Pedro Ramos

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Pedro Ramos Guerra (born April 28, 1935, in Pinar Del Rio, Cuba) was a Major League pitcher with a 15-year career from 1955 to 1967, and again from 1969 to 1970. He played for the Washington Senators, Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees, all of the American League, and the Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds, all of the National League. He was elected to the American League All-Star team in 1959. He also led the league in losses four times in 1958 with 18, 1959 with 19, 1960 with 18 and in 1961 with 20.

A starter most of his career, Pete Ramos became an unexpected sensation in September 1964 after being traded from the Indians to the Yankees for $75,000 and two players to be named later (after the season, the Indians received Ralph Terry and Bud Daley). In 13 appearances for the Yankees, all in relief, Ramos saved eight games and posted a 1.25 earned-run average as the Yankees barely held off the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles down the pennant stretch. In 21 innings, Ramos struck out 21 batters and, amazingly, walked none. Unfortunately for the Yankees, because the trade came after August 31, Ramos was not eligible to pitch in the World Series, which New York lost in seven games to the Bob Gibson-led St. Louis Cardinals.

As a Senator in his second big-league season, Ramos surrendered one of the more memorable home runs in the career of Yankees slugger Mickey Mantle. On May 30, 1956, at Yankee Stadium. Mantle tore into a Ramos pitch and nearly drove it out of Yankee Stadium, hitting the facade of the top deck in right field. In their heydays, Ramos and Mantle were considered among the fastest runners in the major leagues. At one time they even dared each other to a footrace, but thought the better of it.