Gary Peters
Born: 4/21/1937 in Grove City, PA, USA
Died: 1/26/2023 in Sarasota, FL, USA
MLB Debut: 1959-09-10 | Final Game: 1972-09-23
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 200 lbs
Full name: Gary Charles Peters
Biography
Gary Peters was a talented pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1959 to 1972. Born in 1937, Peters made a name for himself during an era marked by the transition from the deadball period to a more offensive style of play. He was known for his accuracy and consistency on the mound, finishing his career with a record of 124-103 and an earned run average (ERA) of 3.25. Over his career, Peters struck out 1,420 batters and recorded five saves, showcasing his ability to both start and close games effectively.
Peters' impressive performance earned him recognition as a two-time All-Star and led to his accolades as the Rookie of the Year and TSN Rookie Pitcher of the Year. His contributions to the game were significant during a period that saw the rise of power hitting and the evolution of pitching strategies. Peters' legacy lives on as a skilled left-handed pitcher who consistently challenged hitters and played a vital role in his teams' successes throughout his career.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 124 | 103 | 359 | 286 | 79 | 23 | 5 | 2081.0 | 1894 | 751 | 157 | 706 | 1420 | 3.25 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | CHW | AL | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0.00 | - |
| 1960 | CHW | AL | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2.70 | - |
| 1961 | CHW | AL | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10.3 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 1.74 | - |
| 1962 | CHW | AL | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.3 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5.68 | - |
| 1963 | CHW | AL | 19 | 8 | 41 | 30 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 243.0 | 192 | 63 | 68 | 189 | 2.33 | - |
| 1964 | CHW | AL | 20 | 8 | 37 | 36 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 273.7 | 217 | 76 | 104 | 205 | 2.50 | - |
| 1965 | CHW | AL | 10 | 12 | 33 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 176.3 | 181 | 71 | 63 | 95 | 3.62 | - |
| 1966 | CHW | AL | 12 | 10 | 30 | 27 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 204.7 | 156 | 45 | 45 | 129 | 1.98 | - |
| 1967 | CHW | AL | 16 | 11 | 38 | 36 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 260.0 | 187 | 66 | 91 | 215 | 2.28 | - |
| 1968 | CHW | AL | 4 | 13 | 31 | 25 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 162.7 | 146 | 68 | 60 | 110 | 3.76 | - |
| 1969 | CHW | AL | 10 | 15 | 36 | 32 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 218.7 | 238 | 110 | 78 | 140 | 4.53 | - |
| 1970 | BOS | AL | 16 | 11 | 34 | 34 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 221.7 | 221 | 100 | 83 | 155 | 4.06 | 1477.5 |
| 1971 | BOS | AL | 14 | 11 | 34 | 32 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 214.0 | 241 | 104 | 70 | 100 | 4.37 | -3529.8 |
| 1972 | BOS | AL | 3 | 3 | 33 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 85.3 | 91 | 41 | 38 | 67 | 4.32 | -1149.5 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 450 | 807 | 86 | 179 | 31 | 7 | 19 | 102 | 0 | 29 | 172 | 0.222 | 0.253 | 0.348 | 0.601 | -1664.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | CHW | AL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1960 | CHW | AL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1961 | CHW | AL | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.333 | 0.0 |
| 1962 | CHW | AL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1963 | CHW | AL | 50 | 81 | 12 | 21 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 0.259 | 51.7 |
| 1964 | CHW | AL | 54 | 120 | 9 | 25 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 29 | 0.208 | -323.7 |
| 1965 | CHW | AL | 42 | 72 | 2 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 0.181 | -439.4 |
| 1966 | CHW | AL | 38 | 81 | 12 | 19 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0.235 | -215.8 |
| 1967 | CHW | AL | 48 | 99 | 10 | 21 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 23 | 0.212 | -278.7 |
| 1968 | CHW | AL | 46 | 72 | 10 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 0.208 | -7.4 |
| 1969 | CHW | AL | 37 | 71 | 9 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 0.169 | -339.2 |
| 1970 | BOS | AL | 37 | 82 | 12 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 8 | 11 | 0.244 | -111.6 |
| 1971 | BOS | AL | 53 | 96 | 7 | 26 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 0.271 | -0.8 |
| 1972 | BOS | AL | 33 | 30 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 359 | 286 | 111 | 312 | 15 | 27 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | CHA | P | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1960 | CHA | P | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1961 | CHA | P | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 1962 | CHA | P | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1963 | CHA | P | 41 | 30 | 17 | 30 | 2 | 4 |
| 1964 | CHA | P | 37 | 36 | 16 | 41 | 3 | 4 |
| 1965 | CHA | P | 33 | 30 | 12 | 32 | 1 | 0 |
| 1966 | CHA | P | 30 | 27 | 7 | 41 | 1 | 4 |
| 1967 | CHA | P | 38 | 36 | 15 | 50 | 2 | 5 |
| 1968 | CHA | P | 31 | 25 | 12 | 21 | 0 | 3 |
| 1969 | CHA | P | 36 | 32 | 6 | 25 | 1 | 1 |
| 1970 | BOS | P | 34 | 34 | 7 | 27 | 3 | 3 |
| 1971 | BOS | P | 34 | 32 | 13 | 27 | 2 | 2 |
| 1972 | BOS | P | 33 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 359 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | TSN All-Star | P |
| 1963 | Rookie of the Year | |
| 1963 | TSN All-Star | P |
| 1963 | TSN Rookie Pitcher of the Year |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 9th | 37.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1964 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 7th | 44.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1963 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 8th | 55.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1963 | Rookie of the Year | AL | 1st | 10.0 | 20 | 10 |