Athletes - Jack Hamilton

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	Athletes - Jack Hamilton

Jack Edwin Hamilton (born December 25, 1938 in Burlington, Iowa) was a Major League Baseball pitcher. Originally signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as a free agent, he debuted as a starter for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1962 and posted a 9-12 record with an Earned Run Average of 5.09. He showed more promise pitching out of the bullpen, and spent most of his career as a relief pitcher until his retirement in 1969, although he was converted back to a starting pitcher for the 1966 and 1967 seasons.

In 1967, Hamilton was enjoying one of the best seasons of his career when he was traded by the New York Mets to the California Angels (now the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim). On August 18th, the Angels were playing the Boston Red Sox in a game that would have important implications for the American League pennant race. The game became a turning point in the careers to two players. Facing Red Sox outfielder Tony Conigliaro, Hamilton hit Conigliaro with a pitch on the left cheekbone that fractured Conigliaro's eye socket and severely damaged his retina. Conigliaro nearly died, and the damage to his vision would eventually force his early retirement from baseball in 1975. Hamilton never fully recovered, either. Unwilling to pitch inside for fear of severely injuring another batter, Hamilton's strikeout rate declined, his opponents' batting average rose, and his Earned Run Average soared. He retired in 1969, finishing his career with the Chicago White Sox.

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