Local legend, former Major League All-Star dies
Jan. 26—Gary Peters, a former Mercer High School pitcher and former Major League Baseball player, has died at the age of 85. Peters pitched for the Chicago White Sox and the Boston Red Sox.
The White Sox announced his death via the team Twitter account on Thursday morning.
Peters, a Grove City native, made his major league debut on Sept. 10, 1959. He pitched a scoreless eighth inning against the Washington Senators in an 8-2 loss.
The southpaw pitched 14 MLB seasons — 11 with Chicago and three in Boston. He posted a 3.25 ERA in 359, recording a mark of 124-103 with 1,420 strikeouts in 2,081 innings. His 1,098 strikeouts with the Pale Sox ranks eighth all-time in team history.
Peters was a two-time All-Star selection, representing the White Sox in 1964 and 1967. He led the league in ERA in 1963 and 1966, posting 2.33 and a career-best 1.98 respectively. He was also named AL Rookie of the Year in 1963.
In 1964, he led the league in wins with a 20-8 record. He recorded a 2.50 ERA that season and finished seventh in MVP voting.
His 1967 season was even more dominant, finishing with a 2.28 ERA and a 16-10 record. He struck out a career high 215 with 91 walks.
Peters starred on the diamond and the hardwood at Mercer High School, where he was an all-state selection in 1955.
Following his high school graduation, he attended Grove City College to major in mathematics after the White Sox signed him to a contract.
During his career, he was a player representative for the newly-founded Players Association for Chicago and Boston. His final season also saw him take on the role of an American League representative, taking part in meetings that eventually led to the first players' strike in 1972.
In 2000, Peters was one of nine pitchers chosen to the Chicago White Sox All-Century Team.
The Grove City College product was the 1963 American League Rookie of the Year.
A standout pitcher, Peters led the American League in ERA in both 1963 and 1966, and also led the league in wins in 1964.
He ranks eighth in White Sox history in strikeouts with 1,098.
Peters played 14 seasons in the Major Leagues, including 11 with the White Sox and three with Boston.
During his career, he posted a combined record of 124-103 with a 3.25 ERA.
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