| Ron Perranoski | |
|---|---|
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| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1936-04-01)April 1, 1936 Paterson, New Jersey, U.S. | |
| Died: October 2, 2020(2020-10-02) (aged 84) Vero Beach, Florida, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 14, 1961, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| June 17, 1973, for the California Angels | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 79–74 |
| Earned run average | 2.79 |
| Strikeouts | 687 |
| Saves | 178 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
As player
As coach | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Ronald Peter Perranoski (April 1, 1936 – October 2, 2020) was an American professionalbaseball player andcoach.[1] He played inMajor League Baseball as a left-handedrelief pitcher from1961 to1973, most prominently as a member of theLos Angeles Dodgers for whom he appeared in threeWorld Series and, with theMinnesota Twins teams that won two consecutiveAmerican League Western Division titles. He also played for theDetroit Tigers and theCalifornia Angels. After his playing career, Perranoski worked as a Major League pitching coach, winning two more World Series with the Dodgers in the 1980s.
Perranoski was born inPaterson, New Jersey and grew up inFair Lawn, New Jersey,[2] where he attendedFair Lawn High School, and pitched on its state champion baseball team.[3][4] As a child attending Yankees games, he was inspired by watching Yankees pitcherJoe Page to want to become a relief pitcher.[4]
Perranoski attendedMichigan State University, where he was a teammate and friend ofDick Radatz, who also would become a standout reliever in the 1960s.[4] In 1963, Perranoski appeared in 69 games, saved 21 games, had a 1.67 ERA, and won 16 of 19 relief decisions for theLos Angeles Dodgers, who went on to winthat year's World Series in four consecutive games over theNew York Yankees.[5][4] He appeared in Game Two of that Series and earned a save in relief ofJohnny Podres.[6]
Perranoski would again pitch in and win the1965 World Series with the Dodgers over the Minnesota Twins. He returned with the Dodgers to the 1966 World Series, but lost to theBaltimore Orioles in four straight games.[4]
Perranoski was named theSporting News Reliever of the Year for the American League in 1969 and 1970 while pitching for the Minnesota Twins.[7] He led the American League in saves in 1969 with 31, and did so again in 1970 with 34,[4] for Twins teams that won the Western Division each of those years, but lost to the Orioles in the playoffs both times.[8]
After his playing career ended, Perranoski was the Dodgers'minor league pitching coordinator (1973–80), then the MLBpitching coach for Los Angeles for 14 seasons (1981–94). He joined theSan Francisco Giants as minor league pitching coordinator in 1995, was promoted to bench coach in 1997 and then to pitching coach in 1998-99. He had been a special assistant togeneral managerBrian Sabean since 2000.
In 1983, Perranoski was inducted into theNational Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame.[9]
In 1965, Perranoski appeared in an episode of the television seriesBranded ("Coward Step Aside", S1, Ep 7) with former baseball player and series starChuck Connors.[10][11]
Perranoski died in his home inVero Beach, Florida, on October 2, 2020, following complications from a long illness.[12][5]
Several thousand fans from Fair Lawn, NJ, were on hand to honor their most celebrated citizen, Ron Perranoski
In 1954, as a 17-year-old Fair Lawn High School student, Potts established the Fair Lawn Athletic Club baseball team to give himself and his friends a chance to play summer baseball. The team soon became the Paterson and later the Clifton Phillies, which was one of the most successful teams of its kind in the country until it folded in 1999. Among the first players on the Phillies was Potts' high school teammate, Ron Perranoski, who later starred as a relief pitcher on several Los Angeles Dodgers world championship teams.
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Los Angeles Dodgers Pitching coach 1981–1994 | Succeeded by |
