Dean Chance – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Dean Chance left professional baseball in 1971, just 30 years old, closing the book on one of the more curious careers in Major League Baseball. This right-handed pitcher wrapped up his 11-season career with 128 wins and 115 losses, moving between five teams: the Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians, New York Mets, and Detroit Tigers.

In the 1960s, Chance really made his mark as one of the dominant pitchers in the American League. That 1964 season with the Angels was something else—he won the Cy Young Award at 23, the youngest ever at the time. He also managed to absolutely stifle the New York Yankees, holding them to a ridiculous 0.18 ERA over 50 innings.

He grew up on a dairy farm in Wooster, Ohio, and somehow found himself under the Hollywood lights, rooming with Bo Belinsky and soaking in the wild side of ‘60s baseball. Moving through five organizations says a lot about his talent and how much the game changed back then. His last stop was Detroit, and after that, he walked away from the sport that had pretty much defined his twenties.

Dean Chance’s Baseball Career Overview

Dean Chance pitched in the majors for eleven seasons, from 1961 to 1971. He won 128 games, lost 115, and posted a 2.92 ERA while bouncing around five teams. His best year came in 1964, when he won the Cy Young Award and baffled hitters with a funky low three-quarters delivery and pinpoint control.

Major League Debut and Early Years

Chance made his MLB debut on September 11, 1961, with the Los Angeles Angels at just 20 years old. The Washington Senators picked him in the 1960 expansion draft from the Orioles, then traded him to the Angels for Joe Hicks right away.

His first season was short but showed promise. He threw just 18 1/3 innings in five games and ended up with a 6.87 ERA.

He spent most of 1961 working things out in Triple-A with the Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers.

In 1962, Chance really arrived as a big league pitcher. He won 14 games, posted a 2.96 ERA, and pitched in 50 games.

That year, his efforts helped the Angels, just in their second year, finish third in the American League with 86 wins.

He finished third in the AL Rookie of the Year voting. The Angels played at Dodger Stadium—though when they were home, people called it Chavez Ravine.

Teams Played For

Chance wore five different uniforms during his career:

Los Angeles/California Angels (1961-1966)

• Spent his first six seasons with them
• Won the 1964 Cy Young Award
• Put up his best personal stats

Minnesota Twins (1967-1969)

• Traded in December 1966, along with Jackie Hernandez, for Pete Cimino, Jimmie Hall, and Don Mincher
• Named AL Comeback Player of the Year in 1967
• Threw two no-hitters in ’67

Cleveland Indians (1970)

• Traded in December 1969 with Bob Miller, Graig Nettles, and Ted Uhlaender for Luis Tiant and Stan Williams
• Grew up just 50 miles from Cleveland

New York Mets (1970)

• Brief stop during the 1970 season

Detroit Tigers (1971)

• Wrapped up his career here

Statistical Highlights

Chance racked up some pretty impressive numbers. He finished with a 128-115 record and a 2.92 ERA in 406 games. He struck out 1,534 batters, which is no joke.

His 1964 season was unreal. He went 20-14, posted a 1.65 ERA, and threw 11 shutouts, which snagged him the Cy Young Award. That year, he held the Yankees to just 14 hits and one run in 50 innings.

Mickey Mantle couldn’t figure him out, hitting only .245 in 53 at-bats. Mantle once joked, “Every time I see his name on a lineup card, I feel like throwing up.”

In his 1967 comeback season with the Twins, Chance went 20-14 with a 2.73 ERA. He led the AL in starts, complete games, and innings pitched. He even tossed a five-inning perfect game and a nine-inning no-hitter that year.

Chance stood 6-foot-3 and had a reputation for durability. He threw over 200 innings for seven straight seasons, from 1962 to 1968.

Peak Performance and Accomplishments

Dean Chance hit his peak in 1964, winning the Cy Young Award at just 23. He made multiple All-Star teams and stacked up a list of pitching feats that put him among the best of his generation.

1964 Cy Young Award Season

That 1964 season is still one of the best in Angels history. Chance led the league with 20 wins and a crazy-low 1.65 ERA, a record that still stands for the franchise.

He pitched 278⅓ innings and threw 11 shutouts, both franchise records. Five of those shutouts were 1-0 games, so he clearly didn’t mind pressure.

He finished third in the league with 207 strikeouts. Back then, only one Cy Young Award was handed out for all of MLB, and he took it home.

