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Mike Moore 2017 Hall Of Fame Nomination

4/10/2016

5 Comments

 
copyWrite By Mark House
copyWrite upDate 10.14.16

Historically and statistically, Mike Moore is one of the greatest MLB pitchers ever to be born and raised in our great state of Oklahoma. Many will testify that he is personally one of the greatest people to be born and raised in our great state of Oklahoma. For such reasons and on behalf of his family; the Eakly Eagles; the Oral Roberts University Golden Eagles; the Seattle Mariners; the Oakland Athletics; the Detroit Tigers and fans of Oklahoma baseball, I, Mark House, respectfully nominate Mike Moore for 2017 induction into Oklahoma's prestigious Sports Hall Of Fame.
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What a great baseball story originating from the dusty ole peanut fields of Oklahoma's Caddo County and ending up on a red dirt mound in sunny California with sweet victory in World Championship Series play for the Oakland A's. From a proudly worn little league uniform with an iron-on E for Eakly to the MLB with a more glorified and perfectly stitched A's cap for Oakland. It only happens for a chosen few. A chosen few with such a high level of natural talent and the highest level of work ethic to match.

Mike Moore

One of Oklahoma's all time greats, Mike Moore, earned two of his 161 career Major League Baseball victories in the 1989 World Series for the Oakland A's.

Mike Moore, over his 14 year professional career, has earned the right to be considered one of Oklahoma's greatest red dirt, red blood, born and raised, Major League Baseball pitchers of all time. Solid statistical evidence stands behind this claim of such greatness. The most significant statistics relative to career Major League Baseball victories, strikeouts and average strikeouts per season place Mike at the top of Oklahoma's list with fellow Oklahoma standout Allie Reynolds and Major League Baseball hall of famers Warren Spahn and Carl Hubbell.
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Only one Oklahoman, Mike Moore, has ever been drafted #1 since the inception of the Major League Baseball draft in 1965. From over fifty years of MLB player drafts, only Mike Moore from Eakly, Oklahoma, has represented the Sooner State as a #1 selection back in 1981. Amazement continued in 1981 as Oklahoma's Joe Carter was selected #2 overall in this same MLB draft.

Only six Oklahoma born players have broken the 1,000 career strikeout plateau. Mike Moore's top-of-the-list 1,667 averaged per season calculates to 119. Allie Reynolds' 1,423 averaged per season adds up to 108.5. On average, no one else comes close to these two great pitchers born and raised in our great state. Moore's 119 per season is higher than that of Carl Hubbell (104.8) and even rivals that of the great Warren Spahn at 123. Although not actually born in Oklahoma, both MLB hall of fame pitchers Hubbell and Spahn are deservedly considered two of Oklahoma's greatest.
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With 1,667, Mike Moore tops the MLB career strikeout list for pitchers born and raised in Oklahoma. His career season average of 119 is better than MLB hall of famer Carl Hubbell and falls just four shy of the great Warren Spahn's season whiff average of 123.

So, where does Mike Moore fit into the realm of Oklahoma's Greatest Pitchers? No doubt, he's one of the best when it comes to the list of Oklahoma's actual born and raised category. No doubt, we can find comparable stats to any pitcher considered to be great and from Oklahoma. But, to date, only Big Bang Theory hard core pop bottle glasses wearing statisticians would consider the many years, as a #1 draft pick, Moore had to pitch for one of the worst teams in Major League Baseball and acknowledge with tribute that he is Oklahoma's greatest red dirt, red blood, born and raised pitcher. 

Mike Moore was a standout student athlete for Eakly High School. With a 24-2 senior season record and an unbelievable .05 earned run average (E.R.A.), Moore earned his final high school victory while being selected MVP in Oklahoma's 29th Annual All-State Baseball Classic in 1978.
PictureMike Moore, ORU
Despite being drafted in the third round out of Eakly High School in 1978 by the St. Louis Cardinals, Moore chose to attend college and pitch for Oral Roberts University. Also bypassing a basketball scholarship offer from the University of Oklahoma, he earned First Team Sporting News All-American baseball status in 1981 while at ORU. Moore then became the FIRST right handed pitcher ever to be drafted into the Major Leagues #1 OVERALL by the Seattle Mariners in 1981. This being the same year fellow Oklahoman Joe Carter was selected #2 overall by the Chicago Cubs.

