FITZSIMMONS, FAT FREDDIE

born July 28, 1901, Mishawaka, Ind., U.S. died Nov. 18, 1979, Yucca Valley, Calif. byname of Frederick Landis Fitzsimmons U.S. professional National League right-handed baseball pitcher, who was famous for his windup in which he rotated his pitching arm while twisting his body so that he faced second base before turning to deliver the pitch. His best pitch was a knuckle ball. Fitzsimmons played minor league baseball from 1920 at Muskegon, Mich., and Indianapolis, Ind., before joining the New York Giants in 1925; he pitched for them through the 1937 season, and for the Brooklyn Dodgers (193743). His career record was 217 wins and 146 losses. In 1940 he won 16 and lost 2 games for a winning percentage of .889, a record that stood until 1959, when Roy Face had .947. After retiring as a player, he managed the Philadelphia Phillies (194345) and coached for the Boston Braves (1948), the New York Giants (194955), and the Chicago Cubs (195758, 1966).