Michael James Gardiner, a 1987 graduate of Indiana State University, played baseball for the ISU Sycamores from 1984-1987. A graduate of Sarnia Collegiate High School in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, Gardiner still holds the single season record for wins in a season at 13 recorded during his senior year and is tops in career wins with 30. Gardiner was an all-Missouri Conference selection in1987 and was named to the all-academic MVC team in 1986.
Gardiner is one of the best pitchers to be produced by ISU under Coach Bob Warn. He was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 1987 amateur draft, traded to the Boston Red Sox in 1991, then to the Montreal Expos in 1992. He signed as a free agent with the Detroit Tigers in 1995.
Gardiner was also a member of the Canadian National Team competing in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The Canadians did not win a medal but Gardiner started and won against the Japanese team, a 7-4 victory. The Japanese went on to upset the USA team for the gold medal.
Gardiner is still in the record books for Indiana State. In the single season records, Gardiner is tops in wins with 13, third in innings pitched at 111.2 and tied for fourth in strikeouts with 114. In the career records, Gardiner is first in wins at 30, fourth in number of games pitched at 73, fourth in games started at 46, fifth in complete games with 16, second in innings pitched at 335.2 and second in strikeouts at 296.
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All-Missouri Valley Conference Second team (1987)
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Missouri Valley Conference All-Academic (1986)
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Tied for single season record for wins (13 – 1987)
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School record career victories (30), strikeouts (296)
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Threw no-hitter (Wichita State April 15, 1984)
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Led Sycamores in strikeouts (114 – 1987), innings pitched (111.2 – 1987), earned run average (4.02 – 1987), wins (13 – 1987)
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Member of Canadian National Team Summer Olympics (1984)
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Drafted by Seattle Mariners (1987)
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Major League Baseball career (1990-1995)
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Inducted into Hall of Fame February 3, 2007
