CHICAGO (CBS/AP) — Hall of Fame pitcher Bruce Sutter, who received the 1979 Cy Young award because the nearer for the Chicago Cubs, has died at age 69.
Sutter was just lately recognized with most cancers and died Thursday night time in hospice, surrounded by his household, one in every of Sutter’s three sons, Chad, instructed The Associated Press. The Baseball Hall of Fame stated Bruce Sutter died in Cartersville, Georgia.
“All our father ever wanted to be remembered as was being a great teammate, but he was so much more than that,” the Sutter household stated in a press release Friday. “He was also a great husband to our mother for 50 (years), he was a great father and grandfather and he was a great friend. His love and passion for the game of baseball can only be surpassed by his love and passion for his family.”
Sutter performed for the Cubs for 5 seasons from 1976 to 1980, making 4 All-Star groups in that point, and amassing 133 saves, second-most in franchise historical past behind fellow Hall of Famer Lee Smith.
Sutter is taken into account one of many first pitchers to throw a split-finger fastball. The right-hander performed 12 seasons within the main leagues, was a six-time All-Star and ended up with 300 saves over his profession.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred stated he was “deeply saddened” by the news.
“Bruce was the first pitcher to reach the Hall of Fame without starting a game, and he was one of the key figures who foreshadowed how the use of relievers would evolve,” Manfred stated in a press release. “Bruce will be remembered as one of the best pitchers in the histories of two of our most historic franchises.”
Sutter debuted with the Chicago Cubs in 1976. The reliever received the Cy Young in 1979 in a season the place he had 37 saves, 2.22 ERA and 110 strikeouts.
He joined the St. Louis Cardinals and performed with them from 1981 to 1984. There, he received a World Series in 1982, ending Game 7 towards the Brewers with a strikeout.
“Being a St Louis Cardinal was an honor he cherished deeply,” the Sutter household’s assertion stated. “To the Cardinals, his teammates and most importantly to the greatest fans in all of sports, we thank you for all of the love and support over the years.”
His final save, No. 300, got here with the Atlanta Braves in 1988. Sutter was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.
“Bruce was a fan-favorite during his years in St. Louis and in the years to follow, and he will always be remembered for his 1982 World Series clinching save and signature split-fingered pitch,” Cardinals proprietor and CEO Bill DeWitt Jr. stated in a press release. “He was a true pioneer in the game, changing the role of the late inning reliever.”
Sutter was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in January 1953. The Baseball Hall of Fame stated in a launch that he realized the split-finger fastball from a Cubs minor-league pitching teacher whereas recovering from surgical procedure on his proper elbow.
The Cardinals stated Sutter is survived by his spouse, three sons, a daughter-in-law and 6 grandkids.
“I feel like a brother passed away,” Hall of Famer Jim Kaat stated. “I knew Bruce deeper than just about any other teammate. We spent a lot of time together, and as happens when your careers end, you go your separate ways. But we stayed in touch and considered each other great friends.”
