Larry Sherry
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Sherry was an American right-handed relief pitcher
in Major League Baseball
who spent most of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers
and Detroit Tigers
. He was named the Most Valuable Player
of the 1959 World Series
as the Dodgers won their first championship since relocating from Brooklyn
just two years earlier.
, for which he needed surgery as an infant and wore special shoes. He attended Fairfax High School
in Los Angeles.
, Sherry made his debut with his hometown Dodgers on April 17, – just their third game after moving west. Adding to the pressure, the game was played on the road against their hated rivals, the San Francisco Giants
, who had also relocated from New York City. Sherry had a brief outing, facing four batters without recording an out, and appeared in only four more games all year.
But he returned with a solid season in , winning
7 games with only two losses, with an earned run average
of 2.19. He was named MVP of the 1959 Series, in which the Dodgers defeated the Chicago White Sox
in 6 games, and also received the Babe Ruth Award
. Sherry completed all four Dodger victories during the Series, winning two of them, and had a 0.71 ERA in innings
.
In he won a career-high 14 games, finished 38 games (4th in the league), pitched in 57 games (6th in the league), and even received support for MVP.
In 1961 he was 5th in the NL in saves (15) and games finished (34), and 9th in games pitched (53).
In 1962 he was 7th in saves (11) and games pitched (58).
Sherry and his brother Norm
, a Dodgers catcher
from 1959 to 1962, became the first all-Jewish battery in major league history.
He was traded to the Tigers for Lou Johnson
and cash just before the season, and spent three and a half years with his new club, earning a career-best 20 saves
in 1966, 3rd-best in the AL.
He was traded to the Houston Astros
for Jim Landis
for the second half of the 1967 season, and ended his career with three games for the California Angels
in .
Sherry retired with a record of 53–44, 606 strikeout
s, 82 saves and a 3.67 ERA in 416 games and innings.
Through 2010, he was 5th all-time in career games (directly behind Dave Roberts
), 8th in strikeouts (directly behind Barney Pelty
), and 9th in wins (directly behind Barry Latman
) among Jewish major league baseball players.
In a 1976 Esquire
magazine article, sportswriter Harry Stein published an "All Time All-Star Argument Starter," consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. Larry Sherry was the relief pitcher on Stein's Jewish team.
after a long battle with cancer
.
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who spent most of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
and Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. He was named the Most Valuable Player
World Series MVP Award
The World Series Most Valuable Player Award is given to the player deemed to have the most impact on his team's performance in the World Series, which is the final round of the Major League Baseball postseason...
of the 1959 World Series
1959 World Series
The 1959 World Series featured the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers beating the American League champion Chicago White Sox, four games to two. It was the first pennant for the White Sox in 40 years . They would have to wait until 2005 to win another championship...
as the Dodgers won their first championship since relocating from Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
just two years earlier.
Early life
Sherry was born with clubfeetClubfeet
Clubfeet are a five piece synth-pop band from Melbourne, Australia, and Cape Town, South Africa.-Discography:*"Edge of Extremes" is the very first single from their new Gold on Gold art project in collaboration with acclaimed Sydney videographer Alex Goddard.*Gold on Gold...
, for which he needed surgery as an infant and wore special shoes. He attended Fairfax High School
Fairfax High School (Los Angeles)
Fairfax High School is a Los Angeles Unified School District high school located in Los Angeles, USA, near the border of West Hollywood in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles...
in Los Angeles.
Baseball career
From Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, Sherry made his debut with his hometown Dodgers on April 17, – just their third game after moving west. Adding to the pressure, the game was played on the road against their hated rivals, the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, who had also relocated from New York City. Sherry had a brief outing, facing four batters without recording an out, and appeared in only four more games all year.
But he returned with a solid season in , winning
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
7 games with only two losses, with an earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
of 2.19. He was named MVP of the 1959 Series, in which the Dodgers defeated the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
in 6 games, and also received the Babe Ruth Award
Babe Ruth Award
The Babe Ruth Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball player with the best performance in the postseason. The award, created by the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America in honor of Babe Ruth, was first awarded in 1949 to the MVP of the World Series, one...
. Sherry completed all four Dodger victories during the Series, winning two of them, and had a 0.71 ERA in innings
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
.
In he won a career-high 14 games, finished 38 games (4th in the league), pitched in 57 games (6th in the league), and even received support for MVP.
In 1961 he was 5th in the NL in saves (15) and games finished (34), and 9th in games pitched (53).
In 1962 he was 7th in saves (11) and games pitched (58).
Sherry and his brother Norm
Norm Sherry
Norman Burt Sherry is an American former catcher, manager, and coach in Major League Baseball. He is best known as the man who, while still an active player as the second-string catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, helped the great lefthanded pitcher Sandy Koufax harness his talent and transform...
, a Dodgers catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
from 1959 to 1962, became the first all-Jewish battery in major league history.
He was traded to the Tigers for Lou Johnson
Lou Johnson
Louis Brown Johnson , nicknamed "Sweet Lou" and "Slick", is a former Major League Baseball outfielder...
and cash just before the season, and spent three and a half years with his new club, earning a career-best 20 saves
Save (sport)
In baseball, a save is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances. The number of saves, or percentage of save opportunities successfully converted, is an oft-cited statistic of relief pitchers...
in 1966, 3rd-best in the AL.
He was traded to the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
for Jim Landis
Jim Landis
James Henry Landis is a retired American baseball player. Landis was signed by the Chicago White Sox as an amateur free agent in 1952 shortly after graduating from Richmond High School...
for the second half of the 1967 season, and ended his career with three games for the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
in .
Sherry retired with a record of 53–44, 606 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s, 82 saves and a 3.67 ERA in 416 games and innings.
Through 2010, he was 5th all-time in career games (directly behind Dave Roberts
Dave Roberts (pitcher)
David Arthur Roberts was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for eight teams from 1969 to 1981. He was second in the National League with a 2.10 earned run average in for the San Diego Padres, after which he was traded to the Houston Astros, where he spent the...
), 8th in strikeouts (directly behind Barney Pelty
Barney Pelty
Barney Pelty , was a major league baseball pitcher known as "the Yiddish Curver" because he was one of the first Jewish baseball players in the American League. His career ERA is 2.63, 60th-best of all pitchers in major league baseball...
), and 9th in wins (directly behind Barry Latman
Barry Latman
Arnold Barry Latman is a former professional baseball pitcher.-Career:He played all or part of 11 seasons in the majors, from until , for the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles/California Angels, and Houston Astros.He was an All Star in both 1961 and 1962...
) among Jewish major league baseball players.
Coaching career
He later coached in the Dodgers' minor league organization. Sherry was a Pittsburgh Pirates coach in 1977 and 1978, and a member of the California Angels coaching staff in 1979 and 1980.In a 1976 Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
magazine article, sportswriter Harry Stein published an "All Time All-Star Argument Starter," consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. Larry Sherry was the relief pitcher on Stein's Jewish team.
Death
On December 17, 2006, Sherry died at his home in Mission Viejo, CaliforniaMission Viejo, California
Mission Viejo is a city located in southern Orange County, California, U.S. in the Saddleback Valley. Mission Viejo is considered one of the largest master-planned communities ever built under a single project in the United States, and is rivaled only by Highlands Ranch, Colorado, in its size...
after a long battle with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball all-time saves leaders
- List of select Jewish baseball players
External links
- SABR biography
- Baseball Library
- BR Bullpen profile
- MLB Obituary
- http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/20/sports/baseball/20sherry.htmlObituary, 12/20/06, The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
]