Gaylord Perry: Hall of Famer and two-time Cy Young winner dies at 84

CNN
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Two-time Cy Young Award winner Gaylord Perry has died at the age of 84.

Cherokee County Coroner Dennis G. Fowler confirmed Perry’s death of natural causes at approximately 5 a.m. Thursday at his home in Gaffney, South Carolina.

“Gaylord Perry has been a consistent workhorse and an unforgettable figure in his Hall of Fame career, highlighted by his 314 wins and 3,534 strikeouts in 22 years,” Major League Baseball Commissioner Robert Manfred said in a statement Thursday.

He will be remembered as among the most successful San Francisco Giants ever, and during his stints in Cleveland and San Diego, he became the first pitcher ever to win a Cy Young Award in both the American and National Leagues.

“The five-time winner in 20 games introduced him to eight different clubs overall and he remained a popular teammate and lifelong friend. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to Gaylord’s family, friends, and fans across our amazing game.”

A five-time All-Star, Perry racked up 314 victories in his 22-year career with eight teams and ranks sixth in MLB history with 5,350 runs batted in.

Berry made his MLB debut in 1962 with the San Francisco Giants, where he played for 10 seasons. The famous right-handed spitball thrower was traded to the Cleveland Indians, now known as the Guardians, prior to the 1972 season.

With the Indians, Perry won his first Cy Young Award after leading the American League in wins (24) and complete games (29).

After being traded to the Texas Rangers in 1975, where he played for three seasons, Berry was dealt again in 1978 to the San Diego Padres.

With the Padres, Perry won his second career Cy Young becoming the first player in MLB history to win the award in both leagues.

In 1991, Berry was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

“We have lost another member of the Hall of Fame family. Thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Gaylord Perry RIP my friend who will be greatly missed,” Wade Boggs Hall of Famer wrote in a statement on Twitter.