View source for Jay Hook

{{short description|American baseball player (born 1936)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
| name       =Jay Hook
| image      =Jay Hook 1963.jpg
| alt        =
| caption    =
| position   =[[Pitcher]]
| birth_date  ={{Birth date and age|1936|11|18}}
| birth_place =[[Waukegan, Illinois]], U.S.
| death_date  =
| death_place =
| bats       =Left
| throws     =Right
|debutleague = MLB
| debutdate  =September 3
| debutyear  =1957
| debutteam  =Cincinnati Redlegs
|finalleague = MLB
| finaldate  =May 3
| finalyear  =1964
| finalteam  =New York Mets
|statleague = MLB
| stat1label =[[Win–loss record (pitching)|Win–loss record]]
| stat1value =29–62
| stat3label =[[Strikeout]]s
| stat3value =394
| stat2label =[[Earned run average]]
| stat2value =5.23
| teams      =
*[[Cincinnati Reds|Cincinnati Redlegs / Reds]] ({{Baseball year|1957}}–{{Baseball year|1961}})
*[[New York Mets]] ({{Baseball year|1962}}–{{Baseball year|1964}})
}}

'''James Wesley Hook''' (born November 18, 1936) is an American former [[starting pitcher]] in [[Major League Baseball]]. From 1957 through 1964, Hook played for the [[Cincinnati Reds]] (1957–61) and [[New York Mets]] (1962–64). He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.<ref name=data>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hookja01.shtml|title=Jay Hook Statistics and History|website=baseball-reference.com|publisher=sports-reference.com|access-date=November 16, 2015}}</ref>

In an eight-season career, Hook posted a 29–62 won-loss record with 394 [[strikeout]]s and a 5.23 [[earned run average]] in {{frac|752|2|3}} [[innings pitched]].<ref name=data/>

Jay attended high school at [[Grayslake Community High School]] (now [[Grayslake Central High School]]).<ref name=data/>

A [[bonus baby]] signed by the Cincinnati Reds out of [[Northwestern University]], Hook made his major league debut with Cincinnati in 1957. He joined the Reds regular pitching rotation in 1960 and had an 11–18 mark, including a two-hit [[shutout]] against the [[Milwaukee Braves]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MLN/MLN196009200.shtml|title=Sep 20, 1960, Reds at Braves Box Score and Play by Play|website=baseball-reference.com|publisher=sports-reference.com|date=September 20, 1960|access-date=November 16, 2015}}</ref>

Before the 1962 season, Hook was acquired by the New York Mets in the [[1961 MLB Expansion Draft]], along with [[Hobie Landrith]], [[Elio Chacón]], [[Roger Craig (baseball)|Roger Craig]], [[Gil Hodges]], [[Don Zimmer]] and [[Gus Bell]], among others. 
    	
On April 23, 1962, Hook became the first winning pitcher in Mets franchise history, tossing a complete-game, five-hitter in New York's 9–1 win over [[Pittsburgh Pirates|Pittsburgh]] at [[Forbes Field]], giving the team its first regular-season victory after nine defeats. In that season he compiled an 8–19 mark for the Mets, and led the team in [[complete game]]s with 13 and [[games started]] with 34.<ref name=data/>

Those [[1962 New York Mets season|1962 Mets]] had a record of 40–120, still the most losses for any major league team in a single season since the 19th century.

The Mets traded Hook, cash, and a minor leaguer named later to the Milwaukee Braves for [[Roy McMillan]] on May 8, 1964.  The Braves then sent Hook to their minor league team in Denver<ref>{{cite news |title=Mets Get McMillan of Braves For Hook, Cash and Farm Hand; Slick-Fielding Shortstop, 33, Is Expected to Tighten New York's Defense |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/05/09/archives/mets-get-mcmillan-of-braves-for-hook-cash-and-farm-hand.html |work=The New York Times |date=May 9, 1964 |page=20 |access-date=January 9, 2024}}</ref> where he pitched a nine inning no-hitter that he lost in the 10th inning.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hook Loses in Met Style |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/06/25/archives/hook-loses-in-met-style.html |date=June 25, 1964 |page=40 |access-date=January 9, 2024}}</ref> Towards the end of the 1964 season he was called up to the parent team<ref>{{cite news |title=Braves Purchase Jay Hook |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/09/05/archives/braves-purchase-jay-hook.html |work=The New York Times |date=September 5, 1964 |page=13 |access-date=January 9, 2024}}</ref> but did not appear in any games for them.

After receiving a [[master's degree]] in [[thermodynamics]], Hook retired in 1964 at age 28 to take a job with the [[Chrysler Corporation]]. He then worked in senior management positions at [[Rockwell International]] and at [[Masco]], and later became a professor of industrial management at [[Northwestern University]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Robert |last=Lipsyte |title=Spring of '62: Revisiting the Dawn of the Mets |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/20/sports/baseball/remembering-the-mets-first-spring-in-1962.html |work=The New York Times |date=February 20, 2012 |page=D1 |access-date=January 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Ira |last=Berkow | title=Original Met Goes Back in Time In Reviewing Plight of the Tigers |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/28/sports/sports-times-original-met-goes-back-time-reviewing-plight-tigers.html |work=The New York Times |date=September 28, 2003 |page=B11 |access-date=January 9, 2024}}</ref>

{{As of|2002}} Hook and his wife Joan resided in [[Maple City, Michigan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://static.record-eagle.com/2002/apr/23hook.htm|title=First victory propelled Hook into Mets' lore|website=record-eagle.com|publisher=Record-Eagle|location=Traverse City, Michigan|first1=Jeff|last1=Peek|date=April 23, 2002|access-date=November 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304075311/http://static.record-eagle.com/2002/apr/23hook.htm|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{Baseballstats |mlb=116124 |espn= |br=h/hookja01 |fangraphs= |cube= |brm=hook--002jam }}
*{{sabrbio|jay-hook}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hook, Jay}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:Cincinnati Reds players]]
[[Category:New York Mets players]]
[[Category:Nashville Vols players]]
[[Category:Seattle Rainiers players]]
[[Category:Denver Bears players]]
[[Category:Northwestern Wildcats baseball players]]
[[Category:Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball pitchers]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Waukegan, Illinois]]
[[Category:People from Leelanau County, Michigan]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]