The “Humm baby” nickname he gave to a third-string catcher, Brad Gulden, became a beloved phrase to a generation of Bay Area baseball fans. The Durham, N.C., native joined the Giants in the final weeks of a 62-100 season in 1985 and immediately endeared himself to fans with his folksy charm. The resulting movement was a pitch that dived straight down into the dirt - an especially devastating weapon in the late innings of afternoon games.Ĭraig became the expansion San Diego Padres’ first pitching coach in 1969 and managed them in 1978-79. Instead of spreading the index and middle fingers and throwing the ball from the fingertips, he pushed the ball further back in his hand. He taught the splitter to future Hall of Famer Jack Morris in Detroit and to Cy Young Award winner Mike Scott in Houston.Ĭraig referred to the splitter as “the pitch” and often told the story that he didn’t invent the pitch as much as he modified the forkball that he observed Elroy Face, Lindy McDaniel and others throwing while he was a young player in the Dodgers organization. His greatest contribution to the game was as a progenitor of the split-fingered fastball, which spread far and wide under his tutelage. Craig finished his 12-year career with a 74-98 record and 3.83 ERA in 386 games, appearing in almost equal amounts as a starter and long reliever. He later won titles with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1959 and with the St. Craig received the win in Game 5 when he held the Yankees to two runs in six innings. The Giants went on to lose in four games to the Oakland A’s in a Bay Bridge World Series that was postponed for 10 days because of the deadly Loma Prieta earthquake.Īs a major league pitcher from 1955 to 1966, Craig won three World Series titles and was a key member of the Brooklyn Dodgers’ long-awaited championship season in 1955. Rjnp7t9QeIĬraig managed the ’89 club that defeated the Chicago Cubs in the NL Championship Series to claim the franchise’s first pennant in 27 years. His 586 wins are sixth-most in Giants history and third-most in the San Francisco era. The “Humm Baby” skippered the Giants for eight seasons. We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former #SFGiants Manager Roger Craig. His 586 victories are the sixth-most in Giants history.
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