Mel Stottlemyre Hit By Ball

Mel Stottlemyre, the New York Yankees' pitching coach and former 20-game winner, was struck in the forehead by a line drive during batting practice Tuesday night and was taken off the field in a cart.

Stottlemyre, 57, was seated in a cart with a towel on his face as he was driven off the field at Veterans Stadium. The extent of the injury was not immediately known, but Stottlemyre was down for several minutes and was taken to the hospital. He was expected to need stitches.

Stottlemyre was standing behind a screen in short center field when a line drive struck him while the Yankees took batting practice before their game against the Philadelphia Phillies.

He has been pitching coach for the Houston Astros, New York Mets and Yankees and was a five-time All-Star as a pitcher during 10-plus seasons with the Yankees. He won 20 games three times and led the AL in complete games in 1965 and '69.

He is the father of Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Todd Stottlemyre.

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