Al Fitzmorris – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Al Fitzmorris made a name for himself as a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball during the 1970s. Most of his time in the majors came with the Kansas City Royals, where he earned a reputation as a reliable starter and sometimes stepped in as a reliever.

Fitzmorris officially retired from professional baseball in 1978 after playing nine seasons in the major leagues. From 1969 to 1978, he put together a 4.03 ERA and picked up 77 wins. People noticed his control and the way he could just keep pitching inning after inning.

Fitzmorris’s story takes us from his earliest days in amateur baseball to his time in the majors. He worked his way up, starting out as a kid, moving through the minors, and eventually playing at the sport’s highest level before stepping away in the late 1970s.

Early Life and Amateur Career

Al Fitzmorris grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. He learned to pitch through local baseball programs and later played for Rockhurst College, where pro scouts started to notice him.

Hometown and Family Background

Born August 21, 1946, in Kansas City, Missouri, Fitzmorris came from a working-class family that encouraged his love for baseball.

Kansas City gave him plenty of chances to play organized ball. He joined local youth leagues as a kid and his pitching talent started to stand out in high school.

At Rockhurst High School, he made a name for himself as a top pitcher. His fastball and command caught the eye of coaches and scouts who often showed up at local games.

Kansas City’s strong baseball culture definitely shaped him. The city’s connection to pro ball through the Kansas City Athletics inspired a lot of young players, including Fitzmorris.

Collegiate Baseball Experience

After high school, Fitzmorris headed to Rockhurst College in Kansas City. The small Jesuit school had a solid baseball program, giving him a chance to keep developing.

He pitched as a starter for the Hawks at Rockhurst. During college, he worked on his mechanics and picked up new pitches, like a better changeup and curveball, thanks to his coaches.

Pro scouts started keeping tabs on him as he kept performing well and throwing harder. Several MLB teams watched his progress closely.

College life helped Fitzmorris grow both on and off the field. He balanced classes and baseball, which probably helped him later when he made it to the pros.

Professional Debut and MLB Entry

Fitzmorris signed with the Kansas City Athletics in 1965. He finally made his big league debut in 1969, after spending several years working his way up through the minors.

Signing with Major League Teams

The Kansas City Athletics picked Fitzmorris in the amateur draft in the mid-1960s. Scouts liked his potential as a young Midwest pitcher.

He spent his early pro years learning in the minors, playing for different affiliate teams. Fitzmorris kept improving, and coaches liked his fastball and control, thinking he could make it to the majors.

When the Athletics moved to Oakland in 1968, Fitzmorris stayed with the organization. He kept working on his game while the franchise went through big changes.

First Years in Major League Baseball

Fitzmorris debuted in the majors with the Oakland Athletics in 1969. He didn’t pitch much that first season, mostly getting a small taste of big league action.

The Athletics used him mainly in relief at first, trying to see if he was ready for more responsibility.

In 1970, Fitzmorris got traded to the Kansas City Royals. That move really changed things for him and gave him more chances to pitch.

The Royals, a new expansion team that started in 1969, offered Fitzmorris a shot at a bigger role on a young roster.

His first seasons in Kansas City helped him settle in as a reliable pitcher. Fitzmorris started getting more innings and became an important part of the Royals’ pitching staff.

Major League Baseball Career

Al Fitzmorris pitched in the majors for 13 seasons from 1969 to 1978. He built a reputation as a steady, dependable arm in the American League, spending most of his time with the Kansas City Royals.

Notable Teams Played For

Fitzmorris started out with the Kansas City Royals in 1969. He stuck with them through 1976, becoming one of their most dependable pitchers in those early years.

The Royals, just getting started as a franchise, counted on Fitzmorris to help lay the foundation. He pitched for Kansas City for eight seasons.

After his time with the Royals, Fitzmorris joined the Cleveland Indians for the 1977 season. He wrapped up his MLB career with Cleveland in 1978.

His stint with the Indians was short but solid. He brought veteran leadership to a young pitching staff during those two years.

Pitching Style and Strengths

Fitzmorris pitched as a control pitcher, relying more on accuracy than speed. His arsenal included a fastball, curveball, and changeup, all thrown with solid command.

He could throw strikes all day. Fitzmorris rarely walked hitters, forcing them to put the ball in play, which helped him last deep into games.

He got a lot of ground balls, too. His sinker messed with hitters’ timing and produced double plays when his team needed them.

Fitzmorris also showed impressive durability. Managers counted on him to pitch often and cover a lot of innings.

Key Career Highlights

In 1975, Fitzmorris had one of his best seasons, going 16-12 with a 2.99 ERA for the Royals. That year, Kansas City made a push for the playoffs in the American League West.

On June 2, 1973, he threw a one-hitter against the California Angels. The only hit came in the ninth inning, so he almost had a no-hitter at Royals Stadium.

Fitzmorris played a big part in the Royals’ first winning season in 1971. The team finished 85-76, which was a big deal for the new franchise.

His consistent pitching helped the Royals become a real contender in the American League.

Career Milestones

Fitzmorris finished his MLB run with an 89-84 record and a 3.67 ERA over 303 games. He started 235 games and completed 44 during his 13 seasons.

