Dave Lemanczyk – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Dave Lemanczyk put together an eight-year Major League Baseball career from 1973 to 1980, pitching for three American League teams as baseball shifted into the modern era. This right-hander from Syracuse, New York, saw both the highs and lows of pro baseball, starting with early struggles for the Detroit Tigers before stepping up as a key starter for the expansion Toronto Blue Jays.

Lemanczyk finished his career in 1980 when the California Angels released him on October 24. That move closed the book on a journey where he racked up a 37-63 record and a 4.62 ERA over 185 games. Along the way, he had some big moments—throwing the Blue Jays’ first one-hitter in 1979 and making the All-Star team that same year. He showed he could compete at the top, even if things didn’t always go smoothly.

Lemanczyk’s story gives us a peek into what life was like for journeyman pitchers during a pretty interesting time in baseball. From his days at Hartwick College to his last season in California, his career kind of sums up what it meant to be one of the players who made up the backbone of baseball in the 1970s expansion era.

Early Life and Amateur Baseball

David Lawrence Lemanczyk was born on August 17, 1950, in Syracuse, New York, to Lawrence and Helen Lemanczyk. He got his start at Westhill High School, where he played quarterback before figuring out that baseball at Hartwick College was more his speed.

Childhood in Syracuse and Family Background

David entered the world on August 17, 1950, in Syracuse, New York. He was the oldest of three sons born to Lawrence and Helen (Nester) Lemanczyk.

His dad, Lawrence, served in World War II and had Polish, Russian, and Czech roots. After marrying Helen in the 1940s, Lawrence worked at the Chrysler plant in Syracuse to support the family.

They placed a high value on hard work and education at home. That foundation really shaped David as both a student and an athlete.

Growing up in Syracuse, David got to try out all kinds of sports early on. The city’s blue-collar vibe definitely played a role in building his work ethic and determination.

Westhill High School Achievements

David started at Westhill High School right after it opened in 1963. He quickly made a name for himself as a standout athlete for the Westhill Trojan Warriors.

Football was his main sport, and he played quarterback. His skills on the field helped put the new school on the map.

Colleges across the country tried to recruit him for football. But in a twist, David turned them all down.

He actually hated football and enjoyed basketball and baseball way more.

In high school baseball, he mostly played catcher. The St. Louis Cardinals showed a little interest in his skills.

Still, David chose college over professional baseball at that point. He graduated from Westhill High in 1968.

Hartwick College Baseball and Basketball

After graduating in 1968, David headed to Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York. The school sat about 25 miles from the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

David walked onto the basketball team and led the Hartwick Warriors to some impressive seasons.

Basketball achievements at Hartwick:

• Two NCAA playoff appearances
• 51-21 combined record over three years
• Took on a leadership role

In 1969, the assistant basketball coach—who also coached baseball—spotted David throwing a 90 mph fastball during practice and recruited him for the baseball team.

David’s baseball debut was a showstopper. In his first start, he tossed a one-hitter and struck out 15.

He became team captain as a junior and senior. David set a single-season record with 70 strikeouts.

By the end of college, David held Hartwick records for wins, innings pitched, and strikeouts. He graduated in 1972 with majors in history, world religion, and philosophy.

During summers, he played for the Guelph (Ontario) C-Joys in the Senior Intercounty League. In 1970, he helped the team win a championship.

Draft Selection in 1972 MLB Draft

David’s summer ball in Canada caught the eye of pro scouts. Detroit Tigers scout Bob Prentice wrote glowing reports about him.

The Tigers sent Cy Williams, another longtime scout, to check David out. Williams agreed with Prentice—David had real potential.

1972 MLB Draft details:

• Team: Detroit Tigers
• Round: 16th round
• Year: 1972

Detroit picked David in the 16th round of the 1972 draft, following his strong college career at Hartwick.

That draft pick kicked off his pro baseball journey. David soon reported to the Tigers’ minor league system to start working his way up.

