43 Facts About Bruce Sutter

Howard Bruce Sutter was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball between 1976 and 1988.

Bruce Sutter was one of the sport's dominant relievers in the late 1970s and early 1980s, making effective use of the split-finger fastball.

Bruce Sutter won the National League's Cy Young Award in 1979 as its top pitcher, and won the NL Rolaids Relief Man Award four times.

Bruce Sutter became the only pitcher to lead the NL in saves five times .

Bruce Sutter played five years for the Cubs, four for the St Louis Cardinals, and three for the Atlanta Braves, serving as each team's closer during his tenure.

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Bruce Sutter was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006, his 13th year of eligibility.

Bruce Sutter was honored by the Cardinals with the retirement of his uniform number 42 in 2006 and induction into the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2014.

Bruce Sutter has served as a minor league consultant for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Bruce Sutter was born to Howard and Thelma Bruce Sutter in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Bruce Sutter's father managed a Farm Bureau warehouse in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania.

Bruce Sutter graduated from Donegal High School in Mount Joy, where he played baseball, football and basketball.

Bruce Sutter was quarterback and captain of the football team and served as captain for the basketball squad, which won a district championship in his senior season.

Bruce Sutter pitched in two games for the Gulf Coast League Cubs in 1972.

When he recovered from surgery and returned to the mound a year later, Bruce Sutter found that his previous pitches were no longer effective.

Bruce Sutter learned the split-finger fastball from minor league pitching instructor Fred Martin.

Bruce Sutter's large hands helped him to use the pitch, which was a modification of the forkball.

Bruce Sutter had nearly been released by the Cubs, but found success with the new pitch.

Bruce Sutter led the team in ERA and saves as they won the Texas League West Division pennant.

Bruce Sutter had struck out the side upon entering the game in the eighth inning, giving him six consecutive strikeouts, tying the NL record for a reliever.

Bruce Sutter saved 37 games for the club, tying the NL record held by Clay Carroll and Rollie Fingers, and won the NL Cy Young Award.

Bruce Sutter won the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award and The Sporting News Fireman of the Year Award.

Bruce Sutter was traded to the St Louis Cardinals for Leon Durham, Ken Reitz and a player to be named later in December 1980.

Bruce Sutter registered 36 saves in 1982, finishing third in the Cy Young Award voting.

The Cardinals won the 1982 World Series and Bruce Sutter is credited with two saves in that Series, including the Series-clinching save in Game 7 which ended with a strikeout of Gorman Thomas.

Bruce Sutter received a leaping hug after that game by catcher and World Series MVP Darrell Porter.

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Bruce Sutter earned the save in the pennant-clinching victory in the NLCS.

Bruce Sutter joined the Atlanta Braves in December 1984 as a free agent.

Bruce Sutter said that he was attracted to the Braves because of Atlanta's scenery and his respect for Ted Turner and Dale Murphy.

When Bruce Sutter arrived in Atlanta, only two Braves pitchers had ever earned 25 or more saves in a season; the Braves in 1984 had recorded 49 saves as a team, just four more than Bruce Sutter's own total.

Bruce Sutter underwent surgery on the shoulder after the season, and recovered in time to appear in spring training in mid-March 1986.

Bruce Sutter underwent shoulder surgery in February 1987, the third procedure performed on his arm, in an attempt to remove scar tissue and to promote nerve healing.

Bruce Sutter returned to limited action with the Braves in 1988.

Bruce Sutter retired with exactly 300 saves — at the time, the third-highest total in history, behind Rollie Fingers and Rich "Goose" Gossage .

Bruce Sutter's career saves total was an NL record until broken by Lee Smith in 1993; Sutter had set the NL record in 1982 with his 194th save, surpassing the mark held by Roy Face.

Bruce Sutter appeared on his thirteenth Baseball Hall of Fame ballot in 2006.

Bruce Sutter was the fourth relief pitcher inducted, the first pitcher inducted without starting a game and the first inductee to end his career with fewer than 1700 innings pitched.

Bruce Sutter is one of four pitchers in the Hall of Fame to be inducted with a losing record .

Bruce Sutter pointed out that Sutter's first five strong seasons were with the Cubs, a team that did not receive much attention during those years.

Bruce Sutter noted that the closer role was relatively new in baseball history.

Finally, he wrote that Bruce Sutter's candidacy was hurt because his career was cut short by injuries.

In November 2010, Bruce Sutter was inducted into the St Louis Sports Hall of Fame.

Bruce Sutter remained in Atlanta with his wife and three sons after retirement.

Bruce Sutter's son Chad was a catcher who played for Tulane University and was selected by the New York Yankees in the 23rd round of the 1999 amateur draft.