Dennis’s 1.47 ERA at Jacksonville in 1965 was his ticket to the majors. Brought in from the bullpen to protect a Cardinal lead in the ninth inning, the 6’2″ fastballer served up a home run which tied the score. But when teammate Bill White homered in the Cardinals’ next at-bat, it made a winner out of Dennis. Undaunted, he did not allow a run in his next nine appearances and finished the year at 2-3 with six saves. His efforts gained him St. Louis rookie-of-the-year honors.
