Malis, Cy

Cyrus Sol Malis

On August 17, 1934, Malis appeared in his only big league game. Cy pitched 3.2 innings in relief for the Philadelphia Phillies, allowing two runs.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. February 26, 1907 - d. January 12, 1971

Career Highlights:
A native of Philadelphia, Malis learned the game of baseball on the sandlots of his hometown. While a three-sport star at Brown Prep School (baseball, basketball, and football), Malis went 15-4 one season and struck out 22 batters in one game. In 1927, he began pitching professionally for Northampton in the Eastern Shore League. He won his first six games with Northampton and was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies at the end of the season.
Malis spent a couple of seasons in the Phillies' minor league system and then played semi-pro baseball after the club released him. They re-signed him later and he made his major league debut in August 1934. In his only appearance for the Phillies, Cy allowed four hits, walked hit, and gave up two runs in his 3.2 inning stint, in which he also struck out two.
In December 1941, Malis joined the U.S. Navy after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. During the war, his neck and back were broken when he was struck by a gun mount. The pain was so horrible that Malis was given morphine to help and he soon became addicted to the drug. Malis eventually beat his addiction and then helped found Narcotics Anonymous in California.
In the 1940s and 1950s, Malis became a movie and television actor. He first appeared in film in 1943 as a ballplayer and later appeared in the popular television show, Perry Mason. He also coached little league in California.

Career Dates:
Malis pitched in one game for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1934.

Position:
Pitcher

Physical description:
5'11", 175 pounds
Right-handed

Career Statistics:
Wins: 0
Losses: 0
Winning pct.: .000

ERA: 4.91

Games: 1
Games Started: 0
Complete Games: 0

Innings Pitched: 3.2
Hits Allowed: 4
Bases-on-Balls: 2
Strike Outs: 1

Shut-outs: 0

Relief Pitching
Wins: 0
Losses: 0
Saves: 0

Batting
At-bats: 0
Hits: 0
Home Runs: 0
Batting Average: 0.000

Fielding Statistics
Put-outs: 1
Assists:
Errors: 0
Double Plays: 0

Total Chances per Game: 1.0
Fielding avg: 1.000

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References:
The Big Book of Jewish Baseball: An Illustrated Encyclopedia and Anecdotal History, by Peter S. Horvitz and Joachim Horvitz (New York: S.P.I. Books, 2001)
The Baseball Encyclopedia: Tenth Edition (New York: McMillan, 1996)