten was optioned to AAA (Tacoma) where he went 7-4 with 102 IP. He compiled a 1.68 ERA and a 0.902 WHIP. In other words, he dominated AAA. Hooten started and pitched two additional games in MLB in1971. On September 15, 1971 he pitched a complete game allowing 2 runs on 3 hits and got the win. His next game on September 21, 1971 he pitched a complete game 2 hit shutout, and the win. In his first year, Hooten pitched 21.1 MLB innings and was 2-0 with a 2.11 ERA.

In 1972, Hooten started Game 2 (April 16, 1972) in the strike delayed season and promptly no-hit the Philadelphia Phillies. He was never really able to sustain that start and on May 2, 1975 he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Geoff Zahn and Eddie Solomon. He stayed with the Dodgers through the 1984 season. He spent 1985 with the Texas Rangers and retired in the state where it all began. His final game was September 6,1985 against the Chicago White Sox. He came on in relief with 2 runners on and 2 out in the 4th and promptly surrendered a 3-run HR to Carlton Fisk. He then proceeded to shut down the next 7 batters he faced. His last batter was Tim Hulett who grounded out 5-3.

As a Dodger, Burt was 112-84 with a 3.14 ERA. His one big problem was his walks. He had 540 walks to go with his 1,042 strikeouts as a Dodger.

The Dodgers could use a little Happy Magic to rub off on Clayton Kershaw. Without question the biggest complaint about Kersh is his inability to put the team on his shoulders and carry them in the post-season. Well that is exactly what Burt Hooten did in 1981. On October 9, 1981, down 2 games to 0 in the 1981 NLDS against the Houston Astros, Hooten took the mound against Bob Knepper. Hooten went 7.0 innings, allowed 1 run on a Art Howe HR and 3 hits, and got the 6-1 victory to start the Dodgers march to beat the Astros in the NLDS.

Hooten started Game 1 of the NLCS against the Montreal Expos and Bill Gullickson. He went 7.1 shutout innings allowing 6 hits, and was the 5-1 victor. Down 2 games to 1, the Dodgers found themselves on the brink of elimination, and for the second time turned to Burt Hooten in Game 4. He drew Bill Gullickson again, and this time allowed an unearned run on 5 hits and a 7-1 victory. For the NLCS, Hooten pitched 14.2 innings, and gave up 1 unearned run, and was rewarded with the NLCS MVP Award.

But Hooten’s 1981 post season heroics were not yet complete. For Game 2 of the WS he went up against Tommy John and gave up an unearned run in his 6 innings, but came out behind 1-0, and NYY scored a couple more in the 8th and took the 3-0 victory. After being down 0 games to 2 early on, the Dodgers roared back with 3 consecutive victories and sent Burt Hooten to the mound to once again face Tommy John and to bring home the Trophy. And that is exactly what he did with the BIG help from Steve Howe. In the 3rd inning, Hooten surrendered a HR to Willie Randolph, but the Dodgers scored 8 unanswered runs to take an 8-1 lead into the bottom of the 6th. With one out, Hooten allowed a single and two walks, and it was Steve Howe time. Howe gave up a run scoring single, but retired the next two batters and the Dodgers were up 8-2 after 6. Howe went on to finish 3.2 innings and to seal the 9-2 victory with a Bob Watson fly ball to Kenny Landreaux (another of my favorites) to win the 1981 World Series Championship.

Hooten was MadBum before MadBum was born. For the 1981 playoffs, Hooten was 4-1 with a 0.82 ERA, and staved off two elimination games.

Since his playing days after the 1985 season, Burt returned to University of Texas to get his degree in journalism and to begin his long coaching career. Burt coached in the Dodgers organization from 1988 to 1996. He returned to U of T in 1997-1999. In 2000, he returned to professional baseball as the pitching coach for Round Rock, the AA affiliate of the Houston Astros. In mid-season he was promoted to the ML coaching staff where he remained until 2004. In 2005 he returned to Round Rock and stayed with them through 2010 and followed them to OKC when the team left Round Rock. In 2013, Hooten was named the pitching coach for the Fort Wayne TinCaps. At 69, he was named the TinCaps pitching coach yet again for the 7th consecutive year in 2019. Unfortunately, Hooten was not able to take the field with the team this year as he is recovering from off season knee surgery.

1981 will always be known as the year of Fernando. But for me I will always remember Burt Hooten’s magical 1981 playoff performance.

