The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1364233
MAY/JUNE 2021 ■ 49 just like the ones did in college and what little bit of the minor leagues I pitched in," Caldwell said. "It made me feel like I could pitch up there. "I just kept doing the things I did while I was at NC State." Through the years, the Tarboro, N.C., native had a handful of memorable experi- ences. In the offseason between 1973 and '74, the Padres traded Caldwell to San Fran- cisco for future Hall of Famer Willie Mc- Covey. On Aug. 4, 1974, Caldwell took a no-hitter into the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves, but it was broken up when Hank Aaron doubled off the left-field wall. "If you are going to have a no-hitter bro- ken up," Caldwell noted, "it might as well be to one of the greatest hitters of all time." Injuries derailed his 14-5 season with the Giants in 1974, when he needed sur- gery to remove bone chips in his elbow. On the same day Dr. Frank Jobe removed those chips, the famed orthopedic surgeon also performed his ulnar collateral ligament replacement surgery on Dodgers pitcher Tommy John, creating a procedure that still bears the four-time all-star pitcher's name, even after his 288-victory career has been largely forgotten. For the next three seasons, Caldwell won only 13 games with San Francisco, Cincin- nati and Milwaukee. In 1978, however, he was fully recovered and had the greatest sea- son of his career, pitching a career-high and major league-leading 23 complete games en route to a 22-9 record for the Brewers. Unfortunately for Caldwell, New York Yankees pitcher Ron Guidry had one of the greatest seasons of his career, winning his first 13 decisions, posting a 25-3 record and earning a unanimous vote for the 1978 Cy Young Award, with Caldwell finishing second despite having out-pitched Guidry in one of the winner's three losses that year. Caldwell did earn the 1978 Comeback Player of the Year award after the season. Caldwell got a modicum of revenge on opening day 1979 when he beat Guidry again 7-1 in Yankee Stadium in what was billed as a duel between the American League's top two pitchers. Throughout his career, Caldwell was known as a "Yankee Killer." In 1982, Caldwell was still with the Brewers when the team met St. Louis in the franchise's only World Series appearance to date. Pitching in games one and five, Caldwell opened with a 10-0 shutout and followed with a hard-fought 6-4 win to give the Brewers a 3-2 edge. Alas, St. Louis won the next two games 13-1 and 6-3 for their ninth of 11 all-time World Series victories, with Caldwell giving up two run-scoring singles in relief in the eighth inning of the final contest. Caldwell was released after the 1984 sea- son and spent the rest of his career in coach- ing, first as the head coach at Campbell from 1987-91, and then as a minor league pitching coach and instructor. He's lived in Raleigh since his retirement in 2013. ■ During his Wolfpack career, Caldwell was a two-time first-team All-ACC pick and the 1971 ACC Player of the Year, and became the league's all-time leader in shutouts (10) and complete games (32). PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS Tim Peeler is a regular contributor to The Wolfpacker and can be reached at tmpeeler@ncsu.edu.