Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry died on Thursday morning at his South Carolina home on Thursday. The two-time Cy Young Award winner was 84.
Perry, remembered on the field for his deceptive pitching style and use of doctored balls — spitballs — spent the first 10 of his 22-year MLB career with the San Francisco Giants.
The Cherokee County coroner told the Associated Press that Perry had died of natural causes.
Perry is one of 11 San Francisco-era Giants to have their numbers retired by the franchise. The team enshrined his No. 36 jersey in 2015 and unveiled a bronze statue of the right-handed pitcher outside Oracle Park in 2016.
Perry’s statue borders Oracle Park along with those of Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Juan Marichal and Orlando Cepeda — a sign of his stature within the franchise.
“He was a good man, a good ballplayer and my good friend. So long old Pal,” Mays, his teammate, said in a statement.
Perry debuted with the Giants in 1962 and recorded a 2.96 ERA in 10 seasons with the club. No National League pitcher won more games than Perry in the 1960s.
The most devastating pitch in Perry’s arsenal was what he called the “spitter.” He either doctored the ball or convinced hitters that he was using foreign substances, frustrating batters with mind games. In one old video, he explained some of the methods behind psyching opponents out.
“I am very saddened to hear about Gaylord’s passing,” Cepeda said in a statement. “He was a wonderful teammate with a great sense of humor. He had a great personality and was my baseball brother. In all my years in baseball, I never saw a right-handed hurler have such a presence on the field and in the clubhouse. He threw excellent pitches and provided the batter with another thing to think about as the pitch swept toward the plate.”
He started in the bullpen, but Perry became a workhorse and was named an All-Star for the Giants in 1966 and 1970. He led MLB in innings pitched in 1969 and 1970.
In San Francisco Giants history, Perry ranks second in wins, ERA, complete games, shutouts and innings pitched.
“Gaylord Perry was larger than life both on and off the field,” Giants president and CEO Larry Baer said in a statement. “Gaylord was a not only a Giants legend but a baseball legend with a storied 22-year career that touched three different decades. Here in San Francisco, he helped lead those early Giants teams in the 60s and early 70s that brought young Giants fans like myself out to Candlestick Park to fall in love with the game of baseball.”
After his decade-long stint with the Giants, Perry spent his next 12 years with seven different teams.
By winning the Cy Young Award with Cleveland in 1972 and San Diego in 1978, he became the first pitcher to earn the top honor in both leagues.
Perry went 314-265 in his career, making five All-Star teams and getting inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.
“The Giants are deeply saddened by the passing of Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry,” Giants Chairman Greg Johnson said in a statement. “Gaylord was an integral part of the Giants and a great teammate and friend to many in the organization. We extend our deepest condolences to Gaylord’s family, friends, and his fans everywhere.”
This story was updated to include statements from notable Giants officials and Perry’s former teammates.