AC’S MINOR LEAGUE RECAP

Friday’s Scores

OKC Dodgers 9 – Tacoma Rainiers 2 (Seattle)
Tulsa Drillers 3 – NW Arkansas Naturals 1 (Royals) – Completion of August 8, 2019 game
Tulsa Drillers 3 – NW Arkansas Naturals 4 (Royals) – 7 inning game
RC Quakes 6 – Stockton Ports 4 (A’s)
Great Lakes Loons 6 – Laker County Captains 5 (Cleveland)
Ogden Raptors 8 – Idaho Falls Chukars 3 (Royals)
Ogden Raptors 4 – Idaho Falls Chukars 2 (Royals)
AZL Dodgers Lasorda 2 – AZL Chicago Cubs (1) 4
AZL Dodgers Mota 3 – AZL DBacks 8
DSL Dodgers Bautista 5 – DSL Marlins 6 (10 innings)
DSL Dodgers Shoemakers 6 – DSL Red Sox (2) 11

OKC Dodgers:
Gavin Lux appears to be in a slump as he only went 1-4, but he did score twice. But Zach McKinstry is the new player that is jumping up and down screaming look at me…I can play too. Zach went 4-4 with 2 HR’s and 6 RBI’s. Zach now has 12 hits in his first 20 AAA AB, including 3 doubles, 3 home runs, and 11 RBI’s. Logan Bawcom went the first five to get the win. Dylan Floro allowed a run on a hit and a walk in a rehab assignment.

Tulsa Drillers:
Game 1 was a completion of the game the night before. The Drillers scored a run on a HR (Chris Parmalee #11), an RBI single (Omar Estevez), and a steal of home (Jared Walker). Ryan Moseley and Nolan Long finished up for Parker Curry after his 4 shutout innings.
Jo Jo Gray did not have one of his better outings in Game 2. He went 3.0 innings allowing 5 hits and 2 runs. With the score tied at 3-3, Jordan Sheffield got the first batter out, but then allowed a walk, a single, a walk, and the game winning single. Drew Avans, Carlos Rincon, and Errol Robinson each had 2 hits.

RC Quakes:
Jacob Amaya’s first hit as a RC Quake was a HR. Jeter Downs hit his 19th. Dillon Paulson, Jordan Procyshen, and Deacon Liput each had a pair of hits. Andre Jackson started and went 3.0 innings. He was followed by four Quakes pitchers, with Austin Drury throwing 3.0 shutout innings for the win and Brett de Geus pitching a clean 9th for his third save. de Geus is becoming a weapon for the Quakes in the late innings. I am hoping that the 21-year-old RHRP gets two weeks in Tulsa to wrap up his 2019 season. Maybe an AFL invite????

Great Lakes Loons:
Romer Cuadrado was the hitting star last night with 3 hits including his 5th HR. Sam McWilliams is showing that he is getting more comfortable at the plate with a 2-2 night. James Outman also had two hits. Ryan Pepiot went the first two innings, and was followed by three relievers, none of who distinguished themselves last night.

Ogden Raptors:
Zac Ching went 3-3 in Game 1, with a pair of All Stars, Andy Pages and Brandon Lewis, getting 2 apiece. Pages hit his 11th HR. Andrew Shaps also had a 2 hit night while Sauryn Lao hit his 3rd HR. Elio Serrano started and pitched 5.0 innings for the win with two of the 6 dozen or so 2019 relief pitcher draft picks, Jeff Belge and Nick Robertson, finished it off.
In Game 2, four pitchers combined to pitch a one-hitter. Mitchell Tyranski pitched in his 4th Ogden game and has not yielded a run. In 13.2 IP including AZL, Tyranski has allowed 1 run on 6 hits, 1 walk, and 22 strikeouts. Yes, another of the 6 dozen or so relief pitchers drafted in 2019, who is going to get a good look next year. Recently promoted Jorbit Vivas and Aldrich De Jongh both made their debuts yesterday going 1-3, with Ryan Ward hitting his 3rd HR.5)

AZL League:
Jaime Perez (Lasorda) had a double (5) and HR (3), while Yhostin Chirinos (Lasorda) and Imanol Vargas (Mota) had 2 hits. Vargas hit his 6th HR. Marshall Kasowski (1st) and Joe Broussard (3rd) both made perfect rehab assignments. Both had 3 strikeouts, with Kasowski going 1.0 inning and Broussard going 2.0.

DSL League:
The two DSL teams lost a pair. A trio of Dodgers batters had a pair of hits; Kiumel Bastardo, Yohandry Sequera, and Rushenten Tomsjansen, and 18-year-old SS, Hector Martinez, hit a Grand Slam HR. It was his second HR on the season.