Hall of Fame reliever, Cy Young Award winner Bruce Sutter dies at 69
Hall of Famer and Cy Young Award winner Bruce Sutter died on Thursday, Major League Baseball announced.
He was 69.
“I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Bruce Sutter, whose career was an incredible baseball success story," commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. "Bruce ascended from being a nondrafted free agent to the heights of Baseball by pioneering the split-fingered fastball. That pitch not only led him to the Major Leagues, but also made him a Cy Young Award winner with the Cubs and a World Series Champion with the 1982 Cardinals. 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.
“Bruce will be remembered as one of the best pitchers in the histories of two of our most historic franchises. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my condolences to Bruce’s family, his friends and his fans in Chicago, St. Louis, Atlanta and throughout our game.”
Sutter, who is widely considered to be one of the first pitchers to throw a split-finger fastball, spent 12 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1976-1988.
Sutter made his debut with the Chicago Cubs and won the NL Cy Young award in 1979 after making 37 saves with 110 strikeouts on the year. He spent five seasons in Chicago before leaving for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1981.
He helped close out their World Series win in 1982 and ended Game 7 of that series with a strikeout to beat the Milwaukee Brewers. Sutter then finished his career with the Atlanta Braves, where he picked up his 300th career save.
The six-time All-Star was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.
The Cubs mourn the passing of Hall of Fame pitcher Bruce Sutter.
The 1979 NL Cy Young Award winner and a member of the Cubs Hall of Fame, Sutter pitched with Chicago from 1976-80, collecting 133 saves, second-most in franchise history.
Deepest sympathy to the Sutter family. 💙 pic.twitter.com/WHzzNFGzaV— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) October 14, 2022
We are saddened over the passing of Bruce Sutter.
Sutter was a dominant pitcher and a member of the '82 World Series Championship team.
He is a member of both the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the Cardinals Hall of Fame.
Our thoughts are with Bruce's family and friends. pic.twitter.com/BjxKBnK0Lw— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) October 14, 2022
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) October 14, 2022
The Hall of Fame remembers Class of 2006 inductee Bruce Sutter, who passed away Thursday night.https://t.co/RSeDZBt8u2 pic.twitter.com/NW1UBM6vTC
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) October 14, 2022
The Lancaster, Pennsylvania, native is survived by his wife, three sons and six grandchildren.
"All our father ever wanted to be remembered as was being a great teammate, but he was so much more than that," the Sutter family said in a statement, via The Associated Press. "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."
