Education
LaCorte attended Gavilan College and was signed by the Braves as an undrafted free agent in 1972.
LaCorte attended Gavilan College and was signed by the Braves as an undrafted free agent in 1972.
A right-hander, he stood 6 feet 1 inch (185 m) tall and weighed 180 pounds (82 kg). He broke into the Majors late in his third professional season, and would play all or part of ten years in the Majors. Initially a starting pitcher, LaCorte hurled for the perennially struggling late-1970s Braves for the first 44 games pitched of his MLB career.
On May 25, 1979, he was traded to Houston (for pitcher Bo McLaughlin) and eventually established himself with the Astros as a relief pitcher.
Along with Joe Sambito and Dave Smith, he was an integral part of the club"s successful bullpen. His statistics from the 1980 season were his career best in wins (8), European Research Area (282), games pitched (55), games finished (44), and saves (11).
During a May 26, 1982, game against the Montreal Expos, LaCorte walked a batter with the bases loaded. He was so angry that he burned his uniform when he returned to the clubhouse.
During his Major League career, LaCorte appeared in 253 total games — only 32 as a starting pitcher — and allowed 457 hits and 258 bases on balls in 490 innings pitched.
He notched 372 strikeouts and 26 saves to go along with his 23 Major-League wins. He retired from professional baseball after the 1984 season. Upon his retirement, LaCorte moved back to Gilroy, California, where he was raised, and purchased a tow truck business named Marx Towing.
On December 3, 1985, LaCorte was driving in Gilroy and hit Anne Swift (age 88) and Alice Denhard (age 68) with his car while they were crossing the street in a crosswalk.
Anne Swift died on January 15, 1986. LaCorte pled no contest to a misdemeanor charge of vehicular manslaughter, and was sentecned to a $1,700 fine, 200 hours of community service, and 3 years probation.