Daniel Osinski (November 17, 1933 – September 13, 2013), nicknamed "The Silencer", was an American Major League Baseball relief pitcher.

The 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m), 195 pounds (88 kg) right-hander was signed by the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent before the 1952 season.

He almost attended the United States Naval Academy on a football scholarship, but after flunking his physical, he chose instead to sign a contract with the Indians.

Unsure whether he should continue playing baseball or not, Osinski tried out with the White Sox in 1959 and was added to one of their minor league clubs.

Though he did not last long with the Athletics, Osinski impressed the Angels' general manager while pitching for the minor league Portland Beavers.

Osinski posted a 2.82 ERA with the Braves in 1965 and also was asked by broadcaster Howard Cosell to demonstrate the spitball on national television.

Following his baseball career, Osinski owned a restaurant as well a steel fabrication shop in Oak Forest, Illinois.

During his senior year, he threw back-to-back no-hitters and drew the interest of baseball scouts, though Osinski claimed that football and basketball were his main sports.

Once he graduated high school, Osinski had planned to attend the United States Naval Academy, but he flunked his physical.

The Navy planned to admit him anyway on a football scholarship, causing media outlets to wonder if they were favoring athletes over the general population.

He worked out with the St. Louis Browns, but Wally Laskowski, a scout for the Cleveland Indians, spotted him and signed him to a $4,000 contract, the most he could get without being considered a bonus baby (which would have forced the Indians to keep the 17-year-old Osinski in the major leagues all of his first professional season without getting a chance to develop his skills at the minor league level).

[5] In 1954, Osinski was promoted to the Keokuk Kernels of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League, where he was teammates with Roger Maris, the future New York Yankees star who would be his roommate with three different teams from 1954 to 1955.

[6] Osinski was assigned to the Tulsa Oilers of the Class AA Texas League to begin the 1955 season, but he only pitched in five games for them.

[3] One day, he had to miss a start because of a bad fever; the team physician examined him, and Osinski was diagnosed with mononucleosis, which had led to his fatigue the season before.

[2] In 1959, Osinski met with the Chicago White Sox, who invited him to spring training, then assigned him to the Duluth-Superior Dukes of the Class C Northern League.

[2][3] In 1962, the Kansas City Athletics signed Osinski to a contract and invited him to spring training; he pitched so well, he began the season in their bullpen.

[2] Osinski made his major league debut in relief on April 11, 1962 against the Minnesota Twins at Kansas City Municipal Stadium.

He pitched the top of the ninth inning and gave up three earned runs in an 8–0 Athletics loss, claiming second baseman Bernie Allen as his first strikeout.

[2][10] Osinski pitched very well for the rest of the season, forming what Sports Illustrated called "one of the strongest bullpens in the majors," along with Art Fowler, Tom Morgan, and Jack Spring.

[16] In his first major league start, against the Red Sox on May 16, he threw a complete game but took the loss, surrendering three runs in eight innings at Fenway Park.

[23] In the first game of a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers on June 14, he gave up two runs (one earned) in five innings of relief, but the Angels lost 6–5.

Instead, on December 16, 1965, he was traded with Bob Sadowski to the Boston Red Sox for Arnold Earley, Lee Thomas, and a player to be named later (Jay Ritchie on January 11, 1966).

[10][32] Interestingly, his 1966 Topps baseball card listed his team as the Braves on the front but mentioned the trade to the Red Sox on the back.

[33] Dick Radatz was the main relief pitcher for the Red Sox, but Osinski was expected by manager Billy Herman to provide a strong second option in 1966.

Osinski also got the final out against St. Louis in Game 7, but Boston lost 7–2 as the Cardinals clinched the World Series championship.

[41] Despite his low ERA in 1967, Osinski was released by Boston during spring training in 1968; he said later he found out the news not from the team but from a sportswriter.

[45] In 51 games (his total with Hawaii the previous year), he compiled a 5–5 record with two saves, a 3.56 ERA, 27 strikeouts, and 23 walks in 60+2⁄3 innings.

He gave up a leadoff triple to Bobby Bonds but struck out Al Gallagher and got Willie Mays to hit into a groundout.

[46] It was his final major league appearance, as the Astros optioned him to the Oklahoma City 89ers of the Class AAA American Association on April 22, where he spent the rest of the season.

The couple had one son, Daniel D.[1] A Portland sportswriter called him The Silencer during his time with the Beavers, and the nickname stuck for the rest of his career.