| Ryne Duren | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1929-02-22)February 22, 1929 Cazenovia, Wisconsin, U.S. | |
| Died: January 6, 2011(2011-01-06) (aged 81) Lake Wales, Florida, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 25, 1954, for the Baltimore Orioles | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 18, 1965, for the Washington Senators | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 27–44 |
| Earned run average | 3.83 |
| Strikeouts | 630 |
| Saves | 57 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Rinold George"Ryne"Duren (February 22, 1929 – January 6, 2011) was an American professionalbaseballrelief pitcher who played ten seasons inMajor League Baseball (MLB).[1]
He was known for the combination of his blazingfastball and his very poor vision. With his thick eyeglasses, few batters dared to dig in against Duren.Casey Stengel said, "I would not admire hitting against Ryne Duren, because if he ever hit you in the head you mightbe in the past tense."[2]
Duren was born on February 22, 1929, inCazenovia, Wisconsin.[3][4] In 1945, he suffered an attack of rheumatic fever, which left him wearing thick eyeglasses for the rest of his life to compensate for his poor vision.[5] He attended Cazenovia High School, but pitched only briefly for the school baseball team, as he injured a batter with one of his fastballs, and could not control his pitch location. He was moved tosecond base and would throw underhanded to thefirst baseman. He later pitched for the Cazenovia team in the amateurSauk County League, averaging over 20strikeouts per game; and once pitching 33 consecutive no-hit innings.[4][6][5]
Duren was originally signed by theSt. Louis Browns (later becoming theBaltimore Orioles in 1954[7]) as a free agent before the1949 season.[6]
Other than playing one game for the Orioles in 1954, Duren played in the minor leagues from 1949 to 1957, before becoming a major league pitcher in the 1957 season.[8] He pitched in 36 games for theClass-DWausau Lumberjacks in 1949, going 85innings. He had 145strikeouts, averaging 15.4strikeouts per nine innings; but also had 114bases on balls, averaging 12.1walks per nine innings.[9] Hehit over ten batters and had 18wild pitches.[5][9]
In 1950, he was promoted to theClass-C Pine Bluff Judges, where he had a 15–7won–loss record, with a 3.17earned run average (ERA). He had 157 bases on balls and 233 strikeouts in 190 innings pitched.[10][5] The following year, he playedSingle-A baseball for theDayton Indians, with a 17–8 record and 2.73 ERA. In 198 innings pitched, Duren had 238 strikeouts,194 bases on balls, 13 hit batsmen and 11 wild pitches.[11] He played for theDouble-ASan Antonio Missions of theTexas League in 1953-54 and part of 1955, averaging at least 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings each year, and reducing his bases on balls per nine innings each year (7.1, 5.9, 5.4 respectively); though his ERA went up each year (2.63, 3.44, 3.98 respectively).[8] Once, while pitching for San Antonio, he was so hungover that he threw a pitch that hit a player in theon-deck circle.[12]
While the Texas League had started including a few black players in the 1950s, there was still considerable racial segregation and animosity. TheShreveport Sports manager had his pitchers throw at black players in the league, includingWillie Tasby, a black player on the Missions. Duren would not tolerate this and so threw at the Shreveport batters in response. The fear of being hit by Duren ended pitches being thrown at Tasby.[4]
He also pitched seven games in thePacific Coast League (PCL) for theSeattle Rainiers in 1955, going 2–3 with a 3.71 ERA, and 38 strikeouts and 22 walks in 34 innings pitched.[13] In 1956, he played for the Orioles' PCL affiliate, theVancouver Mounties, with an 11–11 record and 4.13 ERA. His strikeouts per nine innings remained high (8.0), but his bases on ball per nine innings were a career low (3.8) at that point.[14] Baltimore managerPaul Richards was unimpressed by Duren in 1955, after suffering elbow inflammation, and kept him in minor league baseball.[5]
His only game with the Browns/Orioles major league franchise came on September 25,1954, by which time the Browns had become the Baltimore Orioles.[15] On September 21,1956, he was traded to theKansas City Athletics withJim Pisoni in exchange forAl Pilarcik andArt Ceccarelli.[16] In 1957, Duren pitched in 14 games for the A's, starting six. He was 0–3 with a 5.27 ERA, with 37 strikeouts and 30 walks in 42.2 innings pitched, when the A's traded him.[17]
The Athletics andNew York Yankees were frequent trading partners in the late 1950s, after a business friend of Yankees' ownerDan Topping bought the A's fromConnie Mack's family in 1954.[18] On June 15,1957, Duren, Pisoni, andHarry Simpson were sent to the Yankees forBilly Martin,Ralph Terry,Woodie Held, andBob Martyn.[16] He did not play for the Yankees in 1957, and was assigned to the team's Triple-A affiliate, theDenver Bears. Under Denver managerRalph Houk, he learned how to be a better pitcher.[5] Duren had a 13–2 record, 3.16 ERA, and struck out 116 batters in 114 innings. He only walked 33 batters (2.6 per nine innings, the lowest average of his career) and had only three hit batsmen and two wild pitches.[19] He pitched ano-hitter for Denver as well.[20]
