John Boozer

John Morgan Boozer (July 6, 1938 – January 24, 1986) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies (1962–64 and 1966–69). Boozer has the distinction of being one of only four Major League Baseball players to be ejected from a game for violation of the spitball rule (the others were Nels Potter in 1944, Phil Regan later in 1968, and Gaylord Perry in 1982).^[1] On May 2, 1968, Boozer came in as a relief pitcher for the Phillies in a 3 to 0 loss to the host New York Mets.^[2]

Boozer attended Wofford College, and also played in the Puerto Rico Baseball Winter League in 1961, 1962, and 1963 with the Ponce Lions. He was teammates with Nelson Briles, and a very young Steve Carlton. He contributed to a championship for the Ponce Lions in 1963. He was very popular among local fans as he was always joking and making fun of himself on and off the field. He entertained kids and dressed as a clown during an all star game.

In 7 seasons he had a 14–16 win–loss record, 171 games (22 started), 3 complete games, 62 games finished, 15 saves, 394​¹⁄₃ innings pitched, 414 hits allowed, 203 runs allowed, 179 earned runs allowed, 42 home runs allowed, 139 walks, 282 strikeouts, 6 hit batsmen, 15 wild pitches, 1,690 batters faced, 21 intentional walks, 1 balk, a 4.09 ERA and a 1.402 WHIP.

John Boozer returned to Lexington, South Carolina after retiring from baseball and founded the Lexington County Recreation & Aging Commission.

He died in Lexington at the age of 47 from lymphoma.^[3] He is buried in the Pilgrim Lutheran Church Cemetery.

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)