Perry signs with Mariners in quest of 300th win

For the first time in 23 years, Gaylord Perry had no baseball home when Spring Training dawned in 1982. But with his record sitting only three wins shy of the magic 300 mark, Perry was determined to find work.

“At this point, I can’t be too choosy,” Perry told The New York Times News Service while working on his peanut farm in Williamston, N.C., as players reported to their clubs. “Teams say they want to give their younger kids a chance. I can understand that, but I feel I can still help teams – good teams that need a veteran in a pennant race and poor teams that could use an older guy to steady the young pitchers.”

The Seattle Mariners fit into the latter category and on March 5, 1982, Perry signed a one-year deal with the team worth a reported $180,000 plus incentives.

With the historic win in sight, Perry was ready to do whatever it took to earn a spot in the rotation.

“I may have to bring a few pitches out of the mothballs to do it,” Perry told the Associated Press, referring to the spitball he was rumored to throw. “My last few springs haven’t been the greatest and before anything else, I have to make this club.”

In his age-42 season in 1981, Perry pitched effectively for the Braves, going 8-9 with a 3.94 ERA in 150.2 innings for Atlanta in that strike-shortened campaign. Perry allowed a National League-high 182 hits but compensated by walking only 24 batters, posting a 1.4-walks-to-innings-pitched ratio that led the league.

The Braves, however, released Perry and his 297 wins on Oct. 5, 1981.

“They said they had what they needed. I don’t think they do,” Perry told the AP about the Braves. “It’s their problem, not mine. (My) arm feels very good and I feel great.”

Perry earned his rotation spot and started the Mariners’ fourth game of the season. He picked up his first victory for his new team on April 20, striking out 13 Angels batters over 7.1 innings. Win No. 2 came against the Yankees 10 days later, setting the stage for his chance to become the first pitcher to reach 300 victories since Early Wynn in 1963.

On May 6, the 27,369 fans at the Kingdome watched Perry defeat the Yankees again, working all nine innings in a 7-3 victory.

“I’d by lying if I told you 300 wins doesn’t mean a lot to me,” Perry told the New York Daily News as he approached the milestone. “I first realized I could win 300 games after the 1978 season in San Diego. I won 21 games (and the NL Cy Young Award to become the first pitcher with Cy Youngs in both leagues after his 1972 award with Cleveland) and still felt like I had a lot more in me. I must admit it’s been in the back of my mind ever since.”

Perry finished the 1982 season with a 10-12 record and 4.40 ERA in 32 starts, working 216.2 innings. He finished his career in 1983 with the Mariners and the Royals, winding up with 314 wins, 3,534 strikeouts and a 3.11 ERA over 22 seasons.

“Everybody talks about my age,” Perry told the AP after signing with the Mariners. “I’m 43 and I’m proud of it. I still have a lot of kid in me.”

Craig Muder is the director of communications for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum