#33 PAT JARVIS
Right-handed Pitcher
What came before: A product of Murray State University, “The Little Bulldog” began his pro career dominating the lower levels of Detroit's minor leagues. But despite seasons like 11-9, 3.08 in 1962 and 14-6, 2.76 in '63, he could not get above Class “D” competition. But in October of 1963, the Braves acquired him in a minor deal.
Once given a chance to advance, he took some lumps in a year-plus in the Texas League, but then moved up to the '65 Atlanta Crackers and spent the last two months of that year in Triple-A.
That 1966 season: Jarvis, every bit the competitor his nickname indicated, had to patiently wait his turn among the handful of young pitchers the Braves owned. He began 1966 in Richmond, working equally in starting and relief, and earned his long-awaited promotion with a 6-5 record. He'd never work in the minors again. As an Atlanta Brave, he jumped into the rotation and instantly became one of the NL's top rookies. Making nine starts down the stretch, he was 6-2 with a miniscule 2.31 ERA and three complete games. He allowed only 46 hits over 62 innings and was a big part of the Braves' late-season push. On Sept. 11, he became the first strikeout victim in the career of future Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan.
What happened next: There was no sophomore jinx, as Jarvis' first full major league season (15-10) was a promise of things to come: In 1968, pitchers ruled, so his 16-12 record and 2.60 ERA did not merit further mention, but his 14 complete games and 256 innings pegged him as a workhorse. For the 1969 Division champs, his was one of the rare disappointing seasons (13-11, 4.430, but rebounded in 1970 (even if the Braves didn't) by going 16-16 with 254 innings worked. But the workload took its took, and Jarvis had a sharp dropoff in 1971 to just 6-14 and was sent to the Expos for right-hander Carl Morton in what was a major plus deal for the Braves. Jarvis was 2-1 in 28 games, all in relief, for the Expos, then was dealt to the Texas Rangers. He retired after being released by the Rangers late in spring training of 1974. Jarvis allowed Ernie Banks' 500th home run. The Braves proudly referred to Jarvis' second career, as he was elected DeKalb County sheriff in 1976 and held the post until 1995. But it would emerge that Jarvis had committed fraud throughout his tenure, leading him, in 1999, to plead guilty and accept a 15-month sentence in Federal prison. He subsequently became a private business owner in Rutledge, Ga.
