Ken Kravec
Kenneth Peter Kravec is an American professional baseball scout and a former Major League pitcher and front office official. The, left-hander appeared in 160 games pitched, 128 as a starter, exclusively for Chicago's two big league teams, the White Sox and the Cubs.
Kravec graduated from Midpark High School, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, played college baseball at Ashland University, and was selected by the White Sox in the third round of the 1973 Major League Baseball draft. He was promoted to the White Sox in September 1975 after posting a record of 14–7 and an earned run average of 2.41 and was named to the Double-A Southern League's all-star team. In his Major League debut on September 4, he started against the Kansas City Royals but lasted only 2 innings, giving up only one hit but allowing seven bases on balls and three earned runs, taking the loss in a 7–1 Kansas City win.
Kravec led all White Sox pitchers in strikeouts from 1977–79, and topped the ChiSox in wins in with 15. He led the American League in hit batsmen in and tied for the lead in 1979, and finished second in the National League in that category in strike-shortened.
After the White Sox signed free agent catcher Carlton Fisk during the 1980–81 offseason, Fisk found that Kravec was sporting the No. 27 uniform the future Hall of Famer had previously worn with the Boston Red Sox. As a result, Fisk reversed the digits and would wear No. 72 during his 13-year career with Chicago. Both numbers have been retired by their respective teams. Ironically, Kravec was traded to the Cubs for right-hander Dennis Lamp on March 28, 1981, just a few weeks into Fisk's tenure with the club.
All told, Kravec allowed 814 hits and 404 bases on balls in 858 Major League innings pitched, with 557 strikeouts, six shutouts, 24 complete games, and one save.
He remained in baseball after his active career ended as a scout for the Royals, Florida Marlins, Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays.
