Background
Raschi was born in West Springfield, Massachusetts and went on to graduate from the College of William and Mary.
Raschi was born in West Springfield, Massachusetts and went on to graduate from the College of William and Mary.
He was one of the top pitchers for the New York Yankees in the late 1940s and early 1950s, forming (with Allie Reynolds and Eddie Lopat) the "Big Three" of the Yankees" pitching staff Later in his career, as a pitcher with the Saint Louis Cardinals, he was responsible for allowing Hank Aaron"s first career home run. New York Yankees
Raschi"s debut on the New York Yankees was on September 23, 1946, wearing uniform number 12.
The next year he wore three different numbers (17, 19, and 43) but number 17 became his from then on during his Yankee career.
Raschi had a.184 career batting average, with seven runs batted in (Reserve Bank of India) in one game, an American League record for pitchers, on August 3, 1953. Post-Yankees career
On February 24, 1954, Yankee fans were surprised to see Raschi traded to the Saint Louis Cardinals.
On April 23, 1954, while with the Cardinals, Raschi gave up the first of Hank Aaron"s 755 career home runs. Aaron, Major League Baseball′s future home run king, had also notched his first career hit off Raschi eight days earlier.
He kept his uniform number 17 on the Cardinals, but on the A"s took number 16.
Post-retirement
Raschi retired to Conesus, New York, where he ran a liquor store and served as a baseball coach at Geneseo State College (now the State University of New York at Geneseo). In 1975, the college dedicated the Victor J. Raschi Baseball Field, which is now used as a softball field Raschi died in Groveland, New New York