As baseball spread across the Dominican Republic, it was only a matter of time before a star Pitcher would come from that Caribbean island. That star was Juan Marichal.
Signed in 1957, Marichal brought his signature high kick delivery stateside and debuted for San Francisco three years later, entering the starting rotation, which is where he stayed for over a decade. Marichal had a breakout year in 1962, going to his first of eight straight All-Star Games and cementing his spot as the staff ace throughout the rest of the 1960s.
Marichal strung together four straight 20-Win years (1963-66) and another two in 1968 and 1969. He led the National League in that statistic in 1963 and 1968, and though he only won one ERA Title (1969), he kept his ERA under 2.80 every season from 1963 to 1969. His control was also displayed throughout his career, as he was a three-time leader in SO/BB, a four-time leader in BB/9, and twice topped the NL in WHIP.
Moments also mark greatness, and Marichal had his share. He threw a no-hitter in June of 1963, and a month later, he out-dueled Warren Spahn of Milwaukee in a sixteen-inning classic where he shut out the Braves. Marichal didn't win a World Series, but he did help them reach the playoffs twice (1962 & 1971). After his skills eroded, his contract was sold to the Red Sox, but he retired soon after.
With the Giants, Marichal won 238 Games against 140 Losses with a 2.84 ERA and 2,281 Strikeouts.
Marichal was chosen for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983 on his third year on the ballot. His number 27 was retired by the team in 1975, and in 2008, Marichal was inducted as part of the first San Francisco Giants Wall of Fame Class.
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