The White Sox shared some unfortunate news on social media this morning.
Former left-handed starting pitcher Gary Peters has passed away at the age of 85.
A native of Grove City, Pennsylvania, Peters originally signed with the White Sox as an amateur free agent in 1956. He would spend the next few seasons in the organization’s farm system before making his debut in September 1959. Though this marked the first of four brief stints Peters had over the coming seasons, he eventually secured his spot in the South Side’s rotation.
Peters saw his first full season as a starting pitcher in 1963 and did not disappoint. He went 19-8 with a 2.33 ERA (63 ER/243.0 IP), 189 strikeouts, 2.34 FIP, and 1.070 WHIP en route to being named the Rookie of the Year. The stellar performance was enough for him to finish inside the Top 10 in MVP voting, a feat he accomplished twice more (1964 and 1967) in his Chicago tenure.
Aside from leading the league in ERA during the 1963 and 1966 (1.98) seasons, Peters also recorded the most wins in 1964 (20). He was named an American League All-Star in 1964 and 1967 and even led all pitchers in fielding percentage in 1968. Despite his great success on the mound, that didn’t limit Peters in other capacities.
As some fans might recall, the team frequently used the lefty as a pinch-hitter. Perhaps his most memorable moment at the plate came on May 5, 1968, when Peters hit a grand slam in Comiskey Park. Though there’s, unfortunately, no video proof, the homer helped the White Sox secure a 5-1 victory over the Yankees.
Peters stayed with the White Sox through the 1969 season and currently ranks eighth in team history with 1,098 strikeouts. He was ultimately traded to the Red Sox and finished out the last three years of his professional career in Boston. His last MLB appearance came on September 23, 1972.
Nearly 30 years following his retirement, the White Sox announced in 2000 that Peters and 26 other former and active White Sox players were named members of the Chicago White Sox All-Century Team.
Our entire crew joins the White Sox community in sending our condolences to the family and friends of Peters.
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Featured Photo: Bettmann – Getty Images