Jumping from college star to pro prospect was a big step. With his size, fastball, and college success, David looked like a solid pick for Detroit.

Detroit Tigers Career

Dave Lemanczyk spent his first four big league seasons with the Detroit Tigers from 1973 to 1976. He proved he could handle both starting and relief pitching. He started as a raw prospect but soon became a reliable contributor, posting a 4.58 ERA over 271.1 innings before the Toronto Blue Jays picked him up in the 1976 expansion draft.

MLB Debut and Early Years

Lemanczyk made his MLB debut on April 15, 1973, for the Detroit Tigers at 22. That first outing was rough—he lasted just 2.1 innings and finished with an 11.57 ERA.

In 1974, he really started to show what he could do as a big leaguer. He pitched in 22 games, starting three, and put up a 2-1 record with a 4.00 ERA.

He worked 78.2 innings that season, gave up 79 hits and 43 runs, and struck out 52. The Tigers used him as both a starter and a reliever, with 10 relief outings to go along with his starts.

Role as Starter and Reliever

Detroit kept Lemanczyk moving between roles. In 1975, he appeared in 26 games, starting six. He struggled, ending up with a 2-7 record and a 4.46 ERA over 109 innings.

He did throw four complete games in 1975, showing he could go deep when needed. He struck out 67 and allowed 54 earned runs—his busiest year as a starter with Detroit.

In 1976, Lemanczyk pitched in 20 games and started 10. He went 4-6 with a 5.09 ERA over 81.1 innings. That year, he had one complete game and 51 strikeouts.

Performance Highlights and Statistics

Lemanczyk’s Detroit stats showed steady progress, even if results bounced around. Over four seasons, he posted an 8-14 record and struck out 170 in 271.1 innings.

His best ERA with Detroit was 4.00 in 1974, and his worst was 5.09 in 1976. He gave up 289 hits and 155 runs (138 earned) while with the Tigers.

He completed five games in total for Detroit, all in 1975 and 1976. The Tigers valued his versatility, using him for 23 relief appearances and 19 starts over four years.

Toronto Blue Jays Tenure

The Toronto Blue Jays picked up Dave Lemanczyk in the 1976 MLB expansion draft, and he quickly became a foundational pitcher for the new franchise. He led the rotation, picked up some big milestones, and even made an All-Star team.

Selection in the 1976 MLB Expansion Draft

Detroit lost Lemanczyk to Toronto in the 1976 expansion draft, and that move changed everything for him. He went from being a fifth starter in Detroit to a front-line guy for the Blue Jays.

Lemanczyk learned about the move while playing winter ball in Puerto Rico in November 1976. A teammate greeted him with, “What’s up, Blue Jay?” and that’s how he found out.

The draft finally gave Lemanczyk a shot to pitch regularly in the majors. In Detroit, he’d been bouncing between spot starts and long relief.

By February 1977, Lemanczyk was in Dunedin for Toronto’s first spring training. Things got off to a rocky start when the team blocked a potential winter league trade that would have paid him $30,000 more.

Opening Day Starter and Pitching Leadership

Lemanczyk took over as Toronto’s main starter in their first season, 1977. Bill Singer started the snowy opener on April 7, but Lemanczyk got the ball for game two against the White Sox, throwing a complete game in a 3-2 loss.

He made 34 starts that year, leading the team in wins and innings pitched. Lemanczyk finished with a 13-16 record, a 4.25 ERA, and 252 innings, pitching 11 complete games for a struggling expansion squad.

Even though Toronto finished 54-107 and dead last in the AL East, Lemanczyk had his best season yet. His 13 wins led the staff during that tough first year.

That regular starting role really let him show what he could do. “Coming to Toronto was a fresh start,” he said. “The big thing is that I now had an opportunity to pitch on a regular basis.”

Notable Seasons and Milestones

In 1978, Lemanczyk got the opening day assignment, but things went south quickly. He lasted less than four innings that day and struggled all year.

