Tommy Byrne (baseball)
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Thomas Joseph (Tommy) Byrne (born December 31, 1919 in Baltimore, Maryland), is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1943 through 1957, Byrne played for the New York Yankees (1943, 1946-51, 1954-57), St. Louis Browns (1951-52) and Washington Senators (1953). Byrne batted and threw left-handed. He made his debut on April 27, 1943, and played his final game on September 21, 1957, after participating in the World Series that year.
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[edit] Career
Byrne was a hard-thrower pitcher who never hesitated to pitch inside, but he had really struggled with his control most of his career. Byrne led the league in hit by pitches five times and in walks three times. Despite his wildness, he won 15 games twice (1949-50) and enjoyed a career season in 1955 with a 16-5 record, a 3.15 ERA, and led the league in winning percentage (.762).
But Byrne was a dangerous hitter. He hit well enough during his career to be called on by his managers for pinch-hitting duties. He was a .238 career hitter (143-for-601) with 14 home runs and 98 RBI in 377 games, including two grand slams and 80 pinch-hits.
In a 13-year career, Byrne posted an 85-69 record with a 4.11 ERA in 1362 innings. He had a disappointing 0.74 strikeout-to-walk ratio (766-to-1037). In four World Series, he went 2-2 with 11 strikeouts and a 2.53 ERA in 21.1 innings. He made the American League All-Star team in 1950.
Currently, Tommy Byrne lives in Wake Forest, North Carolina.
[edit] Highlights
- All-Star (1950)
- Led league in winning percentage (1955)
- Led league in strikeouts per nine innings (5.92, 1949)
- 5-time led league in hit by pitches (1948-52)
- 3-time led league in walks (1949-51)
- Holds New York Yankees single season records for Hits Allowed per 9 Innings Pitched (5.74 in 1949) and most Walks Allowed (179 in 1949).
[edit] Post-Season Appearances
[edit] External links
- Why I Like Baseball (article by Cecilia Tan)
- Baseball Historian (article)
- Baseball Library (profile and chronology)
- Baseball Reference (career statistics and analysis)
Categories: 1949 New York Yankees World Series Championship Team | 1956 New York Yankees World Series Championship Team | American League All-Stars | New York Yankees players | St. Louis Browns players | Washington Senators players | Major league pitchers | North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame | People from Maryland | Major league players from Maryland | 1919 births | Living people
