Editing Al Nipper (section)

==Major League Baseball playing career==
Born in [[San Diego]], Nipper grew up in [[Missouri]], where he graduated from [[Hazelwood West High School (Hazelwood, Missouri)|Hazelwood West High School]] and [[Truman State University]] in [[Kirksville, Missouri|Kirkville]] (formerly Northeast Missouri State University). He was the Red Sox' eighth selection in the [[1980 Major League Baseball draft]].

Nipper pitched for the Red Sox from {{mlby|1983}} to {{mlby|1987}}. He was included with the league's top players in the ballot for Rookie of the Year in {{mlby|1984}}. But then a succession of injuries limited his success. He [[starting pitcher|started]] 26 games for the [[1986 Boston Red Sox season|1986 Red Sox]], posting a mediocre 10–12 [[win–loss record (pitching)|win–loss record]] and 5.38 [[earned run average]] as Boston won the [[American League East Division]] title. He did not appear in the [[1986 American League Championship Series|ALCS]] against the [[California Angels]], but made two appearances on the mound for the Red Sox in the [[1986 World Series]] against the [[New York Mets]]. Nipper started Game 4 on October 22 at [[Fenway Park]] and held the Mets scoreless through three [[inning (baseball)|innings]], but in the fourth, he surrendered three [[run (baseball)|runs]], two on a [[home run]] by [[Gary Carter]]. Nipper righted himself after that inning and pitched through the sixth, but the three runs he allowed held up as the winning margin in a 6–2 New York victory.<ref>[https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1986/B10220BOS1986.htm Retrosheet box score: 1986 World Series Game 4]</ref> Then, in the winner-take-all Game 7 at [[Shea Stadium]] October 27, Nipper was called upon in [[relief pitcher|relief]] as Boston's fifth pitcher of the contest. Entering in the eighth inning with the Mets leading 6–5, Nipper was ineffective. He retired only one batter and allowed three hits, including a lead-off home run to [[Darryl Strawberry]] and a run-scoring [[single (baseball)|single]] to opposing pitcher [[Jesse Orosco]], enabling the Mets to pad their lead to an insurmountable 8–5;<ref>[https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1986/B10270NYN1986.htm Retrosheet box score: 1986 World Series Game 7]</ref> they won the world championship one inning later.

Nipper was traded to the Cubs in a deal for [[closer (baseball)|closer]] [[Lee Smith (baseball)|Lee Smith]] after the 1987 season. He pitched in 22 games, 12 as a starter, for the [[1988 Chicago Cubs season|Cubs in 1988]], then missed the entire 1989 season recovering from elbow and knee injuries. On June 27, 1988, Nipper recorded the only save of his MLB career, retiring the final out of the game to preserve a 2-1 Cubs victory over the Phillies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN198806270.shtml|title=Philadelphia Phillies at Chicago Cubs Box Score, June 27, 1988}}</ref>

[[File:CLE1990H42NIPPER.jpg|thumb|left|200px|1990 Cleveland Indians #42 Al Nipper game worn home jersey]] He signed as a [[free agent]] with [[1990 Cleveland Indians season|Cleveland in 1990]]; in a season spent mostly with the [[Triple-A (baseball)|Triple-A]] [[Colorado Springs Sky Sox]], Nipper won his final two MLB games in mid-season.

He then signed a [[minor league baseball|minor league]] contract with his hometown [[St. Louis Cardinals]] in 1991, but was not called up from Triple-A. It was his final season as a pitcher.

In his 144 total major league regular-season [[games played]] (124 as a starting pitcher), he finished with a career record of 46–50 and a 4.52 earned run average in 797<small>{{fraction|2|3}}</small> [[innings pitched]], with 381&nbsp;[[strikeouts]] and 21 [[complete game]]s. He allowed 846 hits and 303 [[bases on balls]].  In his only postseason action, in the 1986 World Series, Nipper posted an 0–1 (7.11) record, allowing five runs, ten hits and two bases on balls in two games and 6<small>{{fraction|1|3}}</small> innings of work.