Cincinnati’s Gary Nolan was able to shut down the Chicago offense as the 1975 Reds defeated the 1919 White Sox 2-1 to win the Press Room Pass Strat Madness Tournament championship.
Nolan surrendered a run in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly by Eddie Collins.
The right-hander worked out of a bases loaded jam in the second inning and survived a threat in the sixth to hold off the title hopes of the White Sox as he gave up seven hits with three strikeouts.
Johnny Bench provided the offense for the Reds with run-scoring singles in the third and fifth frames.
Bench and Ken Griffey topped the Reds with two hits each, while Swede Risberg and Ray Schalk both had a pair of hits for the White Sox.
Dickey Kerr was the hard-luck loser for the White Sox as he also tossed a complete game allowing seven hits with six strikeouts.
IN REAL LIFE:
Gary Nolan was one of Cincinnati’s top performers on the mound with a 15-9 record in 1975 as he and teammates Don Gullett (15-4) and Jack Billingham (15-10) topped the Reds staff in victories.
Nolan made it to the big leagues in 1967 as he posted a 14-8 mark for the Reds. By 1970, Nolan was a leader among the Reds pitchers as he went 18-7 and helped the team to a World Series appearance against the Baltimore Orioles.
In 1972 as Cincinnati made it to the World Series again the Oakland A’s, Nolan became an all-star on his way to a 15-5 record and a 1.99 ERA as he led the National League with a .750 winning percentage.
Injury problems hit in 1973 as he was 0-1 in two games before missing the entire 1974 season.
After winning the World Series over the Boston Red Sox in 1975, Nolan and the Big Red Machine defeated the New York Yankees to win a second straight championship as he posted a 15-9 record. He won his first World Series contest in the fourth and final game against the Yankees.
Nolan started the 1977 season with a 4-1 mark, but he was traded to the California Angels in June as injuries led to his eventual retirement.
Overall in his 10-year career, Nolan was 110-70 with an ERA of 3.08.