His confidence took a hit as he bounced between starting and relief. “In spring training I pitched very good, but once the season started I couldn’t get anybody out,” he admitted. The mental pressure just kept building.

The team asked him to room with a younger player who was having personal issues, which only added to his stress. Lemanczyk felt that responsibility made his own pitching troubles worse.

His role shrank a lot compared to the year before. The inconsistent usage and rough outings made it tough for him to get back on track.

1979 All-Star Season and One-Hitter Game

Lemanczyk turned things around in 1979 and made his first and only All-Star team. He started the year with a 7-5 record and a 3.15 ERA in the first half, a big improvement from the year before.

On April 24, 1979, he threw the Blue Jays’ first one-hitter, shutting down the Texas Rangers in a 2-0 win. That game became a key moment in franchise history and showed he was back in form.

Getting picked for the All-Star team caught him off guard after such a tough 1978. “Making the All-Star team after my horrible year the year before that was totally unexpected,” Lemanczyk said.

Injuries slowed him down in the second half. He finished with an 8-10 record and a 3.71 ERA, unable to keep up his hot start. The Blue Jays ended up last again, and manager Roy Hartsfield was let go.

Final Season and Retirement in 1980

Dave Lemanczyk started the 1980 season with the Toronto Blue Jays but finished with the California Angels after a mid-season trade. The Angels picked him up for Ken Schrom, but Lemanczyk couldn’t get back on track in his new uniform. He retired from MLB that October.

Trade to the California Angels

Lemanczyk kicked off the 1980 season as Toronto’s opening day starter. But things went south fast—he struggled to a 2-5 record and a 5.40 ERA in his first 10 games.

The Blue Jays traded Lemanczyk to the California Angels on June 3, 1980, for future considerations. A week later, the Angels sent Ken Schrom to Toronto to complete the deal.

That trade closed the book on Lemanczyk’s four-year tenure with the Blue Jays. He had served as a key starter for Toronto since the 1976 expansion draft.

Performance with the Angels

Lemanczyk showed some improvement in California compared to his rough patch in Toronto. He pitched in 21 games for the Angels, finishing with a 2-4 record and a 4.32 ERA.

He made his final MLB appearance on September 27, 1980, against the Chicago White Sox. In that outing, he went three innings, gave up three hits, and allowed just one earned run.

The Angels mostly used Lemanczyk out of the bullpen during his short stint there. That was a pretty big change for him, considering he had been a starter in Detroit and Toronto.

Retirement from Major League Baseball

The California Angels released Lemanczyk on October 24, 1980. Instead of chasing another contract, he decided to retire from pro baseball.

He wrapped up his eight-year MLB career with a 37-63 record and a 4.62 ERA over 185 games. He struck out 429 batters during his time in the big leagues.

Lemanczyk played for three American League teams: the Detroit Tigers (1973-1976), Toronto Blue Jays (1977-1980), and California Angels (1980). He made his only All-Star team in 1979 with Toronto.

Career Statistics and Playing Style

Dave Lemanczyk spent eight years in the majors, from 1973 to 1980, and ended up with a 37-63 record and a 4.62 ERA in 185 games. He started out as a reliever, but Toronto used him mostly as a starter, where he really showed his durability.

Win–Loss Record and ERA Overview

Lemanczyk finished with a 37-63 record and a 4.62 ERA in his MLB career. His best season came in 1977 with Toronto, when he went 13-16, which, sure, included a lot of losses, but he pitched a ton of innings.

That year, he threw 252 innings and posted a 4.25 ERA. The All-Star nod came later, in 1979.

His ERA bounced around quite a bit. In 1979, he managed a career-best 3.71 ERA while going 8-10 for the Blue Jays. On the flip side, 1978 was rough—he posted a 6.26 ERA in 136.2 innings.

He played for some rebuilding teams, so his .370 win-loss percentage isn’t all that surprising. The Blue Jays, especially, struggled during those early years.

