After years as a Yankee farmhand battling injuries and criticism of his unorthodox delivery, Keegan made it to the majors as a 32-year-old rookie with the White Sox in 1953. In 1954 he was 12-3 by mid-season and was named to the All-Star team. A knee injury handicapped his next two seasons, but in 1957 he came back to win ten games, including a no-hitter. Keegan credited a slowed delivery for his renewed success. He was called Smiley because, according to Billy Pierce, “it always looked like he was smiling, even when he wasn’t.”
