Burt Hooton cut his teeth with the Chicago Cubs, making their parent club in 1971, but struggles at Wrigley led to the hurler being traded to L.A. early in the 1975 Season. If you are to go by traditional statistics, this was the most fantastic year of Hooton's career, as he went 18 and 9, the best Winning Percentage in the National League.
After a winless start in Chicago in 1975, Hooton reached new heights after being traded to the Dodgers. He posted an 18-7 record with a 2.82 ERA, winning his last 12 decisions to break a franchise record held by Sandy Koufax. He demonstrated total command of the National League that summer, showing his breaking ball was key for a contending staff. By 1978, he was Cy Young runner-up with a career-high 19 wins and a 2.71 ERA.
Hooton reached a historic postseason high during the 1981 championship run. While he peaked in individual production in 1978, his 1981 tenure was marked by a ‘clutch' gene. He led one of the most dominant post-seasons, earning his only All-Star and reaching a peak in October. He was named NLCS MVP after pitching 14.2 scoreless innings against Montreal and sealed his success with a win in the World Series against the Yankees. Hooton was a steady rotation mainstay, with a calm, 'Happy' demeanor that helped him thrive in October.
As his high-velocity years began to transition into a specialized relief role, he reached a high-leverage crossroads and departed for the Texas Rangers as a free agent. With Los Angeles, Hooton had a 3.14 ERA with 112 Wins against 84 Losses.
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