Gary Peters RIP

[palehose1]

Passed away, great Sox pitcher in the 1960's, 1963 ROY, Good guy too..

 

[Lip Man 1]

Knew Gary for a long time, my first White Sox hero. The first game I ever attended in person was on July 15, 1963 when he threw a complete game one-hitter beating the Orioles 4-0 at Comiskey Park. 

The only guy to get a hit was Baltimore pitcher and future Hall of Famer Robin Roberts.

The two lived about a mile from each other in Sarasota and Gary told me every time he saw Robin, Robin would give him grief about being the only guy to get a hit or get on base that night.

Peters was "sneaky fast" had an easy delivery and then the ball exploded on a hitter. 

Made two All-Star teams, was a 20 game winner, led the league in ERA. Was a terrific pitcher.

Basically only Hebert and John are left from those incredible staffs from the 1960's.

[flavum]

Peters pitched in two September, 1959 games.

There are six remaining living players from the pennant winning team: 

Luis Aparicio, SS and Ken McBride, P 

Lou Skizas, OF and Claude Raymond, P played in April of 59. 

Joe Hicks, OF and JC Martin, 3B were also September call ups. 

[AJ'S Cousin]

Also one of the better hitting pitchers in the game. Gary Peters and Joel Horlen was a preety good 1-2 punch in the 60's

[elrockinMT]

Gary Peters was a dominating starter and a good hitter in his own right too. I was a big fan of Peters. I remember that great 1967 Pennant Race where Eddie Stanky would often bat Peters 6th in the lineup because he was a better hitter than some of the position players. RIP Gary Peters and thanks for the memories 

[Lip Man 1]

May 5, 1968 - Sox pitcher Gary Peters became the last pitcher to hit a grand slam for the franchise as he connected in the fourth inning of a 5-1 win over the Yankees at Comiskey Park. It was the first game of a double header. In addition, he threw a complete game with nine strikeouts allowing only six hits in the win. Peters would hit 15 home runs as a member of the Sox.

The only other Sox pitchers to hit a grand slam were Monty Stratton and Tommy Byrne. Byrne’s grand slam was as a pinch hitter.

 

May 6, 1963 - Making an emergency start in Kansas City, Sox pitcher Gary Peters hit the first of his 19 career home runs, 15 came as a member of the White Sox. It came in the third inning off Ted Bowsfield. Peters would toss eight innings allowing one run in the Sox 5-1 win.

It was the first win in 1963 for Gary, who’d go on to collect 19 of them and win Co-Rookie of the Year honors with teammate Pete Ward. Peters had 189 strike outs to go along with a 2.33 ERA.

Peters was told that he would be starting this game on the airplane flying into Kansas City by Sox pitching coach Ray Berres after scheduled starter Juan Pizarro got sick with a case of the flu.

 

May 14, 1967 - Sox pitching great Gary Peters authored his second career one-hitter beating the Angels 3-1 at Comiskey Park. It was the second game in a double header sweep. Peters allowed only a second inning home run to former Sox first baseman Bill “Moose” Skowron and struck out 10. Peters would make the All-Star team for the second time in his career that season going 16-11 with a 2.28 ERA throwing 260 innings.

 

May 26, 1968 - In an effort to jump start a stagnant offense, Sox manager Eddie Stanky batted pitcher Gary Peters in the #6 slot in a game in New York.

Peters who had 19 career home runs, was listed in the order ahead of Luis Aparicio, Duane Josephson and Tim Cullen. The move didn’t help though as the Sox lost 5-1 to Mel Stottlemyre. Peters went 0 for 2 in the contest as the Sox only managed four hits.

 

July 4-5, 1964 - During the 1960's the White Sox were synonymous with outstanding pitching...pitching that was the envy of most of Major League baseball excluding only perhaps, the Dodgers. The best example of this were these two days in Chicago over the Fourth of July holiday in 1964. In a time span of roughly 28 hours, the White Sox threw three straight complete game shutouts against the Indians. On the Fourth of July itself, Gary Peters blanked the Tribe on three hits, winning 4-0. In the Sunday doubleheader it was Juan Pizarro in game one, tossing a seven hitter, winning 2-0. Then in the nightcap it was Joe Horlen with a 5-0 blanking on four hits.

In 27 innings, Cleveland managed no runs on 14 hits with seven walks. Now that’s pitching!!!

 

July 15, 1963 - Sox pitcher Gary Peters, on his way towards being named Co-Rookie of the Year, threw a one-hitter at Comiskey Park in beating the Orioles 4-0. Future Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts got the start for Baltimore and got that team’s only hit… in fact he would be the only O’s base runner on the night. That hit came in the third inning a single to center field.

J.C. Martin and Tommy McCraw blasted two-run home runs for the Sox.

Peters would strike out 13 that night and would finish the year with 19 wins despite not getting his first start until May 6 in Kansas City.

 

[Saufley]

A lot of guys I grew up watching in the "good old days" have passed or are now.  Memories.

[Lip Man 1]

My interview with Gary:

https://www.southsidesox.com/2023/1/26/23572959/gary-peters-in-memoriam-chicago-white-sox-1937-2023-interview-obituary

[pcq]

During his time the Sox were the only game in town . Summer memories of the Cub getting smoked on daytime WGN games. Finished 9th or 10th most years in a ten team league. Poor Jack Brickhouse. 

[The Grinder]

RIP Gary, I remember you as I had yr card but dont recall a lot about you except you were an outstanding pitcher

Rock stars, movie stars and athletes among all I looked up to now are selling the farm. 

Time for me to get serious about making a will, not that I have much

[Saufley]

And now Ray Herbert dies today.

[Highland]

Gary Peters was one of the best left-handed pitchers in baseball during the mid-1960s. Had a picture-perfect delivery.  Great hitter. Few pitchers today have the talent he had.

[flavum]

32 minutes ago, Saufley said:

And now Ray Herbert dies today.

Kind of strange he died on December 20. There are tweets on that day that he died, but it didn’t get reported until today. Had a good career too. 

[4uckOffCommieScum]

I always remember Peters by an article he wrote for the Sox yearbook where he said it was more important for pitchers to work out over the winter because they had to be prepared to throw 200 pitches a game.

[Saufley]

2 hours ago, flavum said:

Kind of strange he died on December 20. There are tweets on that day that he died, but it didn’t get reported until today. Had a good career too. 

Thanks! I just saw the report today. 

[Highland]

12 hours ago, FourEyesShottenhoffer said:

I always remember Peters by an article he wrote for the Sox yearbook where he said it was more important for pitchers to work out over the winter because they had to be prepared to throw 200 pitches a game.

In a game in September 1967, Peters threw 11 innings. A second inning double was the only hit he gave up. He threw 11 shutout innings and still didn't get the win. The Sox won 1-0 in 17 innings.  I interviewed him for a story I was writing and found him to be a class guy. Modern day pitchers could have learned a lot from him.

[zisk]

one of my dads favorites. though his all time was billy pierce. what a pitching staff!

[White Sox Park]

Back in the days when my buddies and myself, would ride our bikes to Comiskey and sit in the outfield for .50.