Charlie Hough

Almost exclusively a reliever with the Dodgers, Charlie Hough became one of the greatest starting pitchers in Texas Rangers history. The knuckleballer led Texas in wins, complete games, and innings pitched each year from 1982 to 1987, winning a higher percentage of his club’s victories than any other major league hurler those six years, and became the club’s all-time leader in strikeouts, games pitched, wins, losses, innings pitched, and walks. In 1987 Charlie became the oldest pitcher in American League history to lead the league in starts and innings pitched, achieving career highs in wins, strikeouts, starts and innings at age 39. He also helped the Rangers set a major league record with 73 passed balls, contributing to 65 of them.

Originally signed as a third baseman, Hough learned the knuckler from Los Angeles scout Goldie Hold, with help from Hoyt Wilhelm, Jim Brewer, and Tom Lasorda. A middle-innings reliever with the Dodgers, Hough led the NL with 12 relief wins in 1976. He started just once from 1970 to 1978.