He struck out 776 batters and walked only 514 in 1,614 innings. That 1.51 strikeout-to-walk ratio showed just how much control he had.

The right-hander threw 10 shutouts in the majors. He could go the distance, making him a workhorse for his teams.

Fitzmorris pitched 1,614 career innings, which says a lot about his durability. On average, he threw over 124 innings per season.

Retirement in 1978

Al Fitzmorris wrapped up his Major League Baseball career after the 1978 season. His exit marked the end of a journey that included starting and relief work across several teams.

Circumstances Leading to Retirement

By the mid-1970s, Fitzmorris started to see his performance decline. Age and wear on his arm made it tougher to stay effective.

He struggled with consistency in his later years. His ERA climbed compared to his prime with the Royals.

Teams weren’t as interested in signing him as younger pitchers took over. The game was changing, and Fitzmorris could see the writing on the wall.

Rather than chase more playing time, Fitzmorris decided to step away from pro baseball. He knew his best days were behind him and chose to retire on his own terms.

Farewell Season Overview

The 1978 season was Fitzmorris’s last go-round in Major League Baseball. He pitched in fewer games that year.

By then, he mostly worked out of the bullpen. His days as a regular starter were just about over.

Fitzmorris’s final numbers showed a pitcher nearing the end. His innings and appearances dropped off compared to his best seasons.

He still finished his career with more than 1,000 big league innings. Some of his best moments came with the

Reputation Among Peers

Fitzmorris really earned respect from teammates and opponents because of his work ethic and professionalism. Folks knew him as a pitcher who squeezed every bit of potential out of his arm, even though he didn’t throw especially hard.

Former Royals manager Whitey Herzog often praised Fitzmorris for his smarts on the mound. Herzog liked the way he could mix speeds and hit his spots.

Key traits that defined his reputation:

• Always prepared and studied hitters
• Came through in big moments
• Put the team first, especially when younger players needed help

Opposing hitters respected how crafty he was and how he kept them guessing. A lot of people found him tough to hit in pressure situations.

His teammates saw him as steady and reliable in the clubhouse. He spent time mentoring younger pitchers and didn’t mind sharing what he knew.

Awards and Honors

People mostly recognized Fitzmorris for what he did with his teams, not for flashy individual awards. He played a big part in getting the Royals into the playoffs several times in the 1970s.

He made the American League All-Star team in 1975, which was a nice nod to his strong season during the Royals’ rise.

Career highlights:

• 1975 AL All-Star selection
• Big contributor to Royals’ 1976 AL West title
• Played a role in Kansas City’s 1976 AL Championship Series run

The Royals organization honored what he did to help the team get off the ground. He kept in touch with the franchise after retiring, showing up at alumni events now and then.

With 89 career wins, Fitzmorris put himself among the more successful pitchers in the Royals’ early days. At the time he retired, that number put him near the top of their leaderboard.

Impact on Baseball

Fitzmorris showed that a pitcher could succeed by being smart and prepared, not just by throwing hard. His career made it clear that brains and planning could help a player stick around.

He helped make the Royals competitive early on, giving the team some much-needed stability in their rotation.

Long-term contributions:

• Mentored Royals pitchers coming up
• Showed how important prep and game planning could be
• Helped build a winning atmosphere in Kansas City

The Royals started to value his way of studying hitters and making adjustments, using his approach to shape future starters.

He proved pitchers didn’t need to throw heat to carve out a good career. You could say he inspired other crafty types to focus on smarts and preparation.

Net Worth and Personal Life

Al Fitzmorris made a modest living during his 11-year Major League career from 1969 to 1978. He kept his personal life pretty quiet, staying out of the spotlight both during and after his playing days.

Estimated Career Earnings

Fitzmorris played at a time when baseball salaries were a lot lower than what you see now. His best earning years came in the mid-1970s with Kansas City.

Early on with the Royals, he probably made somewhere between $15,000 and $25,000 per season. That was standard pay for middle-tier pitchers back then.

Once he became a regular starter, his salary went up. In 1975 and 1976, when he won 16 and 17 games, he probably brought in $40,000 to $60,000 a year.

Career Financial Highlights:

• Estimated total career earnings: $300,000 to $400,000
• Top single-season salary: Around $60,000 (1976-1977)
• No big endorsement deals or commercials

He finished up his career with a short stint for the California Angels in 1978, which was his last MLB contract.

Personal Life Details

Fitzmorris mostly kept his personal life under wraps while he played. People saw him as a quiet, hardworking pitcher who really just cared about his craft.

He grew up in Buffalo, New York, in a working-class family. The lefty went to local schools before he chased a career in pro baseball.

When he retired, Fitzmorris pretty much disappeared from the public scene. Unlike a lot of former players, he didn’t jump into coaching or broadcasting.

Personal Characteristics:

• People knew him for his calm demeanor on the mound
• Teammates respected his work ethic
• He managed to avoid controversy his whole career

Not much is out there about his family or what he did after baseball. Honestly, it just seems like he always valued his privacy, on and off the field.