Pitcher, Chicago
White Sox
Age: 26 (Apr. 21)
Bats – Left,
Throws – Left
Height: 6’2” Weight: 200
Prior to 1963:
A Pennsylvania
native, Peters was an All-State basketball player in a high school that did not
field a baseball team. He played sandlot and semipro ball, where he played
first base. A tryout with the White Sox led to a contract and he was first
assigned to Holdrege of the Class D Nebraska State League in 1956 where he was
converted into a pitcher and posted a 10-5 record with a 2.81 ERA while also
leading the league with 128 innings pitched and 142 strikeouts. Moving on to
the Dubuque Packers of the Class D Midwest League in 1957, Peters compiled a
10-6 tally with a 2.75 ERA and 103 strikeouts over 131 innings. He started 1958
with Colorado Springs of the Class A Western League but following a poor start
he was reassigned to Davenport of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three
I) League where he went 12-8 with a 3.99 ERA. Promoted to Indianapolis of the
Class AAA American Association in 1959, Peters continued to develop his slider
and curve and produced a 13-11 record that included a no-hitter along with a
3.56 ERA. He received a late-season call-up to the White Sox that resulted in
two undistinguished appearances. He was back in Class AAA in 1960 with San
Diego of the Pacific Coast League and was 12-9 with a 4.34 ERA and 127
strikeouts. He again was called up to the White Sox in September with
unimpressive results. Back with San Diego in 1961 Peters was 13-10 with a 3.59
ERA and another 127 strikeouts. Receiving another September trial with the
White Sox, he recorded a save in three relief appearances. Peters started the
1962 season with Chicago but was sent down to Indianapolis in May where he
started 23 games and posted an 8-10 record with a 3.69 ERA. He started 1963 in
the White Sox bullpen until given an emergency start in May and he found
himself in the starting rotation by June. With a naturally sinking fastball,
slider, curve, and changeup he proved to be a very effective pitcher following
his long minor league development period.
1963 Season Summary
Appeared in 50
games
P – 41, PH – 2,
PR – 7
[Bracketed
numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]
Pitching
Games – 41
Games Started –
30 [19, tied with Jim Bouton & Dick Donovan]
Complete Games
– 13 [6, tied with Whitey Ford & Bill Monbouquette]
Wins – 19 [6]
Losses – 8
PCT - .704 [5]
Saves – 1
Shutouts – 4 [3,
tied with four others]
Innings Pitched
– 243 [11]
Hits – 192 [20]
Runs – 69
Earned Runs – 63
Home Runs – 9
Bases on Balls
– 68 [17, tied with Hank Aguirre]
Strikeouts – 189
[4, tied with Whitey Ford]
ERA – 2.33 [1]
Hit Batters – 8
[7, tied with Hank Aguirre, Moe Drabowsky & Arnold Earley]
Balks – 0
Wild Pitches – 5
League-leading ERA
was -0.06 lower than runner-up Juan Pizarro
Midseason
Snapshot: 5-5, ERA - 2.54, SO - 85 in 92 IP
---
Most
strikeouts, game – 13 (in 9 IP) vs. Baltimore 7/15
10+ strikeout
games – 2
Fewest hits
allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) vs. Baltimore 7/15
Batting
PA – 89, AB – 81,
R – 12, H – 21, 2B – 4, 3B – 1, HR – 3, RBI – 12, BB – 3, SO – 19, SB – 0, CS –
0, AVG - .259, GDP – 1, HBP – 1, SH – 2, SF – 2
Fielding
Chances – 49
Put Outs – 17
Assists – 30
Errors – 2
DP – 4
Pct. - .959
Awards & Honors:
AL Rookie of
the Year: BBWAA
8th in
AL MVP voting (55 points, 20% share)
AL ROY Voting:
Gary Peters,
ChiWS.: 10 of 20 votes, 50% share
Pete Ward,
ChiWS.: 6 votes, 30% share
Jim Hall, Min.:
4 votes, 20% share
---
White Sox went 94-68
to finish second in the AL, 10.5 games behind the pennant-winning New York
Yankees. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (2.97), shutouts (21), fewest
earned runs allowed (485), fewest home runs allowed (100), and fewest walks
surrendered (440). With their outstanding pitching and buoyed by the arrival of
rookies Peters and third baseman Pete Ward, the White Sox contended during the
first half of the season before the Yankees pulled away.
Aftermath of ‘63:
Peters followed
up his impressive rookie season by posting a 20-8 record for the contending
White Sox in 1964, along with a 2.50 ERA and 205 strikeouts. His win total
included a run of 11 straight, he was chosen as an All-Star for the first time,
and he tied for seventh in league MVP voting. Peters was also a good hitting
pitcher, having slugged seven home runs in his first two seasons and was
utilized occasionally as a pinch-hitter between starts. Hindered by a groin
injury in 1965 Peters struggled to a 10-12 record with a 3.62 ERA. He came back
in 1966 to win his second ERA title at 1.98 although his record with the
notoriously poor-hitting White Sox was only 12-10. With the White Sox in a hot
four-team pennant race in 1967 Peters contributed a 16-11 tally with a 2.28
ERA, which placed him second to teammate Joe Horlen in the AL, and 215
strikeouts. The White Sox dropped well below .500 in 1968 and Peters, suffering
with back and elbow injuries, was 4-13 with a 3.76 ERA. With a sore arm in 1969
he went 10-15 with a 4.53 ERA. Traded to the Boston Red Sox in the offseason he
had an uneven year in 1970 as his record improved to 16-11, but with a still
high 4.06 ERA. His 1971 production was 14-11 with a 4.37 ERA. Losing his spot
in the rotation in 1972, Peters appeared in 33 games and finished at 3-3 with a
4.32 ERA, after which he was released. A failed spring trial with the Royals in
1973 finished his career at age 35. Overall in the major leagues, Peters
produced a 124-103 record with a 3.25 ERA, 79 complete games that included 23
shutouts, and 1420 strikeouts over the course of 2081 innings pitched. With the
White Sox he was 91-78 with a 2.92 ERA, 60 complete games, 18 shutouts, and
1098 strikeouts over 1560 innings. He was a two-time All-Star and finished in
the top 10 in AL MVP voting three times.
--
Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were recipients of
the Rookie of the Year Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America
(1947 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from
its inception through 1948 and from 1949 on to one recipient from each major
league.
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