Former Indians pitcher Kremmel dies

Former Spokane Indians pitcher Jim Kremmel, among several players from the 1970s who became area residents, died here on Oct. 12. He was 63.

A native of Belleville, Ill., the left-hander was an early-season member of Spokane’s 1973 Pacific Coast League championship team and he spent parts of two seasons in the major leagues.

Kremmel earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Economics from the University of New Mexico. After he struck out 18 in one 1970 game and pitched a no-hitter in another, the Texas Rangers drafted him in the first round of the 1971 supplemental draft. He went on to become UNM’s first major-league player.

In 1973, Kremmel went 0-2 in two starts with the Rangers and 5-2 at Spokane before Texas traded him to St. Louis. That fall, he was traded twice more in less than two months, winding up with the Chicago Cubs. He appeared in 23 games with the National League team in 1974, losing his only two decisions. Injury ended his career two years later.

He earned masters degrees in business administration and counseling psychology from Gonzaga University and spent most of the last quarter-century as a psychotherapist in private practice.

Kremmel is survived by his ex-wife, Teresa, and a daughter, Lindsey, who lives in Livermore, Calif. A memorial service has been scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at Heritage Chapel.

Jim Price, correspondent