Bill Spanswick

{{Short description|American baseball player (1938–2020)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name=Bill Spanswick |position=Pitcher |image= |birth_date={{Birth date|1938|7|8}} |birth_place=Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S. |death_date= {{death date and age|mf=yes|2020|12|2|1938|7|8}} |death_place=Naples, Florida, U.S. |bats=Left |throws=Left |debutleague = MLB |debutdate=April 18 |debutyear=1964 |debutteam=Boston Red Sox |finalleague = MLB |finaldate=September 20 |finalyear=1964 |finalteam=Boston Red Sox |statleague = MLB |stat1label=Win–loss record |stat2label=Earned run average |stat3label=Strikeouts |stat1value=2–3 |stat2value=6.89 |stat3value=55 |teams= *Boston Red Sox ({{baseball year|1964}}) }} '''William Henry Spanswick'''<ref>{{cite web|title=Bill Spanswick|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/s/spansbi01.shtml|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=2008-03-08}}</ref> (July 8, 1938 – December 2, 2020) was an American professional baseball player. A left-handed pitcher, Spanswick appeared in 29 games, seven as a starter, in the Major Leagues for the 1964 Boston Red Sox.

Spanswick was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. Listed at {{convert|6|ft|3|in}} tall and {{convert|195|lb}}, he graduated from high school in Enfield, Connecticut,<ref>{{cite web|first=Tim|last=Jensen|title=Former Red Sox Pitcher from Enfield Shares his Thoughts on the Fenway Park Centennial|date=April 24, 2012|publisher=Enfield Patch|url=http://patch.com/connecticut/enfield/former-red-sox-pitcher-from-enfield-shares-his-thoughb71534db3d|access-date=2015-06-10}}</ref> and attended The College of the Holy Cross. He signed with the Red Sox in 1958 and spent six years working his way through the Boston farm system when he made the 1964 club out of spring training. He stayed on the Red Sox roster for the entire campaign. His two MLB victories came May 8 as a starter against the Washington Senators and June 28 in relief against the Cleveland Indians, with bullpen ace Dick Radatz getting saves in each game.<ref>[http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1964/B05080WS21964.htm 1964-5-8 box score] from Retrosheet</ref><ref>[http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1964/B06281BOS1964.htm 1964-6-28 (1) box score] from Retrosheet</ref>

Spanswick pitched exclusively in relief after June 19, 1964. In 65{{fraction|1|3}} innings pitched, he allowed 75 hits and 44 bases on balls, with 55 strikeouts. The 1964 Red Sox finished eighth in the ten-team American League, with a 72–90 (.444) record.

He returned to the minor leagues in 1965 and retired after the 1968 season.

Spanswick was elected as a member of the inaugural class of the Enfield Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996.

He died December 2, 2020, at age 82.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jensen |first1=Tim |title=Bill Spanswick Dies; Enfield's Only Major League Baseball Player |url=https://patch.com/connecticut/enfield/bill-spanswick-dies-enfields-only-major-league-baseball-player |access-date=4 December 2020 |work=Patch}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Baseballstats|mlb=122561 |espn= |br=s/spansbi01 |fangraphs= |cube= |brm=spansw001wil }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spanswick, Bill}} Category:1938 births Category:2020 deaths Category:Allentown Red Sox players Category:Baseball players from Springfield, Massachusetts Category:Boston Red Sox players Category:Hawaii Islanders players Category:Holy Cross Crusaders baseball players Category:Johnstown Red Sox players Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:People from Enfield, Connecticut Category:Baseball players from Hartford County, Connecticut Category:Raleigh Capitals players Category:San Diego Padres (minor league) players Category:Seattle Angels players Category:Seattle Rainiers players Category:Toronto Maple Leafs (International League) players Category:Waterloo Hawks (baseball) players Category:Lexington Red Sox players Category:20th-century American sportsmen