Dave Wickersham
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David Clifford Wickersham (born September 27, 1935 in Erie, Pennsylvania) is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1960 through 1969, he played for the Kansas City Athletics (1960-63), Detroit Tigers (1964-67), Pittsburgh Pirates (1968) and Kansas City Royals (1969). Wickersham batted and threw right handed. He debuted on September 18, 1960 and played his final game on July 26, 1969.
Wickersham was scouted by Branch Rickey and George Sisler, being signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1955. He was acquired by the Kansas City Athletics in the 1959 minor league draft. He pitched for the Athletics in part of two seasons from 1960-61. In 1962 he had a 11-4 mark and led American League pitchers with a .733 winning percentage, and went 12-15 and 3.78 in 1963. At the end of that season, he was sent to the Detroit Tigers in the same trade that brought slugger Rocky Colavito to the Athletics.
Wickersham enjoyed his most productive season for Detroit in 1964, when he went 19-12 with a 3.44 ERA and posted career-numbers in strikeouts (164), starts (36), complete games (36), appearances (40) and innings pitched (254.0), being considered in the American League MVP vote. His 19 victories also was a career-mark, missing a 20-win season only because of an ejection in his last start from a ballgame which was tied 1–1 in the 7th inning. Mickey Lolich relieved him and earned a 4–2 win.
Wickersham also pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals.
In a 10-season career, Wickersham posted a 68-57 record with 638 strikeouts and a 3.66 ERA in 1123 innings, including 29 complete games, five shutouts and 18 saves.
Notably, Wickersham has been one of three players (fellow pitchers Aurelio Monteagudo and Moe Drabowsky being the other two) to play for both Kansas City-based major league teams, the Athletics and Royals.
