Hank Aguirre

Henry John Aguirre (January 31, 1931 – September 5, 1994), commonly known as Hank Aguirre, was an American professional baseball player and business entrepreneur. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a left-handed pitcher from 1955 to 1970, most prominently for the Detroit Tigers where he was a two-time All-Star player and, was the American League ERA leader in 1962. Aguirre also played for the Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs. After his athletic career, he went on to become a successful businessman in Detroit, Michigan. His last name was typically pronounced "ah-GEAR-ee."

Early life Aguirre was born on January 31, 1931, in Azusa, California, during the height of the Great Depression; and was raised in San Gabriel. His mother Jenny Alva was born in Los Angeles in 1906, and his father José Aguirre was born in Jalisco, Mexico in 1902 and emigrated with his family during the time of the Mexican Revolution. One family story is that Pancho Villa threatened Aguirre's grandfather unless he provided free saddles to Villa's men, which inspired the family's move to the United States. José and Jenny had seven children. During his career he had been the recipient of slurs because of his Mexican heritage, though he was also very popular among his future teammates in major league baseball. In 1975, he would begin to strive deeply to improve the lives of Latinos in life generally, and in obtaining leadership positions in major league baseball. He started 23 games, had a 14–9 won–loss record, with a 3.28 earned run average (ERA) and 149 strikeouts in 184 innings pitched. He played Class-B baseball in 1953, and in 1954 was assigned to the Single-A Reading Indians, where he had a 14–8 record with a 2.69 ERA. In 1955, he was promoted to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, where he was 11–9, with a 3.24 ERA.

Aguirre got his first major league experience in 1955, pitching in four games for the Indians, with one start. On September 24, 1955, in his first major league start, Aguirre pitched a complete game, three-hit, shutout against the Detroit Tigers, in a 7–0 victory. But he played sparingly in 1956-57, and was used in only 16 games in 1956 and ten in 1957. where he remained for 10 years from 1958 to 1967. when Don Mossi had arm trouble. Scheffing wanted a left-hander to pitch against the Yankees, and he chose Aguirre. Aguirre defeated the Yankees, 2–1, throwing a complete game and giving up only five hits (the sole run coming on a Moose Skowron home run). Aguirre joined the Tigers starting rotation and finished the 1962 season with a 2.21 ERA in 42 games (22 as a starter),

Having pitched over 100 innings (216 in total) for the first time in his career, won 16 games, He also led the American League in WHIP (walks plus hits per innings pitched) with a 1.051 average; and led all players in the AL in WAR (wins above replacement). Aguirre also finished 17th in the 1962 American League Most Valuable Player voting.

Final playing years Aguirre lost his spot in the Tigers starting rotation in 1966, and returned to the bullpen. Despite the good season, Aguirre was released by the Dodgers where he was a combined 4–0 in 1969 and 1970. He had a 2.60 ERA in 41 appearances in 1969, but appeared in only 17 games the following year with a 4.50 ERA. After Durocher's firing in July 1972, Aguirre continued on the Cubs' staff as bullpen coach (1973) and pitching coach (1974). He managed in the Oakland Athletics' organization in 1975–76. He managed the Tucson Toros in 1975, with a second place finish in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League at 72–71.

Batting Aguirre had a reputation as one of baseball's worst-hitting pitchers. He had an .085 lifetime average, going 33-for-388 at the plate, with no home runs, striking out 236 times while drawing 14 walks.

Aguirre died on September 5, 1994, following a two-year battle with prostate cancer. He is buried in San Gabriel in the churchyard of the (Roman Catholic) Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, "where he worshiped as a boy." Upon his death, control of the privately owned company Aguirre had founded passed to his adult children. In 1999, Mexican Industries, Inc., was unionized (following several unsuccessful attempts over the previous two decades) by the United Auto Workers labor union under Bob King. In 2001, the firm filed for bankruptcy, laid off its workers, and subsequently closed its doors. According to union activists, "Workers blame the owners, not only for hostility toward their union but for mismanaging the company."