# Cardinals and Baseball Mourn Passing of Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter

- Link: https://www.nyrdcast.com/cardinals-and-baseball-mourn-passing-of-hall-of-famer-bruce-sutter/
- Published: 2022-10-14T12:10:57-05:00
- Author: Eugene Tierney

**_CARDINALS & BASEBALL MOURN PASSING OF_** **_HALL OF FAMER BRUCE SUTTER AT AGE
69;_** **_1982 WORLD SERIES CLOSER WAS JUST THE 4^(TH) RELIEVER TO ENTER COOPERSTOWN_**

**ST. LOUIS, MO., October 14, 2022 – **The St. Louis Cardinals organization, and
baseball fans everywhere, were saddened today to learn of the passing of Hall of
Famer **_Howard [“Bruce” Sutter](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/suttebr01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)_**
at the age of 69. Sutter, who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame
in 2006, was just the fourth reliever enshrined, and the first player to have never
started a game to be elected. Sutter was a six-time All-Star and the 1979 N.L. [Cy Young](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/youngcy01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)
Award winner. His uniform number 42 is one of 14 numbers retired by the Cardinals.

“On behalf of the Cardinals organization and baseball fans everywhere, I would like
to express our deepest condolences to the Sutter family,” said Cardinals’ Principal
Owner & Chief Executive Officer **_Bill DeWitt, Jr_**. “Bruce was a fan-favorite
during his years in St. Louis and in the years to follow, and he will always be 
remembered for his 1982 World Series clinching save and signature split-fingered
pitch. He was a true pioneer in the game, changing the role of the late inning reliever.”

Sutter pitched for the Cardinals from 1981 to 1984. Acquired from the Chicago Cubs
on Dec. 9, 1980, in exchange for first baseman [Leon Durham](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/durhale01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral),
third baseman [Ken Reitz](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/reitzke01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)
and minor-league third baseman [Ty Waller](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wallety01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral),
Sutter proved to be a key acquisition for general manager and manager [Whitey Herzog](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/herzowh01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)
in his transformation of the Cardinals from underachievers to World Champions.

During the strike-shortened 1981 season, Sutter saved 25 games – the most by a St.
Louis pitcher since the save became an officially recognized statistic in 1969. 
Chants of “Bruuuuuce!” bellowed throughout Busch Stadium every time he ran in from
the bullpen. Sutter recorded 36 saves in 1982 and struck out [Gorman Thomas](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/thomago01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)
of the Milwaukee Brewers to wrap up Game 7 of the World Series.

Sutter debuted with the Chicago Cubs in 1976. He won the 1979 N.L. [Cy Young](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/youngcy01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)
Award after amassing 37 saves and a 2.22 ERA with 110 strikeouts in 101.3 innings
pitched. He was only the third reliever to be so honored, following [Mike Marshall](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=marshmi02,marshmi01&search=Mike+Marshall&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)
of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1974 and [Sparky Lyle](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lylesp01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)
of the New York Yankees in 1977.

In 12 major-league seasons, Sutter totaled 300 saves to rank third on baseball’s
all-time list at the time of his retirement. He worked more than one inning for 
188 of his rescues and surpassed 100 innings pitched in a season on five occasions,
with one more year at 99. Sutter led the Senior Circuit in saves in 1979, 1980, 
1981, 1982 and 1984. He was a six-time All-Star – appearing in four games and earning
two wins (1978 and 1979) and two saves (1980 and 1981) while not allowing a run –
and received the Rolaids Relief Man Award four times. His career ended in 1988 after
pitching in three seasons for the Atlanta Braves.

Sutter’s four-year St. Louis save total of 127 established a franchise record and
now ranks fourth behind [Jason Isringhausen](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/i/isrinja01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)(
217), [Lee Smith](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/smithle02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)(
160) and [Todd Worrell](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/worreto01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)(
129). Sutter was voted the relief pitcher on the All-Busch Stadium II team in 2005
and was an inaugural member of the Cardinals’ Hall of Fame in 2014.

Sutter was born on January 8, 1953 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He is survived by
his wife, Jayme, sons Josh, Chad and Ben; daughter-in-law Amanda Sutter, and his
six grandchildren.

**-STL-**

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