Duren was called up to play for the Yankees in 1958, in what was deemed by theAmerican League (AL) to be his rookie year.[21] Duren kept his A's uniform number of 26 with the Yankees.[22][23] He pitched in 44 games, only one as a starter. He had a 6–4 record, 2.02 ERA, 19 saves, and 87 strikeouts in 75.2 innings (10.3 per nine innings), with 43 walks (5.1 per nine innings).[24] While saves did not become an official statistic until 1969,[25] he was unofficially tied for the league lead in saves withDick Hyde.[26] It has also been reported that he had 20 saves that year.[3] He was selected to the AL All-Star team, even though a relief pitcher.[27] He came in second toAlbie Pearson in AL rookie-of-the-year voting, and 22nd in AL most valuable player voting.[28] Unlike many other teams, the Yankees valued relief pitchers and paid them accordingly.[5]
Duren pitched in three games of the1958 World Series, the Yankees defeating theMilwaukee Braves four games to three. He had one win, one loss and one save, with a 1.93 ERA, 14 strikeouts and six walks in 9.1 innings pitched.[29] He was the losing pitcher in Game 1, pitching 2.2 innings and giving up one run in the bottom of the 10th inning in the 4–3 loss. Braves Hall of fame pitcherWarren Spahn[30] pitched all ten innings for the Braves.[31] He pitched two innings to gain a save forDon Larsen for a combinedshutout in Game 3.[32] He was the winning pitcher in Game 6, in relief ofWhitey Ford andArt Ditmar, striking out eight Braves in 4.2 innings, in another ten inning game.[33]
Although Duren won Game 6, he was fined $250 by CommissionerFord Frick. In the bottom of the tenth inning, Duren pitched to the Braves'Johnny Logan with afull count. Umpire Charlie Bell called ball four, giving Logan first base. Duren was infuriated and made a "choke up" signal toward Bell. Subsequent to the game, the other umpires urged Bell to report the incident (which he did not actually see), and Commissioner Frick fined Duren for the disparaging gesture. Duren said he did not remember making the sign, but sincerely apologized to Bell.[34][35]
In 1959, his won–loss record was much poorer (3–6), but his 1.88 ERA was the best of his career, and he had 14 saves in 41 relief appearances. He had 96 strikeouts in 76.2 innings pitched (11.3 per nine innings), while walking 43.[36] Duren was selected to both 1959 All-star games. He pitched three innings in the July 7 game, striking out four batters, including Hall of FamersWillie Mays andEddie Mathews.[37][38][39][40] He did not pitch in the August 3 game.[41] Toward the end of the 1959 season, Duren suffered a broken wrist while trying to dodge a young fan.[42] Earlier in the year he'd had knee issues.[38]
Even though the Yankees went to the World Series again in 1960, famously losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates in seven games,[43] Duren's pitching fell off dramatically. His injuries had not resolved going into the 1960 season, and he wound up with a 3–4 record and 4.96 ERA (over three runs a game worse than the previous year).[44] He averaged a career-best 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings, and held opposing hitters to a .160 batting average; but also averaged a career-worst nine bases on balls per nine innings.[45][4][17] He did pitch four innings in the World Series, giving up only one run.[46]
Duren got his arm strength back in 1961, but by then alcoholism was undermining his career.[44] He had begun drinking in his teenage years, and the problem grew over time.[47] On a Yankees trip in 1958, he got in a fight with his old Denver managerRalph Houk, by then a Yankees coach, leaving a cut over Duren's eye.[48][3] Yankees general managerGeorge Weiss had private detectives follow Duren because of his drinking.[49] Duren stayed with the Yankees until May 8,1961, when he was traded to theLos Angeles Angels withJohnny James andLee Thomas in exchange forTex Clevenger andBob Cerv.[50][16] Duren himself admitted that his increased drinking and body's deterioration was the reason the Yankees traded him.[44][12]
1961 was the Angels first year as a team in the American League.[51] Duren pitched in 40 games for the Angels, including 14 as a starter (with oneshutout). He had a 6–12 record and 5.18 ERA. He did average nearly 10 strikeouts a game, but also seven walks a game.[52] From 1958-60 with the Yankees, he had started only two games.[17] Shortly after being traded to the Angels, on June 9, 1961, he struck out seven successiveRed Sox batters, then an American League record.[53] He pitched 6.2 innings as a starter in that game, with 11 strikeouts in total.[54]
Despite this poor overall record, he was selected for the first1961 All-star game, although he did not play.[55] In 1962, he appeared in 42 games for the Angels, but started only three, finishing with a 2–9 record to go with a 4.42 ERA.[56] On New Year's eve in 1962, while living inSan Antonio, a drunken Duren parked on railroad tracks, daring a train conductor to hit him. He was arrested for disorderly conduct.[49]
