| Ralph Terry | |
|---|---|
 Terry in 1964 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1936-01-09)January 9, 1936 Big Cabin, Oklahoma, U.S. | |
| Died: March 16, 2022(2022-03-16) (aged 86) Larned, Kansas, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| August 6, 1956, for the New York Yankees | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| April 22, 1967, for the New York Mets | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 107–99 |
| Earned run average | 3.62 |
| Strikeouts | 1,000 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Ralph Willard Terry (January 9, 1936 – March 16, 2022) was an Americanbaseball player who played as a right-handedstarting pitcher for twelve seasons inMajor League Baseball (MLB). He played for theNew York Yankees,Kansas City Athletics,Cleveland Indians, andNew York Mets from 1956 to 1967. He was a member of the Yankees pitching rotation on five consecutive league champions from 1960 to 1964, enjoying his best season in 1962 when he was named to his onlyAll-Star team, going on to lead theAmerican League with 23victories. In the1962 World Series he was named theMost Valuable Player after posting wins in two of the last three games, including a 1–0shutout in the decisive game seven. He is also notable for surrendering awalk-off home run toBill Mazeroski that won the1960 World Series for thePittsburgh Pirates. Terry also played for theKansas City Athletics,Cleveland Indians, andNew York Mets. He later enjoyed a successful career as aprofessional golfer.
Terry was born inBig Cabin, Oklahoma, on January 9, 1936.[1][2] His father, Frank William, was employed as an attendant at Eastern Oklahoma Hospital and served in theUS Navy duringWorld War II; his mother was Laleta (Adams). Terry attended Chelsea High School in nearbyChelsea, where he playedgridiron and basketball. He graduated assalutatorian of his class in 1953. He then studied atMissouri State University and theUniversity of Kansas City.[3] He was signed as an amateur free agent by theNew York Yankees on November 19, 1953.[1]
Terry played for the Independence Indians in theBan Johnson League in 1953. The home field for the Independence Indians wasShulthis Stadium inIndependence, Kansas. The stadium is the same venue in whichMickey Mantle started his career with theIndependence Yankees in 1949.[4]
Terry played two seasons in the minor leagues from 1954 to 1956.[3][5] He made his MLB debut on August 6, 1956, at the age of 20,[1] pitching5+2⁄3 innings, striking out four, and being thewinning pitcher in a 4–3 win over theBoston Red Sox.[6] He ultimately posted a 1–2win–loss record and a 9.45earned run average (ERA) in three starts in his first MLB season. The following year, he appeared in seven games, making two starts, before being traded to the Kansas City Athletics on June 15.[1]
Terry finished the 1957 season with a 4–11 record and 3.38 ERA in 19 starts for the Athletics. He rebounded somewhat the next season, going 11–13 with a 4.24 ERA and 134strikeouts (setting a new career high) in 40 games, including 33 starts. In 1959, he started 2–4 with a 5.24earned run average (ERA) in 9 games. On May 26 of that year, he was traded to the New York Yankees along withHector Lopez.[1]
Upon his return, Terry went 3–7 with a 3.39 ERA in 24 games, including 16 starts. His career began to take off in 1960, when he posted a 10–8 record and 3.40 ERA. That year, he made his first postseason appearance, in two games of the1960 World Series.[1] He was 0–2 with a 5.40 ERA in the two games, one start and onerelief appearance,[1] and gave upBill Mazeroski's walk-off home run in Game 7.[7]
In 1961, Terry posted a 16–3 record with a 3.15 ERA in 31 games (27 starts).[1] During the1961 World Series, he was 0–1 with a 4.82 ERA in two starts,[1] but won his first championship when the Yankees defeated theCincinnati Reds in five games.[8]
For 1962, Terry went 23–12 with a 3.19 ERA. That year, he posted career bests with 23 wins, 39 starts,298+2⁄3innings pitched, and 176strikeouts against 57 walks. His 23 victories led the American League.[1] In the1962 World Series, he went 2–1 with a 1.80 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 25 innings over three games against theSan Francisco Giants. His performance earned him theWorld Series MVP award that season.[1][9]
The next year, Terry was 17–15 with a 3.22 ERA in 37 games, including a career-high 18complete games.[1] He pitched three innings in the1963 World Series against theLos Angeles Dodgers, finishing with a 3.00 ERA, as the Yankees were swept in four games.[10]
In 1964, Terry went 7–11 with a 4.54 ERA. In theWorld Series that year against the Cardinals, he gave up two hits and struck out three batters in a Yankees loss.[1]
Shortly after the 1964 World Series, Terry was sent to theCleveland Indians as aplayer to be named later in an earlier trade forPedro Ramos;Bud Daley was later sent to the Indians in November to complete the trade.[11]In 1965, his only season in Cleveland, Terry posted an 11–6 mark with a 3.69 ERA in 30 games, (26 starts).[1]
On April 6, 1966 he was traded forJohn O'Donoghue and cash to theKansas City Athletics.[1][12] He started 15 games for the Athletics, for whom he went 1–5 with a 3.80 ERA. On August 6, his contract was purchased by theNew York Mets. He went 0–1 with a 4.74 ERA in 11 games, six as a reliever, for the rest of the 1966 season.[1]
In 1967, Terry pitched in just two games, and finished one, before being released by the Mets on May 16. He subsequently retired.[1]
In his career, Terry had 257games started, 20 shutouts, 11saves, 446walks, and 1,000strikeouts in1,849+1⁄3 innings pitched.[1]
In five World Series (1960–64), Terry posted a record of 2–3, 31 strikeouts and a 2.93 ERA in nine appearances and 46 innings pitched.[1] Both wins came in the 1962 World Series against the Giants, including a 1–0 shutout in Game 7 over Giants aceJack Sanford. That game – and thus the Series – ended with Yankee second basemanBobby Richardson catchingWillie McCovey's line drive.[13]
He appeared at several YankeesOld-Timers' Days, most recently in 2017.[14]
After baseball, Terry became a professionalgolfer. He won the 1980Midwest PGA Championship, and based on his status as aPGA of America sectional champion, he qualified for and played in fourPGA Tour events in 1981 and 1982.
In 1986, he started playing on theSenior PGA Tour. His best finish was a tie for 10th at the 1989Showdown Classic. In his retirement, he continued to play golf as a hobby.[3]
Terry lived inLarned, Kansas, where he was in the insurance business for a number of years.[3]
Terry died March 16, 2022, at a long-term care facility in Larned. He was 86, and suffered a head injury after slipping on ice on the morning ofNew Year's Eve 2021.[2]