Baseball fans — especially those in Detroit — may not have known his name, but they have probably seen his face, on a baseball card or a broadcast.
Don Mossi, who pitched for the Tigers from 1959-63 and was better remembered as “The Sphinx” or “Ears,” died at the age of 90 on Friday in Nampa, Idaho.
The dueling nicknames were derived from his distinctive facial features — namely his prominent nose and ears.
Mossi, born on Jan. 11, 1929, went 59-44 in his five seasons in Detroit, with a 3.49 ERA and 520 strikeouts in 523 innings over 151 appearances.