Billy Pierce

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Walter William Pierce (April 2, 1927 – July 31, 2015) was an American starting pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1945 to 1964, and he spent the majority of his time with the Chicago White Sox.

He was the team's star pitcher from 1952 to 1961, releasing the third best record in the major leagues, and the Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award for the American League (AL) in 1956 and 1957 after being runner-up in both 1953 and 1955.

Despite his modest build, and in wins, earned run average (ERA) and strikeouts once per week, he was a seven-time All-Star.

In his career, he pitched four one-hitters and seven two-hitters, and on June 27, 1958, he came within one batter of winning the first left-hander in 78 years to throw a perfect game. He was one of Chicago's most prominent players, especially since the two left-handers clashed with Whitey Ford, with the two left-handers battling one another 14 times from 1955 to 1960.

Pierce's career suffered because he pitched so much against New York as he appeared more often than any other team; yet, his record against the Yankees was much better than the 27–41 record against the Yankees during the same period. Pierce played a pivotal role in the San Francisco Giants' win of the NL pennant, going 12-0 in home games and securing a three-game playoff over the Los Angeles Dodgers to clinch the championship.

When he retired, his 1,999 career strikeouts were the fifth most by a left-hander, and his AL total of 1,842 was his ninth best in league history.

He was also ranked tenth among left-handers in career victories (211), sixth in games played (582), eighth in shutouts (38) and ninth in innings pitched (3,306). (A.K.A.

He holds the White Sox franchise record for career strikeouts (1,796), and his club has a record of 186 victories, 2,931 wickets, and 390 starts, according to his team's records for a left-hander.

In 1987, the White Sox retired his number 19 and unveiled a monument in his honor at U.S. Cellular Field; he was named to the White Sox All-Centure Team in 2000.

Early 1950s

Pierce, the ace of the pitching staff, was a 13-year fixture with the White Sox, winning nine times and eight times in strikeouts. He appeared in seven different eras (1951-52, 1954, 1959-59), and he appeared in the home opener in 1953 and 1961. He had a fastball and an excellent curveball, and he brought the slider (for which he used his momentum for the curve rather than the fastball) as his third solid pitch as well as a change up in 1951. He responded quickly with an over-the-top motion, pulling his back shoulder in a style similar to Sandy Koufax's. Paul Richards wrote about Pierce's early style in 1957: "He had a tendency to windmill in his delivery, which makes the ball spin too much and takes the life out of it." He flashed his curve-the Yankees had no idea when he was tossing a curve. Bill, on the other hand, didn't want to throw anything but fast balls. He chastised the change-of-pace and the slider, so the majority of the good right-hand hitters were lying back for him, waiting for a fastball in the middle." "Then, for a while there, he was throwing nothing but sliders," Pierce finally tried the slider against the Yankees to great effect, Richards said. He finally learned about it. Also today, Pierce will pitch a complete ball game and almost never throw anything but fastballs. But only on those days. Joe DiMaggio of the Yankees was one of those lauding Pierce's talent, reportedly remarking, "That little so-and-so is a marvel." So little – and all at such brisk pace.

And I mean speed!

In the ninth inning, he got me out of there on a fastball that I'd have loved to see. Richards, Chicago's manager, began working with Pierce in 1951 to produce his two new pitches and slow down his speed, as well as greatly raise his control; Pierce later recalled, "I learned to regulate my fastball better." I threw it nearly as hard as my fastball, but Richards made me work on it, and it took me about two years before it was consistent." Pierce took up only 73 walks in 240 innings in 1951-1950, with no more than 3 walks per 9 innings in three seasons afterward, despite being issued 249 walks in 391 innings in 1949-1950. His 1951 ERA of 3.03 was fourth in the league, and he came in second, averaging of 2.57. Doc White set a record of 141 strikeouts by a left-hander on September 21, 1952, capping the season with 144.

Pierce pitched his second one-hitter against the St. Louis Browns (the second game of the season and Chicago's home opener) on April 16, 1953; the White Sox won only two singles; and sacrifice was a sacrifice fly. Pierce was selected to start the All-Star Game for the AL, becoming the first White Sox pitcher to do so. But three innings gave only one hit (a single by Stan Musial). Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox described the game: "It was a hot day at Crosley Field, and I was so worried for little Billy Pierce of the White Sox." Billy probably threw harder than any other guy his size, had a good big delivery, which was nice to see, but he had to do a lot. I know he had epilepsy, but I was really rooting for him. He was a tumultuous little boy, and here he was playing his first All-Star game in a bandbox park where pitching in is difficult, as well as a beating Robin Roberts. Pierce had them in the palm of his hand the day. "He threw the ball exactly as expected."

