Some of Hawkins' best outings were losses

By Bob Hersom

Published: June 10, 2006

The first week of July, 1990, Andy Hawkins was the unluckiest pitcher in the world.

RedHawks 8, Omaha 7

"Those were the two best starts I put together back-to-back in my career, and I lost 'em both," the RedHawks pitching coach said. "It's hard to pitch any better than I did in those two outings."

The Hawkins Luck started on a Sunday afternoon, July 1, 1990, at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Hawkins pitched a complete-game no-hitter for the New York Yankees -- and lost 4-0 to the White Sox.

Hawkins' bad luck continued the following Friday, July 6, 1990, at Yankee Stadium. He left after pitching 112/3 shutout innings -- and lost 2-0 in 12 innings to the Minnesota Twins.

Innings pitched: 192/3. Hits allowed: 6. Earned runs allowed: 2 (after he left that 12-inning game). Record: 0-2.

In the no-hit loss, the ChiSox won with four unearned runs in the eighth inning. After two outs in the eighth, four runs scored on an infield error, two walks and two outfield errors.

Five days later, Hawkins had a six-hit shutout when he left a scoreless game with two out in the 12th inning.

"From the eighth inning on, every inning I came out I got a standing ovation," said Hawkins, 46, who was the fifth player picked in the 1978 baseball draft, after Bob Horner, Lloyd Moseby, Hubie Brooks and Mike Morgan.

"You can get booed real hard there, as Randy Johnson's figured out, so when you get a standing ovation at Yankee Stadium it's probably more special than anyplace else with all the history there."

In 1984 and 1985, Hawkins was earning standing O's for the San Diego Padres. He pitched what remains the Padres' only World Series win in '84. And he started the '85 season with an 11-0 record, not losing until June 19.

"I carried a lot of momentum into that season from the World Series the previous year," Hawkins said. "I was ridin' high, with a lot of confidence."

Then the bad luck took over. While throwing his newest out pitch, a cut fastball, Hawkins tore the fingernail on his right (pitching) index finger. Circulation problems in the finger led to Hawkins having to miss the '85 All-Star Game and having a 7-8 record the rest of the season.

Hawkins saved his worst luck for Fenway Park in Boston, home of the Green Monster and three monstrous starts for the Waco native.

He wasn't just 0-3 at Fenway. In those three starts, he lasted only one (yes, one) inning AND gave up a total of 18 runs. Ouch.

"I got my butt kicked three times in a row there," Hawkins said. "Boston teams at that time really weren't that good. But I went in there and I couldn't buy a break.

"I couldn't throw a good pitch, and everything they hit was through a hole or in the gap. It was just one of those places you don't want to remember. Those were the worst three starts in my life."

Hawkins' luck worsened in 1991, when baseball's powers that (shouldn't) be decided he hadn't pitched a no-hitter in 1990, because he didn't throw nine innings.

He definitely pitched a complete game. He definitely did not allow a hit. But he didn't pitch a no-hitter? Hawkins Luck.