Karl Spooner

Who was Karl Spooner?

Karl Benjamin Spooner was a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher.

Signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1951, Spooner would make his Major League Baseball debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers on September 22, 1954 and appeared in his final game on October 3, 1955 when he started game 6 of the 1955 World Series.

Spooner's early minor league career was promising, but erratic. Walks were frequently a problem, as Spooner averaged a walk per inning in his first two minor league seasons. However, he also had great speed, and showed flashes of brilliance. Slowing making his way from the lowest D-level league through to A-ball in his first three seasons, Spooner compiled a fairly unimpressive 27-36 record during this stretch. Then, in 1954, pitching for the AA-level Fort Worth Cats, Spooner had his breakout season, going 21-9 with 262 strikeouts in 238 innings. He was called up to the major leagues at the end of the season.

Spooner was considered by many in Major League Baseball to be the next superstar after his stellar rookie year of 1954.