Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry died of natural causes on Thursday, December 1, 2022. He was 84 years old.

Perry spent 22 seasons playing Major League Baseball with the bulk of his career with the San Francisco Giants. He retired with a 314-265 record, an ERA of 3.11, and 3,534 strikeouts. Known for being a hardworking player, he was able to pitch 303 complete games of his 690 starts.

Perry was born on September 15, 1938, in Williamson, North Carolina. A gifted athlete, he played baseball, football, and basketball for his high school and received a $73,500 bonus to sign with the Giants in ’58. His first few seasons were spent playing Minor League Baseball, then he got called up to the Giants where he stayed from ’62 to ’71.

His next move was to the Cleveland Indians from ’72 to ’75, then the Texas Rangers from ’75 to ’77. After that, he bounced around to multiple teams, including the San Diego Padres, back to the Rangers, New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Seattle Mariners, and Kansas City Royals.

Perry was the first pitcher to win a Cy Young Award in each league, winning in ’72 at Cleveland and ’78 at San Diego. After retiring, he stayed active in the professional baseball community by attending World Series ring ceremonies, statue dedications, and other special events.