A Great Career Began On This Day in 1975

by Paul Semendinger

July 27, 2024

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NOTE - This article was written for the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America and was published in their newsletter Here's the Pitch (also) on July 27, 2024

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The other day I was talking to some younger baseball fans - young men in their late twenties.  These were knowledgeable fans — they talked about the current players, the struggles the Yankees have faced in recent weeks, and seemed familiar with the history of the game.  In our conversation, I asked them a trivia question about Graig Nettles, the great Yankee third baseman from the 1970s, and found out they had never heard of him.  

They never heard of Graig Nettles!

When I was a kid growing up, Nettles was my hero.  He was my favorite player.  Even today, when the topic of the Hall of Fame comes up, Nettles gets mentioned as a player who deserves serious consideration.  But, among some younger fans, and I feel these fans were somewhat representative of "younger" fans today, Nettles' name and accomplishments have now faded away.  A great Yankee ... slowly being forgotten.

I think it's always been that way — the players we remember from our youths obviously do not resonate with the young fans — and it'll be that way with them as they reach (and pass) middle age themselves.  Every player can't be remembered always...

As an aside, this is why it is essential for the sport to have places where the players are remembered — like Monument Park in Yankee Stadium and the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. 

It is in those places that the careers of players can (and do) live forever.  As a further aside, this is also why it is essential — and way past time — for the Yankees to honor players like Graig Nettles and Roy White, two great Yankees legends, in Monument Park while they are still with us.  Roy White is now 80 years old and Graig Nettles will be 80 on August 20.

As I think about the Yankees stars from my youth, it turns out that one of them, another who is slowly being less remembered, got his start on this very day in 1975...

On July 27, in 1975, Ron Guidry made his Major League debut.  Guidry has, at times, been also been discussed as a candidate for the Hall of Fame, although he is an extremely longshot candidate.  Still, Guidry was very very good.  Even today, according to Baseball Almanac, he ranks 25th all-time in winning percentage for pitchers with a record of 170-91 (.651) which is just about equal to Sandy Koufax's 165-87 (.655).  Ron Guidry also won a Cy Young Award, twice led the American league in ERA, won five Gold Gloves, and was a four time All-Star.  

Ron Guidry's first major-league appearance came as a relief pitcher.  In that game, one the Yankees lost at home 6-0 to the Red Sox, the lefty from Louisiana pitched the final two innings in relief.  

By the time Guidry came into the game, the Red Sox were already leading by the score they'd win by, 6-0.  The first batter Guidry faced was a future teammate, Juan Beniquez, who flew out to centerfield. 

Denny Doyle, brother of Brian Doyle who would star for the Yankees in the 1978 World Series, then singled.  Carl Yastrzemski then lined out to left field before Jim Rice became the first batter Ron Guidry ever struck out to end the inning.

In the ninth inning, Guidry got himself into trouble immediately.  Fred Lynn led off with a double.  Carlton Fisk then singled him to third.  Ron Guidry then found something that worked a little better.  He struck out Rick Miller and followed that by striking out Rico Petrocelli.  The last batter to face Guidry that day was Bob Heise, who flew out to right field.  

All told, Guidry went two innings, allowing three hits, and striking out three.  It was a solid debut for the kid.

Guidry's first career start came later in that 1975 season.  On September 22, again at Yankee Stadium, he faced the Red Sox.  This game did not fare as well for the young lefty. 

In the bottom of the first inning, Thurman Munson hit a two-run home run to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead.  Guidry then allowed a run (a Fred Lynn sacrifice fly that scored Carton Fisk) to cut the lead to 2-1 where the score stayed until the sixth inning when, it seems, Guidry ran out of gas. 

In that inning, with one out, Guidry gave up singles to Deron Johnson and Rico Petrocelli before an RBI double by Fred Lynn knocked Guidry out of the game.  The Red Sox won that game 6-4.  

Guidry wouldn't earn his first big-league win until the 1977 season.  It came on April 13 at Kansas City.  Guidry pitched 2.2 innings of relief in that game. 

He'd win his first start later that month, on April 29, 1977 at home against the Seattle Mariners.  In that game, Guidry pitched 8.1 innings of shutout ball, giving a hint of what was to come...

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Dr. Paul Semendinger runs the Yankees site Start Spreading the News.  He is the author of numerous books including from Compton to the Bronx, The Least Among Them, Impossible is an Illusion, Scattering the Ashes, and more.