Ted Abernathy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ted Abernathy |
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Abernathy with the Chicago Cubs in 1969
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: March 6, 1933 Stanley, North Carolina, U.S. |
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| Died: December 16, 2004 (aged 71) Gastonia, North Carolina, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 13, 1955, for the Washington Senators | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 30, 1972, for the Kansas City Royals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 63–69 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.46 | ||
| Strikeouts | 765 | ||
| Saves | 149 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Ted Wade Abernathy (born March 6, 1933 – died December 16, 2004) was an American baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). Ted played in 681 games, mostly as a relief pitcher. He played for seven different teams over 14 seasons. His career lasted from 1955 to 1972.
Ted Abernathy was known for his 148 saves. He led the National League in saves twice, in 1965 and 1967. He was a tall player, standing 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and weighing 215 pounds (98 kg).
Ted played for these teams:
- Washington Senators (1955–57, 1960)
- Cleveland Indians (1963–64)
- Chicago Cubs (1965–66, 1969–70)
- Atlanta Braves (1966)
- Cincinnati Reds (1967–68)
- St. Louis Cardinals (1970)
- Kansas City Royals (1970–72)
He finished his career with a 63–69 win-loss record. He had 765 strikeouts and a 3.46 ERA. An ERA (Earned Run Average) shows how many earned runs a pitcher gives up per nine innings. He pitched for 1,147 and two-thirds innings. During his career, he gave up 1,010 hits and 592 bases on balls.
Ted Abernathy was born in Stanley, North Carolina. His parents were Wade and Genora Abernathy. He went to Stanley High School. In 1952, he signed with the Washington Senators. He married Margie Clemmer in 1953. They had two sons, Ted Jr. and Todd.
Contents
Ted's Baseball Journey
Early Career and Pitching Style
Ted Abernathy changed how he threw the ball. He used to throw overhead. But after hurting his shoulder in high school, he switched to a three-quarter delivery. This means he threw from a lower angle.
After another shoulder surgery in 1959, he changed his style again. He became a sidearm pitcher. This is a very low throwing motion. He also developed a special pitch called a submarine pitch. This made him a very effective pitcher.
Ted spent two years playing in the minor leagues. These are smaller leagues before the major leagues. He was called up to the Senators in April 1955. For much of the 1950s, he played for both the Senators and their farm teams.
Serving His Country
During the Korean War, Ted Abernathy joined the U.S. Army. He worked with medics, drove ambulances, and fixed vehicles. He served at Fort McPherson, Georgia. Ted was discharged as a corporal. This was just in time for him to join the Senators for spring training in 1955.
Major League Debut
Ted made his first MLB appearance on April 13, 1955. He was 22 years old. It was a game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Ted came into the game in the fourth inning. He struck out Andy Carey. Then, he gave up a home run to the famous Mickey Mantle.
Ted started 34 games for the Senators between 1955 and 1957. The Senators were a team that struggled. As a starter, he pitched seven complete games. He also had two shutouts. But he only won eight of 30 games he started during those three years.
Becoming a Bullpen Star
After 1957, Ted spent five years in the minor leagues. He played there from 1958 to 1962. He returned to the major leagues in 1963. He became a key player in the bullpen for the Cleveland Indians. A bullpen is where relief pitchers warm up.
In April 1965, Ted was traded to the Chicago Cubs. That year, he led the league with 31 saves. He also had 104 strikeouts. His ERA was 2.57, which is very good. Two seasons later, with the Cincinnati Reds, he had 28 saves. He also had 88 strikeouts and an amazing 1.27 ERA.
Ted led the league in saves in both 1965 and 1967. He also won the TSN Reliever of the Year Award both times. In 1968, he won 10 games and had 13 saves. In 1970, he won 10 games and had 14 saves. He led the National League in games pitched three times: 1965, 1967, and 1968. In 1965, he pitched in 84 games, which was a major-league record at the time!
Life After Baseball
After he stopped playing baseball, Ted Abernathy worked at Summey Building Systems. This was in Dallas, North Carolina. Later, he worked with his son, Todd, at his landscaping business. Ted was also a member of the First United Methodist Church of Dallas.
He loved playing softball and working on old cars. He was also part of several groups. These included the Masonic Lodge, the Shriners, and Major League Baseball's alumni society.
Later in his life, Ted faced health challenges. He lived at the Belaire Health Care Center in Gastonia, North Carolina. Ted Abernathy passed away at age 71 on December 16, 2004, in Gastonia. He is buried at Gaston Memorial Park in Gastonia, North Carolina.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
