43 Facts About Mike Cuellar

Miguel Angel Cuellar Santana was a Cuban professional baseball player.

Mike Cuellar played for 15 seasons in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher in 1959 and from 1964 through 1977, most prominently as a member of the Baltimore Orioles who won the American League pennant in each of Cuellar's first three seasons with the team.

Mike Cuellar played for the Cincinnati Reds, St Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros and California Angels.

Mike Cuellar, nicknamed Crazy Horse because of his superstitious nature, ranks among Baltimore's top five career leaders in wins, strikeouts, shutouts and innings pitched.

In 1982, Mike Cuellar was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame.

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Miguel Angel Mike Cuellar Santana was born in Santa Clara, Cuba, on May 8,1937.

One of four brothers, Mike Cuellar's family made their living working in Cuban sugar mills.

Not interested in pursuing that as a career, Mike Cuellar joined the Cuban Army, which allowed him to play baseball on weekends.

Mike Cuellar threw a no-hitter for an army team in 1955, drawing attention from scouts.

Mike Cuellar struck out seven Montreal Royals in just over two innings of work in his first game with Havana in 1957.

Mike Cuellar spent the 1962 season with the Sultanes de Monterrey of the Triple-A Mexican League, appearing in 37 games.

Mike Cuellar was used primarily as a relief pitcher for the rest of the year, though he made seven starts.

In 1965, Mike Cuellar failed to make the Cardinals roster and was assigned to Jacksonville to begin the year.

Mike Cuellar spent the rest of 1965 in the major leagues with the Astros, mainly as a relief pitcher, though he made four starts.

Mike Cuellar came into the contest in relief of Chris Short in the 11th.

Mike Cuellar tied with four other pitchers for fifth in the NL in wins and ranked fifth in strikeouts.

Mike Cuellar became the first pitcher born in Latin America to win the Cy Young Award.

On May 29,1970, Mike Cuellar struck out 10 batters, including four in the same inning, as he threw a four-hit shutout against the Angels.

Mike Cuellar made the All-Star team for the second time, picked by Weaver, who was managing the team.

Mike Cuellar led the AL in games started, and complete games, ranking among the AL leaders in strikeouts, shutouts, and innings pitched.

However, Mike Cuellar finished in fourth place in the voting for the American League Cy Young Award.

In Game 5, Mike Cuellar was hit hard early, giving up three runs to the Reds in the first inning.

Mike Cuellar allowed just two runs over eight innings in Game 7, but Steve Blass of the Pirates allowed only one run, and Pittsburgh won the series as Cuellar suffered a difficult loss.

Mike Cuellar won only two of his first nine games in 1972, though his ERA was 3.

Mike Cuellar was selected to the All-Star Game for the fourth time in his career.

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Mike Cuellar pitched 20 complete games, including five shutouts, as he earned a sixth-place finish in the Cy Young Award voting.

Mike Cuellar allowed just one hit in Game 4, but his control was not good; he walked nine hitters and was lifted in the fifth inning after walking in a run.

In 1979, Mike Cuellar joined the San Juan Boricuas of the newly-created independent Inter-American League.

Mike Cuellar suffered a pulled hamstring in his third start but has appeared in games despite the injury.

Mike Cuellar continued to play in Puerto Rican winter leagues and the Mexican League through 1983 before retiring for good.

In five American League Championship Series and three World Series appearances, Mike Cuellar pitched in 12 games, winning four games and losing four with a 2.

Ken McMullen of the Angels said: "Mike Cuellar's screwball is a pitch nobody else in baseball throws, and he can change speeds on it".

When Mike Cuellar joined the Orioles, he was in the process of breaking up with his wife, and he was struggling with debt.

Mike Cuellar divorced soon after he joined the team, and the Orioles helped rectify his financial issues.

Mike Cuellar worked at a golf course, helping out during Orioles' spring training each year.

Mike Cuellar was a frequent attendee when the Orioles had team reunions.

Mike Cuellar was the third of the Orioles' four 20-game winners in 1971 to perish, following Dave McNally in 2002 and Pat Dobson in 2006.

Mike Cuellar is among the Orioles' single-season records in other categories, as well.

Mike Cuellar is one of four Orioles to make 40 starts in a season.

Mike Cuellar stayed in the dugout until his catcher put his gear on, refused to step on the foul line, and refrained from signing autographs on days he was pitching.

In 1969, early success in games in which coach Jim Frey caught his pregame warmup pitches caused Mike Cuellar to insist that Frey catch his pregame warmups for the rest of the year.

When Boog Powell finally got him to catch it on a third try, Mike Cuellar asked for a new ball, which he refused to catch until Bobby Grich finally rolled it to the mound.

In 1982, Mike Cuellar was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame.