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

| stat1value =29–62

| stat3label =Strikeouts

| stat3value =394

| stat2label =Earned run average

| stat2value =5.23

| teams =

• 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.{{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}}

In an eight-season career, Hook posted a 29–62 won-loss record with 394 strikeouts and a 5.23 earned run average in {{frac|752|2|3}} innings pitched.

Jay attended high school at Grayslake Community High School (now Grayslake Central High School).

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.{{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}}

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, 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 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 games with 13 and games started with 34.

Those 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{{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}} where he pitched a nine inning no-hitter that he lost in the 10th inning.{{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}} Towards the end of the 1964 season he was called up to the parent team{{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}} 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.{{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}}{{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}}

{{As of|2002}} Hook and his wife Joan resided in Maple City, Michigan.{{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}}