The Angels sold his contract rights to thePhiladelphia Phillies before the 1963 season.[16] Duren improved with a 3.30 ERA and 6–2 record in 33 games (seven as a starter).[57] The Phillies sold his rights to theCincinnati Reds in May of 1964,[16] where his ERA fell to 2.89 as he averaged only 3.1 bases on balls per nine innings, although he pitched less than 44 innings.[58] Released by Cincinnati in April1965, he was signed by the Phillies; after being released two months later, he joined theWashington Senators, but was released again on August 24 to bring a close to his 10-year Major League career.[16][17]
A week before being released by the Senators, he had done poorly in a game because of a hangover. After the game, while drunk, he had left his car on the way home to climb a bridge and commit suicide because he could no longer bear his subjugation to alcohol and the end of his career. The police had to call Senators' managerGil Hodges to talk Duren off of the bridge. Hodges told him “'Ryne ... you're drunk. come on down. We'll get you help. You're too good to do this to yourself.'”[3][12]
Duren was known for his pitching velocity, strikeouts and lack of control, as well as his showmanship. In his ten-year career, he averaged 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings and six walks per nine innings.[17] Duren only pitched 589.1 innings in the major leagues, but his strikeout average would rank in the top-20 all time, if compared to pitchers with at least 1,000 innings pitched (as of 2024).[17][59] On the other end, he would not even rank in the top 1,000 best pitchers in giving up the fewest walks per nine innings.[60]
Duren is reported to have had a 100 mile per hour fastball, and said Hall of famerMickey Mantle[61] told Duren that Duren was the fastest pitcher Mantle ever witnessed. Ralph Houk said Hall of fame pitcherBob Feller[62] was the only other pitcher who threw as hard as Duren. The combination of his poor vision/thick glasses, erratic control and pitching velocity made batters fear being hit by one of his pitches. He was also known to enhance this fear by intentionally pitching wildly during his warmups.[49][3][44][63]
"Big guy. Throws like hell. Hitter can't see it. But he can't see you either. He's practically blind. Can't hit, field or run.Curve not much. Neither issinker. Just throws fast one. Unpredictable where it'll go. – minor league scouting report[64]
Duren was a showman. In those days, the Yankee bullpen was a part of the short-porch right field and only a low chain link fence served as the boundary. When called upon by Casey Stengel to relieve, he would not use the gate, but preferred to hop the fence with one hand and begin a slow walk to the mound with his blue Yankee warm-up jacket covering his pitching arm; he followed this routine even on the hottest days. When he finally took the ball and began his warmups, the first pitch was sometimes a hard fastball 20 feet over the catcher's head. The succeeding warmup pitches would be thrown lower and lower (but not slower) until Duren would finally "find" the plate. He was so wild that he allegedly hit a player in the on-deck circle.[citation needed]
After being released by the Senators, Duren spent 82 days in a hospital in Texas because of his mental health. Because of his drinking, he could not keep a job, lost his family, and was in an out of various rehabilitation centers. This changed on May 2, 1968, when he went in for treatment at the DePaul Rehabilitation Hospital inMilwaukee[65] (the date of his last drink). This finally enabled him to control his alcoholism, and he began to study and learn how to work with others. Duren's life work became helping others control their alcoholism, which he came to see as a disease in need of treatment. He initially worked in a rehabilitation clinic inStoughton, Wisconsin, outside ofMadison.[47][49] He co-founded SHARE (Stoughton Hospital Alcohol Rehabilitation Education).[63]
In1983, Duren was presented with the Yankee Family Award for his conqueringalcoholism, and for service as an alcohol abuse educator.[66] He wrote two books about his alcoholism journey, served as a public speaker and established programs on controlling alcoholism.[63] In 1978, with Robert Drury, he co-authored a memoir,The Comeback.[3] In 2003, Duren and author Tom Sabellico wrote the book,I Can See Clearly Now. Duren talks from the heart about life, baseball and alcohol. The foreword was written byJim "Mudcat" Grant.[67] Duren helped numerous baseball players with their addiction issues.[68]
Duren is the uncle of singerBlackie Lawless from theheavy metal bandW.A.S.P.[69]
Baseball Hall of FamerRyne Sandberg was named in honor of Duren.[70]
Duren’s name was included on the Walls of Honor atMiller Park in Milwaukee.[68]
Duren was the inspiration for the character Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughn in the movieMajor League, according to its author and directorDavid S. Ward.[71]
Duren died on January 6, 2011.[3]
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