// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho's Gary Wheelock? A guy with a wheel good lock.
| Gary Wheelock | |
|---|---|
 Wheelock with the San Jose Missions in 1978 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: November 29, 1951 Bakersfield, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 17, 1976, for the California Angels | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| April 18, 1980, for the Seattle Mariners | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 6–9 |
| Earned run average | 5.40 |
| Strikeouts | 50 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
Gary Richard Wheelock (born November 29, 1951) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher for the California Angels (1976) and Seattle Mariners (1977 and 1980).
Wheelock attended Troy High School in Fullerton, California. He attended college at Fullerton Junior College then University of California, Irvine, where he played college baseball for the Anteaters from 1972–1974.[1][2][3] He had a 17–2 record in 1974.[3] He was inducted into the school's athletics hall of fame in 1984.[4]
The Angels drafted Wheelock in the sixth round of the 1974 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut as a September call-up in 1976.[5] He was the third pick in the 1976 expansion draft and the first-ever player who signed with the Mariners.[6] He won his first MLB game on April 9, 1977, the franchise's second win, then threw the franchise's first complete game on April 19.[3][7] He pitched in a career-high 17 MLB games for the inaugural Mariners team, going 6–9. However, he had elbow surgery that September. He returned to the majors for one start in 1980.[8][3] He ended his playing career in the minors in the Los Angeles Dodgers system in 1981.[9]
After his playing career, he spent 33 seasons coaching in the Mariners' organization.[10][11] He later coached youth baseball in New Zealand.[12]
References
[edit]- ↑ "University of California, Irvine Baseball Players Who Made it to the Major Leagues". Baseball Almanac. Archived from the original on January 5, 2006. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
- ↑ Penner, Mike (May 27, 1992). "At UC Irvine, Last Cut Proves the Deepest". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Seattle Mariners 1980 Media Guide. pp. 50, 51.
- ↑ "Gary Wheelock (1984) - Hall of Fame". UCI Athletics. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
- ↑ "Gary Wheelock Stats & Scouting Report". College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America. May 13, 2026. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
- ↑ "Mariners make additions to player development staff". MLB.com. November 7, 2011. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
- ↑ "Seattle Mariners' first season (1977)". Historylink. Retrieved May 15, 2026.
- ↑ "Gary Wheelock Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 15, 2026.
- ↑ "Gary Wheelock Minor Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
- ↑ Street, Jim (January 12, 2009). "Mariners announce Minors coaches". MLB.com. Archived from the original on January 24, 2009. Retrieved January 14, 2009.
- ↑ Divish, Ryan (December 4, 2015). "Mariners announce their 2016 minor league coaching staff". The Seattle Times.
- ↑ "Ex Seattle Mariners coach heading to Wellington". voxy.co.nz. March 13, 2017. Archived from the original on August 23, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics from Baseball Reference · Retrosheet · Baseball Almanac
- Cataquet, Brian (March 8, 2026). 1976 Angels Pitcher Gary Wheelock is LIVE ON AIR w/ Card King Brian Cataquet – via YouTube.
- Clubhouse Chatter (February 9, 2016). Clubhouse Chatter-Gary Wheelock – via YouTube.
- 1951 births
- Living people
- Baseball players from Bakersfield, California
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- California Angels players
- Seattle Mariners players
- Quad Cities Angels players
- Salt Lake City Gulls players
- Salinas Packers players
- San Jose Missions players
- Spokane Indians players
- San Antonio Dodgers players
- UC Irvine Anteaters baseball players
- Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks players
- 20th-century American sportsmen