In news that eluded MLBTR at the time, former All-Star pitcher Bud Daley passed away last month at 92. The news was revealed via obituary from a Riverton, Wyoming funeral home.
Daley was a Long Beach native who signed with the Indians out of high school. He pitched in the minors over four-plus seasons and debuted as a September call-up in 1955. Daley pitched in a swing role for three years before Cleveland dealt him to the Orioles as part of a three-player package to reacquire Larry Doby and add lefty Don Ferrarese. Daley never pitched for Baltimore, who flipped him to the Kansas City Athletics for righty Arnie Portocarrero.
It was a nice pickup for the A’s. Daley spent the ’58 season in the bullpen but moved into the rotation the following year. He topped 200 innings and won 16 games in each of the next two seasons. Daley made four All-Star appearances — there were two All-Star Games per season at the time — and picked up some down-ballot MVP support.
The A’s traded Daley to the Yankees midway through the 1961 season, landing pitcher Art Ditmar and corner infielder Deron Johnson in return. That positioned Daley to win a pair of rings, as he remained in the Bronx on the World Series teams in 1961 and ’62. He was on both World Series rosters, combining for eight innings without allowing an earned run over three relief appearances.
Daley finished his career in 1964. He appeared in parts of 10 seasons and concluded his playing days with a 4.03 ERA through 967 1/3 innings. He recorded 549 strikeouts and posted a 60-64 record. MLBTR sends our condolences to Daley’s family, loved ones and friends.
A very nice career RIP
Wild! I always like to learn more about old timers that passed away. And ai see that he was born in my hometown of Orange, CA! It was just orange groves then. But right now the population is like 160,000. My daughter was born there too. Rest well, Bud.
RIP
RIP Bud…..
RIP.
Great baseball name. RIP, Bud.
Yanks got him from their “farm team”, the Kansas City A’s. But Daley got two rings out of it and New York did have to give up young Deron Johnson to get him. Solid career, Mr. Daley. RIP.
I always liked Deron Johnson. Underrated player…..
I lived down the street from Bud in Lander Wyo. Bud was great baseball player and an even better person. RIP Bud, a life well lived.
Awesome, dog. Cool.
That’s cool!
I have a beautiful PSA graded 9 mint 1963 Topps baseball card of Bud on the Yankees.
Dug it out to look at it today.
Nice little run as a top of rotation pitcher.
RIP Bud.
Makes me feel old: Bud Daley pitched the very first game I ever attended. It was in 1959 in Kansas City when I was nine years old. I don’t remember whether Frank House or Harry Chiti caught. Thank you Bud, You helped develop my life time love of baseball.
Msfan,
Do you remember the opponent? If you have the time, you can go to Daley’s game log (1959) on the baseball reference site and figure it out — box score and all.
Thanks for mentioning the reference site. It was the June 6 game; I know because it was my sister’s birthday and she liked baseball as well. Daley pitched a complete game and House caught. I followed catchers because that’s what I played in Little League and up through college.
Wow, I checked that box score and noticed that future Hall of Fame managers Whitey Herzog and Dick Williams played in the game and that Ray Boone hit a home run.
My dad was a teenage catcher in Worcester, Massachusetts, in the mid-1930s. I’m told he was an excellent player, but he never talked about it. His primary mentor on the Worcester sandlots was Bill Bergen, a Major League catcher from 1901-11. Bergen was considered an excellent defender, and he must have been as he played 11 years despite being considered the worst hitter in MLB history. In more than 3,300, he bated .170 with an OPS of .395. Three other former MLB players worked with those sandlot kids: Kitty Bransfield, Hall of Famer Jesse Burkett, and Jumpin’ Joe Dugan.
Btw, my Major League game was two games: A bat day doubleheader at Yankee Stadium on June 11, 1967. The Yankees lost both games to the White Sox. I was there with the Cub Scouts and had zero interest in baseball. But I went because Dad went with me. Life changed when we went inside the gate. Dad pulled me to the side and showed me how to swing my new bat (a Lousiville Slugger with Joe Pepitone’s signature). It was the first piece of baseball equipment I ever touched.
Back to catchers: I saw two home runs that day, hit by the opposing backstops Jerry McNertney and Jake Gibbs. Both are still living.
And the A’s rookie Dick Howser debuted the next year!!
Seven Kansas City A’s players later became World Series-winning managers.
Hank Bauer
Whitey Herzog
Dick Howser
Tony La Russa
Tommy Lasorda
Billy Martin
Dick Williams
RIP Bud.
Rest in plush… Bud Daley was so good that I’d bet even as of yesterday he could of given a team 5 strong innings of 3 hit ball.
RIP Bud
And Anthony, thank you to you and your mates for putting these on here! Many memories come back from them….thank you, blessings to you all….writers AND readers!
Old time baseball RIP
Another tidbit about Bud Daley, when he warmed up between innings, he only threw one pitch of each of his repertoire. Then the inning started no matter whether the broadcasters were ready or still in a commercial.
Another memory from the old Kansas City A’s: The A’s right fielder Roger Maris did a publicity thing at a Western Auto store. My Dad took me down there to see him and get his autograph. That autograph disappeared somewhere in my many moves. Damn!
Western Auto! Wow, that takes me way back!
It’s cool that MLBTR does this. Reading stories of guys who did it way before my time it always fun.
my condolences