RetroSimba

(Updated April 18, 2020)

Which pitcher had the most impressive big-league debut for the Cardinals?

The answer may be Jim Cosman.

Cosman, a right-hander, pitched a two-hit shutout in his first major-league game, a 2-0 Cardinals win over the Cubs on Oct. 2, 1966, in St. Louis.

Cosman’s line: 9 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts and 1 batter hit by pitch.

The Cubs’ only hits were singles by Ron Santo in the second inning and by Glenn Beckert in the ninth. Beckert’s hit knocked the glove off Cosman’s hand, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Among those held hitless were Billy Williams (0-for-3 and a walk) and Ernie Banks (0-for-3).

The game, the season finale for both clubs, was played in 1 hour, 46 minutes. Boxscore

Cosman, who was 10-2 for minor-league Tulsa in 1966 before being called up to the Cardinals in September, was a surprise choice of manager Red Schoendienst to start against the Cubs.

“I was running in the outfield when I first found out I was supposed to pitch, about 45 minutes before game time,” Cosman told the Post-Dispatch.

A hard thrower, “Cosman’s primary needs are improved control and better breaking stuff,” The Sporting News noted.

Cosman appeared in just 11 more big-league games _ 10 in 1967 for the Cardinals and one in 1970 for the Cubs. He was 1-0 with a 3.16 ERA for the 1967 Cardinals, but had more walks (24) than strikeouts (11) and also hit five batters with pitches in 31.1 innings.

In an effort to help him with his command, Cardinals pitching coach Billy Muffett had Cosman try pitching without a windup. “Cosman had to do something about his wildness,” Muffett said. “The no-windup enabled him to keep his eye on the target.”