R.I.P., Bruce Sutter

[Dumpjerry]

Bruce Sutter, Hall of Fame pitcher, dies at 69 (msn.com)

I remember well his fall-off-the-table split-finger fastball nobody could touch.

[Wsoxmike59]

I remember thinking myself of being somewhat a knowledgeable baseball fan when in 1979 at the All Star Game I predicted the AL had no chance in the bottom of the 9th when Sutter came in and earned the save. I said to myself, these guys (the AL) haven’t faced him before and his splitter was unhittable.

[LITTLE NELL]

I remember the summer of 1977 when I was laid up with an ACL injury and surgery, of course I watched the Southside Hitmen but during the day I watched a lot of Cub games and was simply amazed with Sutter and his split finger fastball, he was unhittable as pitch after pitch was dropping off the table, I couldn't remember ever seeing a pitch that was that devastating to a hitter, they had no chance. There were a few weeks in 1977 that I thought we were heading to an all Chicago World Series but both teams faded in the stretch, in fact the Cubs finished like we did this year at 81-81 while the Sox wound up still winning 90 games.

[Wsoxmike59]

My other Bruce Sutter memory from 1979 was one morning I arrived at work (I was an offset pressman at the time) and my two coworkers were at their work stations and there was a Sun-Times on one of their tables and it was with the Sports section facing up and I saw the small blurb that Sox Pitching Coach Fred Martin had passed away, and he was the guy who taught Bruce Sutter the split finger pitch.

I remarked “awww that’s too bad!” And my coworker said turn the paper over to the front page, and there on page one was the news John Wayne Dies. It was one of those moments you never forget.

RIP Bruce, and Fred Martin and The Duke for that matter.

[voodoochile]

My other Bruce Sutter memory from 1979 was one morning I arrived at work (I was an offset pressman at the time) and my two coworkers were at their work stations and there was a Sun-Times on one of their tables and it was with the Sports section facing up and I saw the small blurb that Sox Pitching Coach Fred Martin had passed away, and he was the guy who taught Bruce Sutter the split finger pitch.

I remarked “awww that’s too bad!” And my coworker said turn the paper over to the front page, and there on page one was the news John Wayne Dies. It was one of those moments you never forget.

RIP Bruce, and Fred Martin and The Duke for that matter.

1979 was my last year rooting for the Cubs. I had been a fan of both teams initially but settled on the Cubs in 8th grade or something then in my Junior year of High school I switched permanently to the Sox.

Mike Royko pledged to quit too but it didn't stick. I never looked back.

[Dumpjerry]

A buddy of mine whose dad was a cameraman in Chicago for sports events told me that Sutter taught his dad how to throw the Split Finger Fastball.