Strikeouts, Innings, and WHIP

Lemanczyk struck out 429 batters in 913 innings over his career. His strikeout rate averaged 4.2 per nine innings, which felt about average for that era.

His career WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) landed at 1.506. So, he gave up about one and a half baserunners per inning.

His most productive season, by far, was 1977 when he logged 252 innings. He completed 30 complete games in his career, with 11 coming in that one standout season.

He got better with his control as the years went by. Early on with Detroit, he walked 5.0 batters per nine in 1974, but by 1979, he’d trimmed that to 2.8.

Pitching Style and Role Analysis

Lemanczyk moved from a reliever in Detroit to a starting pitcher in Toronto. With the Tigers, he mostly came out of the bullpen—69 games in four years, with only 19 starts.

Toronto leaned on him as a workhorse starter. During his time there, he started 82 games out of 95 appearances, which says a lot about how much faith the team had in him.

He focused more on control than power. The pitcher managed three shutouts in his career, all as a starter.

He gave up 469 earned runs over his career, which shows he struggled with consistency at times. Still, his ability to eat up innings made him valuable for the expansion Blue Jays, who really needed steady starters.

Legacy, Honors, and Life After Baseball

Dave Lemanczyk carved out his own spot in baseball history as one of the original Toronto Blue Jays. After his playing days, he found success as a baseball educator and stayed close to the game in a bunch of different ways.

Hall of Fame and Awards

Lemanczyk never made the Hall of Fame, but he did pick up a few honors along the way. His biggest moment came in 1979, when he represented Toronto on the American League All-Star team.

Toronto sportswriters also gave him some love. They named him the Blue Jays’ Pitcher of the Year in 1977, after he tied the major league mark for wins by an expansion team pitcher.

On April 24, 1979, he threw a one-hitter against the Texas Rangers. That game was called “the premier pitching performance in the three-year history of the Jays” and was their first-ever one-hitter.

Role as Pitching Coach and Baseball School Founder

After he retired in 1980, Lemanczyk moved into coaching and player representation. He spent some time in sales, but it didn’t stick—baseball was always going to pull him back.

In the early 1980s, he opened Dave Lemanczyk’s Baseball Academy in Lynbrook, New York. The place focused on helping young pitchers develop and teaching solid fundamentals.

His experience as a big-league pitcher gave him plenty to share with up-and-coming players. The academy became his way of passing on what he’d learned about pitching mechanics and the mental side of the game.

Before starting his baseball school, Lemanczyk worked as a players’ agent. That job gave him a crash course in contract negotiations and player representation, but it also led to some legal headaches with former Blue Jays pitcher Dave Stieb.

Family Ties and Baseball Cards

Lemanczyk’s baseball legacy didn’t stop with him. His son Matt Lemanczyk played four seasons in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, keeping the family name in pro ball.

Collectors still look for Dave Lemanczyk’s baseball cards from the 1970s, especially the ones with him in a Blue Jays uniform.

He kept a strong connection to Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York, where he set pitching records. The college continued to recognize his achievements long after he left.

Lemanczyk grew up in Syracuse, New York. His father, Lawrence, worked at the Chrysler plant, which kind of fits the blue-collar background common among ballplayers from that era.

Impact on Expansion Teams

Lemanczyk’s career really got tangled up with expansion team history. He won 13 games for the 1977 Toronto Blue Jays, tying Gene Brabender’s record for most wins by a pitcher on an expansion team.

The Detroit Tigers didn’t protect him in the 1976 expansion draft, which honestly caught a lot of people off guard. The Blue Jays scooped him up in the fourth round as their 43rd overall pick.

He brought some much-needed durability to the young franchise. In 1977, he threw 252 innings, which was more than double what he’d ever managed in a season before.

Playing for expansion teams? That came with all sorts of headaches. The Blue Jays ended up finishing last or next to last in American League runs scored during their first couple of seasons, which definitely didn’t help Lemanczyk’s win-loss record—even though he pitched pretty well.