Former Oklahoma high school umpire Jim Ruff claims Moore "at the high school level, was too good for everybody else. Most everybody was scared to death of him because of his speed."

Daily Oklahoman columnist, the late Bob Hersom, recognized Moore as an "Eakly High School and Oral Roberts University (ORU) pitching ace."

1981 ORU Pitching Coach Jim Brewer said "I've seen a lot of pitchers in the last 25 years and I think Mike Moore is probably one of the strongest."

During the 1989 World Series, former Oakland A's Pitching Coach Dave Duncan shared that "Mike hasn't just been sitting back and trying to let his God-given ability take over, he's worked hard to improve in all the different areas to become a great pitcher."

Daily Oklahoman columnist, baseball historian and sports talk radio personality Berry Tramel shares "Moore's 161 MLB wins should be a 'SLAM DUNK' in regard to Oklahoma Sports Hall Of Fame induction."

Eakly, Oklahoma's Mike Moore gives up only one run on three hits in seven innings as the Oakland A's defeat San Francisco 5-1 in game two of the 1989 MLB World Series.

Baseball Almanac documents Mike Moore as being twenty-two (22) years old when he broke into the majors with the Seattle Mariners on April 11, 1982. Pinnacle highlights of Moore's 161 WIN – 1,667 STRIKEOUT fourteen year MLB career include 1989 MLB All-Star status and pitching in two World Series Championships for the Oakland A's in both 1989 and 1990.
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Mike Moore won game two and game four in the '89 "Quake Series" sweep vs. the S.F. Giants as the A's became World Champs. Opposing Giants Manager Roger Craig shares thoughts of Moore's game two performance ... "then Mike Moore comes along, and in the second game, even had a better one (split finger fastball) than Dave Stewart."
Author's Note: Information for this official blogUmentary nomination has been researched and composed with confidence of accuracy.
5 Comments
Dean King
9/24/2016 11:06:57 pm

The above narrative is an outstanding article of information on how a small town kid from the little town of Eakly Oklahoma was able to move into major league baseball. His sister married a cousin of mine and so I am very proud of Mike Moore. Someday I hope to meet him and tell him how proud this former Oklahoman is of Mike Moore. Blessings wished for Mike and his family.

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Kathy Clear
9/25/2016 06:25:19 am

The above narrative is a great story about a young man in Eakly who never gave up on his dreams and chose and education while living them. He is a true inspiration to our youth and I as a teacher hope he continues to share his experiences with these young children. I am proud to say that he is the brother of my husband's Aunt and I watched him play as a child. I saw him pitch the games of the quake series between The Giants and the A's from my family room TV. Congrats to a great young man and family.

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Mary C. King
9/25/2016 08:14:15 am

Mike is my husband's nephew's wife's little brother and I am proud that he and his wife call me "Aunt Mary". He has always been an inspiration and mentor to young people in the Weatherford area of SW Oklahoma. To this day, he is coaching high school baseball in the area. Mike deserves the best!

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steve towey
10/24/2019 09:05:27 pm

Hi, My name is Steve Towey. I was a friend of Mike a long time ago.
I was batboy for the Seattle Mariners when Mike played there and then later I played in the minor leagues with Oakland when Mike was also with the A's.
He used to call me Bug Head.
If you could relay a message to him or send me an email address for him, I'd sure appreciate it.
Steve Towey (206) 650-3564 or shishka2e@aol.com
He was one of my most favorite people and would sure like to get back in touch.

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    About The Author

    Mark House is a self trained historian, researchist and archaeologist focused on the collection of cool iMages, dOcuments and rElics relative to cool pEople, tHings and pLaces. Cover iMage of Oklahoma City base ball July 4, 1889.

    ​Contact Mark House at: markhouse6@gmail.com

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