Gerry Staley

Who was Gerry Staley?

Gerald Lee Staley was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball . He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1942 Minor League draft. He pitched regularly from 1947 on, then was traded to Cincinnati for the 1955 season. In 1955 and 1956, he pitched for three teams, including the Yankees, before ending up with the Chicago White Sox, for whom he would help deliver the 1959 American League pennant as a reliever.

Staley was named to the 1952 and 1953 National League All-Star Teams and the 1960 American League All-Star Team. He finished 28th in voting for the AL's 1959 MVP Award after leading the League in games and games finished and having an 8–5 record and 14 saves in 116⅓ innings, with 54 strikeouts and a 2.24 earned run average.

He finished 23rd in voting for the 1960 MVP Award for having a 13–8 record in 64 games and 115⅓ innings, with 10 saves,14 blown saves, 52 strikeouts and a 2.42 ERA.

He led the NL in hits allowed per 9 innings pitched in 1949, and led the NL in hit batsmen in 1952 and 1953.