2023 Black & Gold Award
Mike Torrez 1964 The year Mike Torrez began his high school career is the same year high schools dropped baseball (until it was picked back up in the late 80’s). However, he was still a great athlete and excelled on the basketball court. During the summers is when Torrez displayed his talent as a baseball pitcher, and just after graduation, he signed to play for the St. Louis Cardinals. Mike made his major league debut in 1967 and became a full-time player in 1969. Mike played for multiple organizations including Montreal Expos, Baltimore Orioles, Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and the New York Mets. He started games 3 and 6 for the Yankees in the 1977 World Series, striking out 15 and walking 5. Mike ranks 130 All-time in MLB innings pitched, or the top 1% of all MLB pitchers. He holds the distinction of defeating every team in the Major League. Through his years, he attained a career record of 1,850,08, while accumulating 1,404 strikeouts. Mike is a member of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame.