Hall of Famer and two-time Cy Young winner Gaylord Perry has died at age 84

CNN
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Baseball Hall of Famer and two-time Cy Young Award winner Gaylord Perry has died at the age of 84.

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

Major League Baseball Commissioner Robert D. “Gaillard Perry was a consistent worker and a memorable figure during his Hall of Fame career,” Manfred said in a statement Thursday.

“He will always be remembered as the most accomplished San Francisco Giants, and during his time in Cleveland and San Diego, he became the first pitcher to win the Cy Young Award in both the American and National Leagues.

“The five-time 20-game winner pitched for a total of eight different clubs and was a popular teammate and friend throughout his career. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to Gaylord’s family, friends and fans of our great game.

A five-time All-Star, Perry has 314 career hits with eight teams over his 22-year career and ranks sixth in MLB history with 5,350 innings pitched.

Perry made his MLB debut in 1962 with the San Francisco Giants, where he played for 10 seasons. The legendary spitball-throwing right-hander was traded to the Cleveland Indians, now known as the Guardians, before the 1972 season.

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

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

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, Perry was inducted into the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame.

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