At 23, Chance was the youngest pitcher to win the Cy Young up to that point. That win was part of a wild streak where L.A. teams took five straight Cy Youngs from 1962 to 1966.

All-Star Game Appearances

Chance made the All-Star Game in 1964 and 1967, representing both the Angels and the Twins. His first nod came during his Cy Young season.

He made the team again in 1967 after another strong year with Minnesota. He won 20 games and led the league in starts (39), complete games (18), and innings pitched (283⅔).

The Sporting News named him AL Comeback Player of the Year in 1967. His work helped keep the Twins in the pennant race right up to the last day.

Notable Pitching Feats

On August 25, 1967, Chance threw a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians for Minnesota. The Twins won 2-1, and Cleveland’s only run came in the first inning thanks to a couple walks, an error, and a wild pitch.

Earlier that same month, he pitched a rain-shortened five-inning perfect game against Boston. That one got called after five innings because of the weather.

His career totals: 128 wins, 115 losses, a 2.92 ERA, and 1,534 strikeouts in 406 games. Not bad for a guy who spent just a decade in the majors.

Career Statistics and Milestones

Dean Chance put up some big numbers over his 11 seasons in the majors. He finished with 128 wins, 115 losses, a 2.92 ERA, and pitched 2,147 innings. He threw 33 shutouts and struck out 1,534 batters, which made him a real force in his era.

Career Totals

Chance’s career ran from 1961 to 1971, and he appeared in 406 games, starting 294 of them. His 2.92 ERA was one of the better marks of his time, and his WHIP was a solid 1.212.

He punched out 1,534 hitters and walked 739. That 2.08 strikeout-to-walk ratio shows he usually knew where the ball was going.

He finished 83 games he started and tossed 33 shutouts. That was pretty common in the ‘60s, when starters were expected to go the distance.

His 35.0 WAR (Wins Above Replacement) over 11 years says a lot about his value. He averaged 3.4 WAR per 162 games—definitely above average.

Chance gave up 1,864 hits and 697 earned runs in his career. He also hit 65 batters and threw 70 wild pitches in those 2,147 innings.

Records and League-Leading Achievements

Chance’s 1964 season was his masterpiece. He led the AL with a 1.65 ERA and 20 wins for the Angels.

That year, he finished 15 games and tossed 11 shutouts, both tops in the league. He also led the AL with 278.1 innings pitched.

Those 11 shutouts in 1964 still stand out. His 200 ERA+ shows he was twice as good as the average pitcher that year.

He made two All-Star teams (1964, 1967) and finished fifth in MVP voting in 1964. Those years really cemented his reputation as one of the best pitchers of the mid-‘60s.

He had great years with the Twins in 1967 and 1968, posting ERAs of 2.73 and 2.53. He managed to keep it going even as he changed teams.

Transitions Between Teams

After his Cy Young season with the Angels, Dean Chance got traded a few times—mostly because teams wanted his arm but sometimes struggled with his off-field antics. His last few years saw him bounce around four different teams, showing how much clubs valued his pitching but also how tricky it could be to keep him happy.

Move to the Minnesota Twins

On December 2, 1966, the Angels sent Chance and Jackie Hernández to the Minnesota Twins. In return, Los Angeles got Jimmie Hall, Don Mincher, and Pete Cimino.

The Angels needed more offense, since their bats had been holding them back even with good pitching. Trading Chance also let them deal with some clubhouse headaches.

Chance seemed to thrive in Minnesota. He won 20 games in 1967 and led the AL in starts (39), complete games (18), and innings pitched (283⅓).

His best moment that year came on August 25, when he threw a no-hitter against Cleveland. The Indians scored once in the first, but after that, Chance was in total control.

The Twins came close to winning the 1967 pennant. In the final game, though, Boston’s Jim Lonborg outpitched Chance at Fenway.

Cleveland Indians and New York Mets Stints

Minnesota traded Chance to the Cleveland Indians on December 10, 1969. The deal included Graig Nettles, Ted Uhlaender, and Bob Miller for Stan Williams and Luis Tiant.

That trade really hurt the Twins. Nettles hit 26 homers for Cleveland in 1970, and Tiant barely played for Minnesota because of injuries.

Chance split 1970 between the Indians and the New York Mets. He went 9-8 with a 4.28 ERA for Cleveland before they sold him to the Mets on September 18.

His numbers had slipped from his prime. Back injuries from rushing his return after a 1969 holdout had taken a toll.

