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Bruce Sutter was one of the best the MLB has ever seen. While young fans may not be familiar with the name, he was one of the most dominant pitchers of the late 1970s.
Unfortunately, Sutter passed away this week at the age of 69 after bravely fighting a battle against cancer.
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"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Bruce Sutter, a Hall of Famer and World Series champion. He was 69." - @ MLB
It's unclear what kind of cancer Sutter had. He is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Jayme Leigh, and their three sons, Josh, Chad and Ben.
Sutter was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1953. After excelling at Donegal High School in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, onlookers knew he was destined for greatness.
Sutter was first drafted by the Washington Senators in the 21st round of the MLB Entry Draft. It took six years for him to make his MLB debut as a closer for the Chicago Cubs in 1976.
"RIP Bruce Sutter" - @ Baseball History Nut
In 1977, in his sophomore season with the Cubs, Sutter amassed a record of 7-3 with an ERA of just 1.34. Furthemore, he was selected to the National League All-Star team and finished sixth in voting for the the Cy Young Award.
Two years later, in 1979, Sutter won the NL Cy Young Award after a 37-save season. Sutter would go on to lead the MLB in saves for the next three seasons as he joined the St. Louis Cardinals in 1981.
Bruce Sutter's legacy
Sutter's road to MLB glory was long and winding, but eventually he was able to make a name for himself and go down in history. He was well-known for his split-finger pitch and would often confound batters.
By the time he retired as a member of the Atlanta Braves in 1988, Sutter had certainly made a name for himself in the big leagues. He finished his 12-year career with 300 career saves. This put him in the top 50 of all time in the category.
Bruce Sutter will go down in MLB history as one of the all-time greats.
Our condolences are with his wife and family at this difficult time. He will be remembered.
