| Dick Hyde | |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1928-08-03)August 3, 1928 Hindsboro, Illinois, U.S. | |
| Died: April 15, 2020(2020-04-15) (aged 91) Champaign, Illinois, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 23, 1955, for the Washington Senators | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 4, 1961, for the Baltimore Orioles | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 17–14 |
| Earned run average | 3.56 |
| Strikeouts | 144 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Richard Elde Hyde (August 3, 1928 – April 15, 2020) was an Americanrelief pitcher in professionalbaseball who played in theMajor Leagues for six seasons from 1955 to 1961 for theWashington Senators (1955, 1957–1960) andBaltimore Orioles (1961). A right-handed pitcher, he stood 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) and weighed 170 pounds (77 kg). Born inHindsboro, Illinois, he was the father of professional baseball pitcher Rich Hyde.
After going to tryout camps for theChicago Cubs andSt. Louis Cardinals in 1947, Hyde was signed by the Washington Senators in 1949, pitching for their D level (then lowest) minor league team that year and the next before military service inKorea,[1] followed by two more seasons of minor league ball for Washington. By 1954, Hyde had made very little progress in Washington'sfarm system. One day after watching him throw,Calvin Griffith suggested Hyde might become more effective if he came down a little in his pitching motion when he threw.[2] Hyde eventually adopted thesubmarine style of pitching.
While he made three appearances with the Senators in 1955, Hyde spent all of 1956 in the minors and it was only in 1957 that he established himself in the major leagues. His best year was 1958, when he went 10–3 with 19saves and a 1.75earned run average. He also finished 12th in the voting forMost Valuable Player. Hyde's Major League playing career ended with the Baltimore Orioles in 1961, though he finished his career in the Orioles' minor league system in 1962. Of the 169 games Hyde appeared in, all but two were as a relief pitcher.[3]
Hyde was purchased by the Baltimore Orioles from the Washington Senators on July 2, 1960. In 1959, Hyde was included in a trade between Washington and theBoston Red Sox. On June 11, Hyde andHerb Plews were sent to Boston forMurray Wall andBilly Consolo. When it was discovered Hyde had a sore arm, he and Wall were returned to their original teams.
Hyde died on April 15, 2020.[1]