Former Major League Baseball pitcher and four-time World Series champion Ken Holtzman passed away at the age of 78. His death was confirmed by his brother, Bob, as reported by Benjamin Hochman of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Holtzman had been hospitalized for the past three weeks due to heart issues.
Holtzman was a standout player at the University of Illinois before being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1965. He spent seven seasons with the Cubs before being traded to the Oakland Athletics in 1971. Holtzman played a key role in the Athletics winning three consecutive World Series titles from 1972 to 1974.
In 1976, Holtzman was traded to the Baltimore Orioles and later to the New York Yankees, where he won his fourth World Series in 1977. He returned to the Cubs in 1978 before retiring after the 1979 season. Throughout his career, Holtzman achieved a 174-150 record, with a 3.49 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 1,601 strikeouts in over 2,800 innings pitched.
Notably, Holtzman pitched two no-hitters during his career, one in 1969 and another in 1971. He will be remembered as a talented pitcher and a vital part of multiple championship-winning teams in Major League Baseball.