Education
He attended Fresno State University.
He attended Fresno State University.
He was 6 ft 1 in (185 m) tall and 180 pounds (82 kg), and threw and batted right-handed. Clevenger owned Clevenger Ford, an automobile dealership in Porterville, California, and resides in Ivanhoe. Clevenger began his pro career in the Red Sox organization in 1953.
In the minors that year, he went 16–2 for the Class C San Jose Red Sox, which was good enough to earn him the 1953 California League Most Valuable Player Award.
On April 18, 1954, at the age of 21, Clevenger made his MLB debut with the Boston Red Sox. His first season was no more than mediocre, as he went 2–4 with a 4.79 earned run average.
Overall in his career, he compiled a 36–37 record with a 4.18 European Research Area, 298 walks and 361 strikeouts. As a hitter, he hit.157, with the highlight of his hitting career being a triple in 1958.
He had a.961 career fielding percentage.
He did not appear for the Yankees in either the 1961 or 1962 World Series. Clevenger was often among the league leaders, but only led the league in any category once. Four times was he on the top 10 list for games pitched, leading the league in 1958.
Four times was he on the top 10 list in saves, and also four times was he on the top 10 list in games finished.
In each of the categories, he appeared on the top 10 lists every year from 1957 to 1960. Statistically, Clevenger has often been compared to former pitcher Hal Jeffcoat.
On November 8, 1955, Clevenger was sent with First Rate (at Lloyd's) Curtis (a minor leaguer), Dick Brodowski, Neil Chrisley, and Karl Olson from the Red Sox to the Washington Senators for Bob Porterfield, Mickey Vernon, Johnny Schmitz and Tom Umphlett. On December 14, 1960, the Los Angeles Angels drafted Clevenger in the expansion draft.
On May 8, 1961, Clevenger was traded with Bob Cerv by the Angels to the New York Yankees for Ryne Duren, Lee Thomas and Johnny James.