Richard Allen Bosman (born February 17, 1944) is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher. In 11-year career he played for the Washington Senators (1966-1971), Texas Rangers (1972-1973), Cleveland Indians (1973-1975) and Oakland Athletics (1975-1976).^[1] He batted and threw right-handed. Bosman started the final game for the expansion Senators and the first game for the Texas Rangers. He is the only pitcher in Major League history to miss a perfect game due to his own fielding error.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Career

Bosman was originally signed as an amateur free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1963. Following that season, he was drafted from the Pirates by the San Francisco Giants, and then a year later was drafted again by the Senators.^[2] After another season in the minors, he made his major league debut on June 1, 1966.

Bosman pitched for the Senators, and later the Rangers, for eight seasons. In 1969 he compiled a 14-5 mark and led the league in earned run average (2.19). He reached a career-high 16 victories in 1970, one of which was a one-hit, 1-0 shutout against Minnesota on August 14. César Tovar gave him the Twins only hit, a single.^[3]

Early in the 1973 season, Bosman was traded by the Rangers, along with outfielder Ted Ford, to the Indians for pitcher Steve Dunning. While with the Indians, Bosman pitched a no-hitter against the Oakland Athletics, a team that would go on to win the 1974 World Series. He missed a rare perfect game due only to his own throwing error in the fourth inning, which gave the A's their lone baserunner in a 4-0 Indians victory.^[4]

The following season, Bosman would be traded to the very team he no-hit, as he was traded by the Indians along with Jim Perry to the A's in exchange for Blue Moon Odom. During the 1975 season, Bosman won 11 games to help Oakland to a division title. He remained with Oakland in 1976, but was released by the A's in spring training of 1977, ending his major league career.

Bosman compiled a career 82-85 record with 757 strikeouts and a 3.67 ERA in 1591 innings.^[1][5] After retiring, he has served as a pitching coach for the Chicago White Sox (1986-1987) Rochester Red Wings (1988-1991)[Baltimore Orioles AAA farm club from (1961-2002)], Baltimore Orioles (1992-1994),Manager Johnny Oates left the Orioles to manage the Rangers and brought Bosman with him. Texas Rangers (1995-2000) and he has been a coach in the Tampa Bay Rays' system since 2002.

[edit] Personal life

A long time resident of Pinellas County in Florida, Bosman spends his time rebuilding old cars into hot rods. His daily ride is a fire red 1936 Chevy two-door sedan with a 330 horsepower (246 kW) Corvette engine, cruise control, air conditioning and power windows. The body and the backseat are the only things '36 on that car. He also has rebuilt about a dozen cars, including a 1946 Chevy he sold to former Devil Rays pitcher Bobby Witt and a 1933 Ford two-door sedan for the left-handed David Wells.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] See also

• List of Major League Baseball ERA champions
• List of Major League Baseball no-hitters

[edit] External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference

[edit] References