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 on March 12, 1930, is a famous American baseball player. He was a pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates in Major League Baseball (MLB) for sixteen seasons. He played from 1950 to 1951 and then from 1954 to 1967. Vern Law threw and batted with his right hand. He was about 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 195 pounds. The Pirates signed him in 1948, and he played for their smaller teams before joining the major leagues in 1950.
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Playing Baseball: Vern Law's Career
Vern Law was born in Meridian, Idaho. He joined the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1948 and spent two years playing in the minor leagues. In 1950, he made his big debut in Major League Baseball. After playing one season, he served in the military from 1951 to 1954. When he returned to baseball, he became a key player in the Pirates' starting pitching team. In August 1959, he was named the National League Player of the Month. He had a great record that month, winning 4 games and only losing 0, with a low earned run average (ERA) of 1.94.
Winning the Cy Young Award and World Series
The year 1960 was amazing for Vern Law. He won 20 games and only lost 9, with an ERA of 3.08. He led the National League in complete games, which means he pitched the entire game without anyone else taking over. He was also chosen for the All-Star team. That same year, he won the Cy Young Award, which is given to the best pitcher in each league.
Vern Law helped the Pirates win the 1960 World Series against the New York Yankees. He won two games in that series, which was a huge help for his team. However, after the Pirates won the pennant (meaning they won their league), he hurt his ankle on the bus ride celebrating. He had to change how he pitched and played through pain during the World Series. Because of his ankle, he also injured his pitching shoulder. He hoped it would heal over the winter, but he wasn't quite the same for several seasons.
Comeback and Retirement
In 1965, Vern Law made a great comeback. He won the National League Comeback Player of the Year award. That season, he had a record of 17 wins and 9 losses, with an excellent ERA of 2.15. In June 1965, he was again named the National League Player of the Month. He won 6 games and lost only 1, with a very low ERA of 0.87.
After two more seasons, Vern Law retired from baseball 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 who are great on the field and also contribute a lot off the field. As a hitter, Vern Law had a batting average of .216. He hit 11 home runs and had 90 RBI (runs batted in). He was also a good fielder, with a .972 fielding percentage.
Life After Playing: Coaching Career
After he stopped playing, Vern Law became a pitching coach for the Pirates for two years. Then, he became an assistant baseball coach at Brigham Young University for nine years. He helped many young players, including future Hall of Famer Jack Morris. Later, he coached for a team in Japan called the Seibu Lions. He also coached for minor league teams in the United States, like the Portland Beavers and the Denver Bears. In 1984, he even managed the Denver Bears for a short time.
Vern Law's Family Life
Vern Law has been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since he was young. One of his five sons, Vance Law, also became a Major League Baseball player. Vern Law and his wife, VaNita, were married for 73 years before she passed away in 2023.