Richards preferred to schedule his rotation in the early 1950s so that Pierce appeared on only every fifth or sixth day, often against poorer teams but more often for big games against the elite Yankees and Indians. Sherm Lollar, a catcher, later reported that although it was just a compliment to Pierce's abilities, he may have won more games and even won 20 games sooner in his career if he had met each opponent more closely. Pierce started a streak of 39+23 straight innings in Washington on August 3, the longest streak in the AL since 1926, when Ted Lyons had a 41-inning streak for the White Sox and 1968; it was the longest by an AL southpaw since 1905. On August 19, he allowed two unearned runs against the Browns in the sixth inning; two other earned runs in the tenth inning snapped his streak, dating back to July 29, when he went for 4–3 runs. He led the league in strikeouts (186) and was second in ERA (2.72), and the White Sox opened their final game in Browns history on September 27 in 11 innings at St. Louis. His seven shutouts this season were the second most by an AL left-hander since 1916, only surpassing Hal Newhouser's 1945 total of eight.

Pierce's 1954 season was marred when he complained of pain in his left arm during his victory over Cleveland on May 25; after several days of confusion trying to determine the cause, he underwent oral surgery to remove an infected wisdom tooth and adjacent molar on June 3. He did not pitch again until June 20, but a lack of arm strength led him to be ineffective in that first attempt, putting up victories with two relief appearances and another poor start on July 5 and 11. The latter was his fourth career two-hitter. When Pierce first had arm pains, it was later revealed that the tooth issue had possibly existed as early as spring training. Despite his nine victories this season, he was one of just four pitchers to beat the Indians three times as they posted a league-record 111 victories, after being one of four pitchers to beat the champion Yankees four times in 1953.

He was playing with the Yankees on June 25, 1953, during a rare defensive shift; in the ninth inning, he was 4–2 and moved to first base, with Harry Dorish in relief. Don Bollweg barely batted out a bunt single to first base, but Pierce did a good job with Gil McDougald's grounder to third base. He regained control and led the White Sox out by a single baseman in the game. Pierce was also a good baserunner, and he was used as a pinch runner 30 times between 1949 and 1957, as a replacement for three-time stolen base champion Minnie Mioso in a 5–4 victory over the Yankees on June 22, 1956.

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Early baseball career

Walter Pierce's uncle, Julia, Billy Pierce, grew up in Highland Park, Michigan, and demonstrated his first love for baseball at age ten. "I refused to have my tonsils removed," he said. If I'd have the operation, my parents gave me a big league baseball glove and a good glove. The payola was taken by me. Tossing around the 'league' ball was a thrill.' Tommy Bridges, the Detroit Tigers' star, had a slight build after starting out as a first baseman. He attended Highland Park Community High School, where his teammates included future major league pitcher Ted Gray, and pitched six shutouts as a junior in 1944, earning the nickname "Mr." Zero. One reporter wrote, "His fast ball was astonishing considering that he only weighs 140 pounds." He was the starting and winning pitcher in an East-West All-American Boys' Game sponsored by Esquire magazine on August 7, 1944 in New York, with Connie Mack directing Pierce's East All-Stars. He seemed to be very slender in civilian clothes." Richie Ashburn, a center fielder with the West team, was hitless in two at bats against Pierce. The game was held as a fundraiser for World War II community memorials, and two days before the game, the participants of Babe Ruth's weekly radio show were guests. Pierce was named the game's top player, winning a four-year scholarship to the college of his choice. "I never saw such a neat-living youngster," Detroit Free Press sports editor Dale Stafford, who chaperoned him to New York, told a fellow writer. Billy kept a diary on our ride to New York for the East-West game. 'Here it is ten o'clock and Mr. Stafford hasn't gone to bed,'" I found it open to this entry. Pierce dismissed the pleasure of pitching in a major league stadium by saying, "I was not nervous at the Polo Grounds," he said, "I wasn't nervous at the Polo Grounds," because he had played several games in Briggs Stadium back home. I've been out there with the Tigers, and they, the Red Sox, and the Phillies have all expressed an interest in me. After I graduated from high school, my parents and I decided that I should make up my mind about playing pro ball. He signed with his hometown Tigers after considering studying medicine at the University of Michigan.

Later career

Pierce's numbers in his first two seasons as a Chicago bullpen were between 14–7 and 10–9, but a shaky bullpen contributed to his middling success; although he left the game with a lead in the sixth inning or later 15 times in those seasons, the White Sox relievers were unable to hold that lead seven times. In fact, Pierce was deemed the team's only consistently effective starter in 1960, winning eight complete games by mid-August. Pierce struck out for the first time on June 20, 1961, breaking Ed Walsh's record of 1,732 strikeouts.

On November 30, 1961, he was traded to the San Francisco Giants with Don Larsen in exchange for four players (three of whom were pitchers) who had played in the minor leagues for the majority or all of 1961. Alvin Dark, the Giants' manager, announced that Pierce would be used as the ace of a young pitching crew that included emerging talents such as Juan Marichal, Gaylord Perry, and Mike McCormick. Unlike the White Sox, the Giants had a strong offense starring Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, and Orlando Cepeda, and Pierce utilized the increased run support with his new team, winning his first eight starts before losing by 4–3 on June 7. After a rough spring training in which he registered a 16.45 ERA, his first start on April 13 was a highly rewarding one. He retired the first 13 batters and allowed only two hits in 7+13 innings while the Cincinnati Reds faced the Cincinnati Reds. "The cheers really got to me inside," the crowd of 23,755 gave him a roaring applause, and he later said, "The cheers really got to me inside." Fans could not have been more beautiful. "I felt it was way down there."

