The "Lancaster's Only Baseball Hall Of Fame Player" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Opened the MLB (Major League Baseball) link on my email and began reading a story about a pitcher named Bruce Sutter.  Many people may've never heard of him, but for those of us living in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, his name is as recognizable as the word baseball, for you see...he is Lancaster County's only Baseball Hall of Famer!  

Bruce Sutter as a High School baseball player.

All began in 1970 when  Donegal High School, a small public school that sat close enough to the Susquehanna River that Bruce could throw a stone from the school and have have it land in the river, returned seven lettermen from the previous year's team.  One of these players was 6-foot, 1-inch 170 pound senior pitcher with the name of Bruce Sutter.  That year he led his team to the county title with a record of 6-2.  Six years later he made his Major League debut with the Chicago Cubs.  Recognize the name yet?  Well, it took him three years before he would win baseball's highest and most prestigious pitching award, the Cy Young Award.  THREE YEARS!!  He did it with what is known as a split-finger fastball.  No one could hit it...almost no one!  He entered a game on May 9, 1976 when the Cubs were playing the Cincinnati Reds.  He pitched a scoreless inning, one of many, many he would pitch before he retired from baseball.  He was a six-time All-Star and led the National League in saves five times, including 37 in 1979 when he won the Cy Young Award.  In 1981 he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals and the following year helped them win the World Series by retiring the final 6 batters in Game 7.  He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.  He is also a member of the Donegal High School Athletic Hall of Fame.  Bruce was the fifth child of six whose parents were Howard and Thelma Sutter of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  He was the quarterback and captain of his high school football team, the captain of his basketball team, which also won a District championship, and his baseball team which won the County championship.   He was selected in the 21st round of the June 1970 draft, but decided to attend Old Dominion University before being drafted by the Cubs as a free agent in September of 1971.  When he was 19 he had surgery on his arm to relieve a pinched nerve.  He returned to the mound a year later and found his previous pitches weren't as effective anymore.  That's when he learned the split-finger fastball from his minor league pitching instructor Fred Martin. His large hands were a big help in learning the pitch which is a modification of the forkball.  His new pitch kept him in the Cubs organization.  He split the 1974 season between the Class A Key West Conchs and the Class AA Midland Cubs.  His record wasn't the best, but he had an ERA of 1.38 which is phenomenal.  In 1976 he began the season with the Class AAA Wichita Aeros, but pitched only seven games before being promoted to the Majors.  He pitched 52 games that year for the Cubs.  The following year he had a 1.34 ERA and earned an All-Star Game selection.  On September 8, 1977 he pitched what is known as an immaculate inning.  He pitched to three batter and struck out each one on three pitches.  He was only the 12th pitcher in baseball history to accomplish that feat.  But, what made it even more special was that the inning before he struck out all three batters, but did throw a few balls.  In 1979 he saved 37 games tying the National League record held by Clay Carroll and Rollie Fingers and won the Cy Young Award.  

Bruce Sutter as an Atlanta Brave.

That year he also was picked as the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year and The Sporting News Fireman of the Year.  That year would be his best ever.  He eventually was traded to the Cardinals whom he helped win the 1982 World Series and then in 1985 went to the Atlanta Braves. He retired from baseball in 1989 while dealing with a severely torn rotator cuff.  When he retired he had accumulated 300 saves, the third-largest in history behind Fingers and Rich "Goose" Gossage.  His career saves total was an National League record until broken by Lee Smith in 1993.  Bruce Sutter appeared on his thirteenth Baseball Hall of Fame ballot in 2006 which only allowed him 2 more chances after this one.  He was elected that year by receiving 400 votes out of a possible 520 and was only the Fourth relief pitcher ever chosen.  

Bruce accepting his HOF Plaque.

Sutter's Hall of Fame plaque depicts him wearing a Cardinals cap, although the Hall considers his "primary" team to be the Cubs.  Sutter's #42, which he wore through his career, was retired by the Cardinals.  He shares that number with Jackie Robinson whose number 42 was retired by all Major League teams in 1997.  The only other player to wear #42 and make it into the Hall Of Fame was Mariano Rivera.  Sutter's son Chad was selected by the New York Yankees in 1999, but only played one year of profession ball before becoming a college coach.  Chad now evaluates pitching prospects in Class AA and AAA.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

#42 worn by both Jackie Robinson and Bruce Sutter.