Vern Law facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vern Law |
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Law at PNC Park in 2010
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: March 12, 1930 Meridian, Idaho, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| June 11, 1950, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| August 20, 1967, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 162–147 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.77 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,092 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Vernon Sanders Law (born March 12, 1930) is a former American baseball pitcher. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates in Major League Baseball (MLB) for sixteen seasons. He played from 1950 to 1951 and again from 1954 to 1967. Vern was a right-handed pitcher and batter. He joined the Pirates in 1948 as a young player. He spent time in their minor league teams before moving up to the major leagues in 1950.
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Vern Law's Baseball Career
Vern Law was born on March 12, 1930, in Meridian, Idaho. He signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates before the 1948 season. He played in the minor leagues during 1948 and 1949. Vern made his first appearance in the major leagues for the Pirates in 1950. After playing one season, he served in the military from 1951 to 1954.
When he returned to baseball, he earned a spot as a starting pitcher for the Pirates. In August 1959, he shared the National League Player of the Month award. He had a great month with 4 wins and no losses, a low 1.94 earned run average, and 25 strikeouts. He shared this award with Willie McCovey.
Winning the Cy Young Award and World Series
In 1960, Vern Law had an amazing season. He won 20 games and lost only 9, with a 3.08 earned run average. He led the National League in complete games. A complete game means the pitcher plays the entire game without anyone else pitching.
He was also chosen for the All-Star team that year. The biggest achievement was winning the Cy Young Award. This award goes to the best pitcher in each league.
In the 1960 World Series, Vern helped the Pirates win against the New York Yankees. He won two games in the series. This was a huge victory for the team.
Overcoming Injuries and Comeback
After the 1960 season, Vern's career faced a challenge. He hurt his ankle on the bus trip where the team was celebrating winning the pennant. This injury forced him to change how he pitched. He played through pain for the rest of that season, including the World Series. Because of his weak ankle, he also injured his pitching shoulder during the Series. He hoped the injury would heal over the winter, but it affected him for several seasons.
Despite his injuries, Vern Law made a great comeback in 1965. He won the National League Comeback Player of the Year award. That year, he had a record of 17 wins and 9 losses, with a very low 2.15 earned run average in 29 games. In June 1965, he shared the NL Player of the Month award with Willie Stargell. He had 6 wins and only 1 loss, a 0.87 ERA, and 32 strikeouts that month.
Vern Law played two more seasons and then retired in 1967. He finished his career with 162 wins and 147 losses. In 1965, he also won the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award. This award recognizes players for their contributions both on and off the field.
As a batter, Vern Law had a .216 batting average. He hit 11 home runs and had 90 RBI (runs batted in). In the 1960 World Series, he batted .333. He was also a good fielder, with a .972 fielding percentage. This was much better than the average for pitchers.
Life After Playing: Coaching Career
After he retired from playing, Vern Law became a coach. He was the Pirates' pitching coach for two seasons. Then, he became an assistant baseball coach at Brigham Young University for nine years. During this time, he helped train future baseball stars like Jack Morris.
In 1978, he became a pitching coach for the Seibu Lions in Japan. After three years, Vern returned to the United States. He coached for the Portland Beavers and then the Denver Bears. In 1984, he became the manager for the Denver Bears, but his time as manager was short.
Vern Law's Personal Life
Vern Law has been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since he was young. He became a Deacon at age 12, a teacher at 14, and a priest at 17. One of his five sons, Vance Law, also played in Major League Baseball. Vern and his wife, VaNita, were married for 73 years before she passed away in 2023.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise
