TomFitzGerald
SFGate/San Francisco Chronicle
Larry Jansen, who twice won 20 games during his eight years with the New York Giants and was the winning pitcher in relief when Bobby Thompson delivered his pennant-winning home run in 1951, died Saturday at his home in Verboort, Ore. He was 89.
Jansen didn't get to the majors until he was 26, and it took a 30-6 season with a 1.57 ERA for the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League in 1946 to get him there. He completed 31 of his 38 starts that year. As a rookie with the Giants in 1947, he went 21-5, leading the National League in winning percentage (.808).
In 1951, he led the Giants with 23 wins and helped their legendary comeback against the Brooklyn Dodgers, although he lost his only two decisions of the World Series. That season he threw the last pitch of Joe DiMaggio's career. He twice came close to winning 20 again before arm troubles kept him from playing a major role in the Giants' championship 1954 season.
He spent 11 years (1961-71) as the San Francisco Giants' pitching coach and helped develop Hall of Famers Juan Marichal and Gaylord Perry, along with Mike McCormick and Jack Sanford.
He is survived by his wife, Eileen, and 10 children, 23 grandchildren and 40 great-grandchildren.
TalkinGiants Baseball
In addition, Jansen was the winning pitcher in the 1951 playoff game versus the Brooklyn Dodgers famous for the"shot heard around the world"...Bobby Thompson's famous walk off home run.
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