The Mets picked him up as a veteran arm, but he only pitched a handful of games before the season wrapped up.

Final Season with the Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers picked up Chance on March 30, 1971, trading Bill Denehy and Jerry Robertson to the Mets.

Detroit mostly used him out of the bullpen, which was a big change for a guy who used to be a workhorse starter.

He pitched in 31 games for the Tigers in 1971. He finished with a 4-6 record, struggling with fading stuff and less velocity.

Chance made his last MLB appearance on August 9, 1971, at Tiger Stadium. After 11 big league seasons, he finished with a 128-115 record and a 2.92 ERA.

The Tigers let him go after the season. By age 30, injuries and a drop in performance had ended a career that hit its peak in that unforgettable 1964 Cy Young year.

Dean Chance’s Retirement in 1971

Dean Chance wrapped up his 11-season Major League Baseball career at just 30. He struggled with physical decline during his last season with the Detroit Tigers.

His retirement closed the book on a career that included a Cy Young Award and several All-Star nods. Still, that unique pitching motion of his really took a toll and cut things short.

Circumstances of Retirement

Years of using his distinctive pitching motion—he’d turn his back to batters—finally caught up with Chance. That delivery made him effective for a long time, but it took a physical toll and forced his early retirement.

The Tigers picked him up before the 1971 season. Instead of letting him dominate as a starter, they mostly used him as a spot starter and reliever.

His stats definitely showed a dip from his best years. In 1971, Chance went 5-3 with a 2.76 ERA over 94 innings.

His ERA stayed decent, but the Tigers gave him fewer innings and a smaller role. That really showed how much his body had slowed down.

By September 1971, reports started saying the veteran righthander “appears to be at the end of the line.” The team put him on the disabled list later that season, which pretty much ended his playing days.

End of MLB Playing Career

Chance’s last season looked nothing like his dominant earlier years. He’d been a 20-game winner with the Angels and Twins, but his 1971 stats showed signs of decline.

The Tigers saw his physical limits and used him in a limited role. Instead of forcing him into the rotation, they tried to get the most out of what he had left.

He retired at 30, which is pretty early for a pitcher with his talent. Most pitchers hang on into their mid-30s, but that demanding delivery wore him down after facing so many batters. It’s kind of a shame, honestly.

His career ended an era for a guy who once dominated American League hitters in the 1960s. The game lost one of its most unique and effective pitchers when he stepped away.

Life and Pursuits After Baseball

After retiring in 1971, Dean Chance went back to his hometown of Wooster, Ohio. He tried his hand at a bunch of things—real estate, insurance sales, even running carnival operations.

Eventually, he became president of the International Boxing Association. He also managed heavyweight boxer Ernie Shavers.

International Boxing Association Presidency

Chance jumped into a leadership role in professional boxing after baseball. He took on the job of president of the International Boxing Association and worked to organize and promote boxing events.

His biggest boxing connection came when he managed heavyweight Ernie Shavers. Shavers built a reputation as one of the hardest punchers in heavyweight history.

Chance used his background in sports and business to help guide Shavers’ career. The move from baseball to boxing management showed how well he could adapt what he’d learned in sports to something new.

He already understood the business side of pro athletics from his playing days. That experience really helped him figure out the boxing world.

Even after leaving baseball, Chance stayed involved in professional sports through his work with the International Boxing Association. He never really left the world of competition behind.

Personal Life and Legacy

After he retired from baseball, Chance took on a bunch of different jobs to support himself and his family. He sold insurance for a while, and then he worked at a beverage company in Ohio.

He also put some money into real estate back in his home state. It seems like he was always looking for ways to stay busy.

Chance stayed involved in baseball by coaching youth teams around his community. Sometimes he even worked as a broadcaster, sharing stories and insights from his playing days with fans.

That kind of thing kept him close to the sport he loved. It’s clear he never really left the game behind, even if he wasn’t on the field.

After baseball, he tried his hand at a few other things, too. He worked with a carnival and spent some time at a poster company.

Honestly, you have to admire how willing he was to jump into new business opportunities. He really adapted to life after pro sports, which isn’t easy for everyone.

Eventually, he settled down with his family in Ohio, back in the farming community where he grew up. Even though he once won the Cy Young Award, Chance picked a quieter life, far from the spotlight.

He passed away in Wooster, Ohio, on October 11, 2015, at age 74.