An important Yankee reliever who had played pro basketball with the Minneapolis Lakers, the 6’6″ Hamilton threw a nasty slider with a three-quarter sidearm motion that froze lefthanded hitters. He saved the sixth game of the 1964 World Series. In 1965, he recorded a 1.39 ERA in 46 games, and in 1968 saved a career-high 11. Late in his career he added a blooper pitch, thrown with a hesitation delivery, fashioned after Rip Sewell‘s “Eephus” ball. Hamilton called it the “Folly Floater,” and it helped extend his career. He recorded 42 ML saves.
