Major League Baseball Player. For eleven seasons (1974 to 1984), he was a left-handed pitcher with the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics and Baltimore Orioles. Born Thomas Gerald Underwood, he attended Kokomo High School (Indiana), where he was a multi-sport athlete, who excelled at football as well as baseball. He was signed by the Phillies during the 2nd round of the 1972 Amateur Draft, and made his Major League debut with them on August 19th, 1974; he recorded a victory in 7 games pitched that season. In 1975, Underwood secured a spot in the Phillies' starting rotation (which included Steve Carlton and Jim Lonborg) and produced a 14-win season; he would be a factor in their clinching of the 1976 National League Eastern Division Title, as he notched 10 wins that season, with a 3.53 ERA in 33 games pitched; he appeared in one game during the 1976 NLCS. Underwood was dealt to the Cardinals during the 1977 season, as part of a trade which sent outfielder Bake McBride to the Phillies; he spent two sub-par years with St. Louis and Toronto, before experiencing a resurgence with the Yankees. During the 1980 season, he recorded 13 wins with a 3.66 ERA, as New York clinched the American League Eastern Division Title; he appeared in 2 games during the 1980 ALCS. In 379 career regular season games, he compiled an 86 win 87 loss record, with a lifetime 3.89 ERA, in 1,586 innings pitched. His younger brother Pat Underwood was a Major League pitcher with the Detroit Tigers for four seasons. He died from complications of pancreatic cancer.
Major League Baseball Player. For eleven seasons (1974 to 1984), he was a left-handed pitcher with the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics and Baltimore Orioles. Born Thomas Gerald Underwood, he attended Kokomo High School (Indiana), where he was a multi-sport athlete, who excelled at football as well as baseball. He was signed by the Phillies during the 2nd round of the 1972 Amateur Draft, and made his Major League debut with them on August 19th, 1974; he recorded a victory in 7 games pitched that season. In 1975, Underwood secured a spot in the Phillies' starting rotation (which included Steve Carlton and Jim Lonborg) and produced a 14-win season; he would be a factor in their clinching of the 1976 National League Eastern Division Title, as he notched 10 wins that season, with a 3.53 ERA in 33 games pitched; he appeared in one game during the 1976 NLCS. Underwood was dealt to the Cardinals during the 1977 season, as part of a trade which sent outfielder Bake McBride to the Phillies; he spent two sub-par years with St. Louis and Toronto, before experiencing a resurgence with the Yankees. During the 1980 season, he recorded 13 wins with a 3.66 ERA, as New York clinched the American League Eastern Division Title; he appeared in 2 games during the 1980 ALCS. In 379 career regular season games, he compiled an 86 win 87 loss record, with a lifetime 3.89 ERA, in 1,586 innings pitched. His younger brother Pat Underwood was a Major League pitcher with the Detroit Tigers for four seasons. He died from complications of pancreatic cancer.
Bio by: C.S.
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