1976 Topps #423 - Ed Halicki

• Ed Halicki pitched in the majors from 1974-1980. Halicki was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 1972. He spent the entire 1972 and 1973 in the minors and then split time between the Giants and AAA Phoenix in 1974 and 1975. Ed Halicki, John Montefusco, and Bob Knepper were three young pitchers who came up at about the same time and were expected to do great things for the Giants.
• Ed made his major league debut on July 8, 1974. He went 1-8 with a 4.24 ERA in 18 games (11 starts) in '74.
• On August 24, 1975 Halicki threw a 6-0 no-hitter against the New York Mets. There were 24,132 fans in attendance which was a lot for the Giants of that era. It was the last home no-hitter for the Giants until Jonathan Sanchez did it in 2009. Ed went 9-13 with a 3.45 ERA in 23 starts in 1975.
• Halicki went 12-14 with a 3.62 ERA in 1976. His best season was probably 1977 when he went 16-12 with a 3.32 ERA in 32 starts.
• In 1978 Ed went 9-10 with a 2.85 ERA in 28 starts. Halicki pitched a 1-hit shutout against the Expos and a 3-hit shutout against the Reds in June. He also led the NL in WHIP (he probably didn't know it at the time -- I don't know when that stat was developed).
• The wheels started to come off in 1979. The Giants had problems with injuries and clubhouse dissension. Ed was fined for drinking on a team flight. Ed was on the disabled list for part of the season and finished 5-8 with a 4.58 ERA in 33 games (19 starts).
• Halicki's last season in the majors was 1980. He started with the Giants and was 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA in 11 games (4 starts) before being waived in mid-June. Ed was picked up by the California Angels  and went 3-1 with a 4.84 ERA in 10 games (6 starts). Halicki was released after the 1980 season. He tried out with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1981 but didn't make the club. That was it for Ed's career.
• Halicki now lives in Reno, Nevada and manages a furniture store in Carson City.
• Liked to face: Roger Metzger (.056 in 36 AB); Chris Speier (.105 in 19 AB); Garry Maddox/Greg Luzinski (.125 in 25 AB)
• Hated to face: Biff Pocoroba (.667 in 15 AB); Ed Kranepool (.455 in 22 AB); Cesar Geronimo (.424 in 33 AB)