Gaylord Perry, former Texas Rangers pitcher, dies at age 84

Baseball Hall of Famer and former Texas Ranger Gaylord Perry, a master of the spitball, died on Thursday.

He was 84.

He died at his home in Gaffney, S.C., around 5 a.m. of natural causes, Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler said. He did not provide additional details.

Perry pitched for eight major-league teams from 1962 until 1983. He won the Cy Young with Cleveland in 1972 and with San Diego in 1978 just after turning 40.

Perry pitched for the Texas Rangers from 1975-77 and 1980, posting a 48-43 record in 112 starts.

Perry was a five-time All-Star who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1991.

He had a career record of 314-255, finished with 3,554 strikeouts and used a pitching style where he doctored baseballs or made batters believe he was doctoring them. His 1974 autobiography was titled “Me and the Spitter.”

After his career, Perry founded the baseball program at Limestone College in Gaffney and was its coach for the first three years.



Star-Telegram sports editor Dave Ammenheuser and the Associated Press contributed to this story.