Editing Denny McLain (section)

===The rise to stardom===
McLain was born in [[Markham, Illinois]], and attended [[Mount Carmel High School (Chicago)|Mt. Carmel High School]] in Chicago, where he played on the baseball team as a [[shortstop]] and pitcher.<ref name=Biography/> As a teenager, he met his future wife, Sharyn Boudreau, the daughter of major league player [[Lou Boudreau]].<ref name=Downfall/> McLain was also musically talented, learning to play the organ from Bob Creed, the Chicago White Sox organist.<ref name=Biography/>

Upon his graduation from high school in June 1962, McLain was signed by the [[Chicago White Sox]] as an amateur [[free agent]], and was assigned to play with the [[Harlan Smokies]] of the [[Appalachian League]].<ref name=minor>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=mclain001den |title=Denny McLain minor league statistics |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 22, 2011}}</ref> McLain's minor league debut was notable for throwing a [[no-hitter]] and [[strikeout|striking out]] 16 batters in a game against the [[Salem Rebels (baseball)|Salem Rebels]] on June 28.<ref name=Biography/> After just two games with the Smokies, he was promoted to the [[Clinton LumberKings|Clinton C-Sox]] of the [[Midwest League]], where he posted a record of four wins and seven losses.<ref name=minor/>

At the time, players with one year of service in the [[Minor League Baseball|minor leagues]] were subject to a draft if they were not called up to the major leagues.<ref name=Biography/> The White Sox left McLain in the minor leagues, and he was selected on waivers by the [[Detroit Tigers]] on April 8, 1963.<ref name=statistics/> He progressed swiftly through the Tigers' minor league system, jumping from Class A [[Duluth-Superior Dukes (1956–70)|Duluth-Superior]] to Class AA [[Tennessee Smokies|Knoxville]] during the summer. The Tigers saw enough promise that they decided to advance him all the way from Class AA to the majors, and he made his major league debut on September 21, [[1963 Detroit Tigers season|1963]] at the age of 19.<ref name=statistics/> His debut against the Chicago White Sox was notable, as he allowed one earned run on seven hits.  He also [[Pickoff|picked off]] two [[Baserunning|baserunners]] and hit a [[home run]], which was the only home run of his major-league career. McLain is one of only six teenage pitchers to hit a major-league home run since 1920, a list that includes [[Baseball Hall of Fame|Hall-of-Famers]] [[Don Drysdale]] and [[Jim Palmer]].<ref name=Biography/>

McLain began the [[1964 Detroit Tigers season|1964]] season with the [[Syracuse Chiefs]] of the [[International League]], but was called back to the major leagues in early June and ended the season with a won-loss record of 4–5.<ref name=statistics/> He then played for the [[Mayagüez Indians]] in the [[Puerto Rico Baseball League]], where he posted a 13–2 record and helped the Indians win the league championship.<ref name=Biography/> He was called back to the majors in [[1965 Detroit Tigers season|1965]] and continued to pitch well for the Tigers. On June 15, McLain set a major-league record for [[relief pitcher]]s, when he struck out the first seven batters he faced after entering the game in the first inning to relieve starting pitcher [[Dave Wickersham]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Denny New Strikeout King |newspaper=[[Vancouver Sun]] |page=29 |date=June 16, 1965 |access-date=December 22, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=k5llAAAAIBAJ&pg=7374,151889&dq=denny+mclain&hl=en}}</ref> He ended the season with a 16–6 record, a 2.61 [[earned run average]], and 192 strikeouts, the third-highest strikeout total in the [[American League]] behind [[Sam McDowell]] and teammate [[Mickey Lolich]].<ref name=statistics/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1965-pitching-leaders.shtml |title=1965 American League Pitching Leaders |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 22, 2011}}</ref> Although he had a [[curveball]] and a [[changeup]], he relied mostly on his [[fastball]] to get batters [[Out (baseball)|out]].<ref name=Biography/>

In [[1966 Detroit Tigers season|1966]], McLain had a 13–4 mid-season record and earned the role of American League starting pitcher in the [[1966 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1966 All-Star Game]], where he threw just 28 [[Pitch (baseball)|pitches]] to retire all nine batters that he faced.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NLS/NLS196607120.shtml |title=1966 All-Star Game |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 22, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=McLain Set Down NL Stars On 28 Pitches |agency=Associated Press |work=The Morning Record |location=Meridian, Conn |page=4 |date=July 13, 1966 |access-date=December 22, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aadIAAAAIBAJ&pg=3031,1197792&dq=denny+mclain&hl=en}}</ref> He finished the season with a 20–14 record with a 3.92 earned run average.<ref name=statistics/>

In [[1967 Detroit Tigers season|1967]], the Tigers hired former major-league pitcher [[Johnny Sain]] as their pitching coach.<ref name=Sargent>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_isDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA64 |title=Jim Northrup Recalls His Playing Days With Tigers |last1=Sargent |first1=Jim |date=February 2004 |magazine=Baseball Digest |access-date=December 24, 2011 }}</ref> Sain helped develop McLain's pitching skills and taught him the psychology of pitching.<ref name=Sargent/><ref name=Year>{{cite web |url=http://www.thisgreatgame.com/1968-baseball-history.html |title=1968: Year of the Pitcher |website=thisgreatgame.com |access-date=December 25, 2011}}</ref> The 1967 season was memorable due to the tight four-way pennant race between the Tigers, the [[1967 Boston Red Sox season|Boston Red Sox]], the [[1967 Minnesota Twins season|Minnesota Twins]], and the [[1967 Chicago White Sox season|Chicago White Sox]].<ref name=Biography/> McLain finished with a 17–16 record and a 3.79 earned run average but was winless after August 29.<ref name=statistics/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?id=mclaide01&t=p&year=1967 |title=1967 Denny McLain pitching log |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 22, 2011}}</ref> On September 18, McLain reported that he had severely injured two toes on his left foot, saying that he had stubbed them after his foot had fallen asleep.<ref name=Biography/> Going into the final game of the season against the [[1967 California Angels season|California Angels]], the Tigers needed a victory to force a one-game playoff with the Red Sox for the American League pennant.<ref name=Biography/> McLain pitched ineffectively in the final game and the Tigers lost to finish the season one game behind the Red Sox.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1967.shtml |title=1967 American League Team Statistics and Standings |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 22, 2011}}</ref>