Major League Baseball has lost a legendary figure as Ken Holtzman passed away at the age of 78. The Chicago Cubs announced his passing on social media, paying tribute to the all-time winningest Jewish pitcher in MLB. Holtzman had an illustrious career that spanned from 1965 to 1979, during which he played for four different teams: the Oakland Athletics, Cubs, New York Yankees, and Baltimore Orioles.
Holtzman’s early years were spent with the Cubs, where he pitched two no-hitters, one of which was thrown without a single strikeout. He later joined the Oakland Athletics in 1971 and was traded to the team that secured three consecutive World Series championships starting in 1972. During his time with the A’s, Holtzman made All-Star appearances in 1972 and 1973, winning a career-high 21 games in 1973.
In 1976, Holtzman was traded to Baltimore alongside Reggie Jackson and later moved to the New York Yankees that same year. He earned another championship ring with the Yankees in 1977 before being traded back to Chicago during the 1978 season. The Chicago Cubs expressed their deep sadness at Holtzman’s passing and offered their condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time.
Holtzman achieved more wins than Sandy Koufax, a legendary pitcher for the Dodgers, by winning 165 games over 12 seasons. Throughout his career from