ST. LOUIS – Bruce Sutter, a Hall of Fame pitcher well-remembered for closing out the St. Louis Cardinals’ 1982 World Series title, has died at the age of 69.
Sutter was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame in 2006. He was a six-time All-Star and the 1979 National League Cy Young Award winner. Sutter picked up 127 saves in four seasons with the Cardinals from 1981-1984.
“On behalf of the Cardinals organization and baseball fans everywhere, I would like to express our deepest condolences to the Sutter family,” said Cardinals’ Principal Owner & Chief Executive Officer Bill DeWitt, Jr. “Bruce was a fan-favorite during his years in St. Louis and in the years to follow, and he will always be remembered for his 1982 World Series clinching save and signature split-fingered pitch. He was a true pioneer in the game, changing the role of the late inning reliever.”
Sutter is one of just 30 pitchers in MLB history with at least 300 saves. He was inducted into the St. Louis Cardinals’ Hall of Fame in 2014.
He also enjoyed success with the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves throughout his 12 MLB seasons. Sutter led the National League in saves five times, earning a career-best 45 in 1984, his final season with the Cardinals.
Sutter won the 1979 National League Cy Young Award with the Cubs behind 37 saves. 6 wins, 110 strikeouts and a 2.22 ERA over 101.1 inning pitched. At the time, he became the first such award winner and Hall of Famer without starting a single game. He later carried that distinction into the Hall of Fame.
“I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Bruce Sutter, whose career was an incredible baseball success story,” said MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred in a statement via MLB.com. “Bruce ascended from being a nondrafted free agent to the heights of Baseball by pioneering the split-fingered fastball. That pitch not only led him to the Major Leagues, but also made him a Cy Young Award winner with the Cubs and a World Series Champion with the 1982 Cardinals. He was one of the key figures who foreshadowed how the use of relievers would evolve.
“Bruce will be remembered as one of the best pitchers in the histories of two of our most historic franchises. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my condolences to Bruce’s family, his friends and his fans in Chicago, St. Louis, Atlanta and throughout our game.”
Sutter wore number 42 in his time with the Cardinals. The number is now retired by the team for not only his accomplishments, but universally retired across Major League Baseball for Jackie Robinson’s accomplishments as he broke the league’s color barrier.