With Larsen and Pierce, "the little southpaw chatterbox," the Giants were credited with pulling off the year's best deal of the year, the team set the best record in the major leagues by early June. In a road game against the Reds on June 14, he allowed a leadoff double to Vada Pinson but he was then accidentally spiked in the left ankle while covering first base on a groundout by Don Blasingame, which needed 14 stitches. After missing just 13% of an inning, Pinson suffered and the Giants were eliminated 8-0. He may have been injured in his eighth All-Star pick, but he did not return to the field until he lost only three innings on July 15; he then made three relief appearances before winning on August 2. However, he developed to be a good pitcher in blustery Candlestick Park, winning all 11 of his home starts as the Giants tied the Dodgers for the NL pennant with a record of 101–61, triggering a three-game playoff. McCovey's three-run home run off the Giants' 5–4 victory over Drysdale's 11-game win streak came against the Dodgers on August 11, his 200th career victory.

Pierce opened his Candlestick game of the playoffs against the Dodgers on October 1st, beating Sandy Koufax and raising his record to 12–0, in which only two Dodgers reached second base, and Pierce lowered his Candlestick record to 12–0. "Look, fire him fire that fast one," Former NL umpire Babe Pinelli remarked from the press box. He's been in so many clutch games that they're nothing to him!" After the Dodgers tied the series in Game 2, he came back to pitch the ninth inning with a 6–4 lead and left all three batters he faced in Game 3 on October 3 and threw a 6–4 lead. He started Game 3 and went into the seventh inning with no score; but he allowed three runs in the seventh inning (one of them unearned after two outfield errors) and ended in a 3–2 loss. In Game 6 at Candlestick Park against Whitey Ford, he came back for another spectacular outing, not allowing a baserunner until the fifth inning and ending with a 3–2 victory to tie the Series at three games per game; he only allowed three runners to reach second base and only four times. Pierce's two Series appearances came after his prime years were behind him, but he had a career ERA of 1.89 in 19 innings.

Given his excellence in home games in 1962, it was no surprise that Pierce was selected to open the Giants' home opener in 1963, and he responded with a 7-0 victory over the Houston Colts. Despite often discarding one of his primary pitches, the low curve, "How many left-handers come into this park and win with that pitch on a windy afternoon?" Pierce changed the course of his pitches, to left-handers to get them to left field, and taking advantage of the wind to keep the ball in the air longer; two-time AL batting champion Pete Runnels observed that Pierce pitched to him completely differently when switching leagues. In his next home win streak, he started on April 20, a 4–0 loss to the Chicago Cubs; he gradually shifted to the bullpen over the course of the 1963 season; and was primarily used in relief in 1964. In what was later dubbed "Billy the Kid's last fight" in a year and a lifetime, he made his first appearance in over a year and his career's last fight, pitching 722 runs and winning a 5–1 victory. On October 3, he made one more appearance in relief, only one strike out short of 2,000, and announced his retirement the next day. Pierce had a 211-169 record with a 3.27 ERA in 3,306+2/3 innings, but only twice (1948 and 1963) did he achieve a ERA over 4.00 or higher, and never in a season with at least 100 innings. He made 193 of his 432 starts, with 38 shutouts in addition, and he had 32 saves in his 585 total games pitched. His 186 career victories with the White Sox finish fourth on the team's all-time list, behind Hall of Famers Ted Lyons, Red Faber, and Ed Walsh. Wilbur Wood broke his White Sox record of 456 games by a left-hander in 1974.

Pierce, who was ranked at 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) and 160 pounds (73 kg), was also one of the most diminutive pitchers to win 200 games since the 1920s, and he is likely to be the youngest pitcher since the 1920s. "He isn't too big, but he has amazing coordination," Sherm Lollar, his catcher for ten years in Chicago, said that his size didn't reduce his speed. The way he pumps and rocks and throws is certainly pretty to watch. "I'll often go off to one side and watch him pitch" when I'm not watching a game. "Pierce is a perfectionist who has surpassed the expectations of the equipment nature gave him," Paul Richards said. Pierce's height also reflected his longevity, as he was one of the few pitchers under 6 foot (1.8 m) in height to lead the league in complete games since the 1920s, with Ned Garver, Frank Lary, Camilo Pascual, and Fernando Valenzuela, the youngest other pitchers under six foot (1.8 m) taller than Pierce, who were also one of the league's top players since the 1930s, being the only other pitchers under six foot (6 foot (1.8 a) owed his oox in complete games in complete games to win-s under six foot (1.8 1.8 1.8 he led the league in complete games since the league in complete games under six foot (1.8 1.6 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 ilo Pascual and Fernando Valenzuela ela, the only two-80 pounds to lead the league in complete games since the tournament in the only other pitchers under six foot (1.8 188). He is the last pitcher to lead the AL in complete games for three years in a row.

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