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Maxie made his mark in the Texas League

Right-hander earned Pitcher of the Year honors in '61 behind two no-hitters
August 13, 2008
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Larry Maxie's career never quite lived up to the promise he displayed while pitching for the Austin Senators in 1961. The big right-hander, however, can seek solace in the fact that he was dazzling that summer in the Texas League, earning a place in the circuit's record book from which he will likely never be removed.

Maxie earned Pitcher of the Year laurels during the 1961 Texas League season, guiding the Senators to a berth in the championship series. But it was what he accomplished en route to achieving those accolades that will forever be etched in the circuit's storied history.

Signed as a teenager by the Milwaukee Braves in 1958, Maxie had pitched to mixed reviews during his first three seasons as a professional. But he burst onto the scene in Austin to begin the 1961 season, winning his first seven decisions before eventually winding up with a 17-7 record and 2.08 ERA.

What stands out the most, however, are the two no-hitters he threw that year, making him one of only three pitchers in Texas League history to ever accomplish that feat. Fort Worth's Alex Dupree tossed a pair of no-hitters within a month of each other in 1906, while Arkansas's Bud Smith turned the trick in 2000.

Making Maxie's effort even more special is the fact that he was part of the only back-to-back no-hitters in Texas League history. His second gem came July 15 in Mexico City against Poza Rica during the Pan-Am Series, which was played between the Texas and Mexican Leagues annually in the late '50s and early '60s. Poza Rica's Ramon Ramos had no-hit the Senators the day before, allowing the duo to share a unique place in the histories of both leagues.

"I played in Mexico a couple of times, and one time when I went back there, someone told me that I was in the Mexican League Hall-of-Fame because of that," Maxie said. "It's nice to be in the Hall of Fame somewhere."

Maxie certainly had a Hall of Fame season in '61. He tossed his first no-hitter June 14 against Victoria for his seventh win of the season. He fanned seven in that game, and despite a close brush with losing the no-no in the ninth, he held on for a victory with future Hall of Famer Phil Niekro warming up in the bullpen.

"It didn't even dawn on me that I had a no-hitter," Maxie said. "I had one ball that was questionable, then late in the game someone told me I had a no-hitter going."

The Giants avenged themselves five days later, topping Maxie and the Senators, 2-1, in 11 innings. Victoria scored the winning run when Maxie uncorked a pair of wild pitches. Maxie's no-hit streak had reached 11 2/3 innings before Dick Pawlow singled in the third inning. It was Pawlow that nearly broke up the no-hitter five days earlier by laying a bunt down the first-base line in the eighth inning before getting called out on a close play.

Maxie picked up his eighth and ninth victories in late June and early July before heading down to Mexico with the Senators. He carved out his little piece of baseball history despite walking six and hitting a batter. The Sens also committed a pair of errors behind him, but he held on for the win and the no-hitter to improve to 10-4.

The rest of the season played out well for Maxie, who would lead the league in ERA while falling one victory and three strikeouts shy of leading the league in both of those categories.

"1961 was the best I ever pitched," Maxie said. "Not many people have that kind of year. I began the season in the American Association in Louisville. Had I been in Austin all year I think I would have led the league in the other categories. I just got going and the no-hitters came and I had a very good year."

It would prove to be one of the only highlights of Maxie's career, though. He was back in Louisville in 1962 but hurt his arm and appeared in only 15 games. It was the International League in 1963, out to the Pacific Coast League in 1964 and then back to the IL from 1965 through 1971 before closing out his career with Savannah of the Southern League in 1972.

Along the way, he appeared in a pair of games for the Braves in 1969, pitching three late-August innings for the team that would win the first-ever National League West Division title. Maxie won 125 games in 15 Minor League seasons. He won 13 games in 1966 and 13 in his final season. He even threw another no-hitter, a seven-inning affair against Toledo in 1965 while pitching for Richmond.

"I came back after I hurt my arm and pitched a long time," he said. "I just didn't get over the hump. Maybe I was good enough, maybe I wasn't as good. I was rated with a lot of people, and a lot of people passed me by. I had a lot of fun, though, and a cup of coffee in the big leagues. It was an enjoyable time."

Some of it was even record setting.

Kevin Czerwinski is a reporter for MLB.com.