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Sutter, Bruce

Howard Bruce Sutter
Born: January 8, 1953, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Bats: 
Right
Throws: 
Right
Played For: 
Chicago Cubs (1976-1980), St. Louis Cardinals (1981-1984), Atlanta Braves (1985-1986, 1988)
Elected to the Hall of Fame by Baseball Writers: 2006
Biography: 

Bruce Sutter was on the fringes of professional baseball, a struggling Minor League pitcher with an injured arm, until he received a gift that changed his life forever. A wise, old man of the game taught him a new pitch -- a split-fingered fastball -- and in a matter of years, Sutter took this new weapon and blazed a trail as one of the game's top relief pitchers. A six-time All-Star, Sutter was the 1979 National League Cy Young Award-winner and was on the mound for the last six outs of the Cardinals' 1982 World Series championship. He saved at least 20 games in nine consecutive seasons and set an NL mark with 45 saves in 1984. The right-hander retired following an arm injury with 300 saves and a 2.84 ERA to his credit.

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Induction Speech

Did You Know: 
that Bruce Sutter is the first Major League pitcher elected to the Hall of Fame who never started at least one game?
It's unhittable, unless he hangs it, and he never does. It's worse than trying to hit a knuckleball.
Dick Williams, on Sutter's split-finger fastball