ST. LOUIS — Howard "Bruce" Sutter, a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the pitcher to close out the St. Louis Cardinals' World Series victory in 1982, has died, the Cardinals announced in a press release Friday. He was 69.
Sutter was the 1979 NL Cy Young Award winner, a six-time All-Star, five-time NL saves leader and four-time winner of the Rolaids Relief Man Award in his 12-year career. His 300 saves were third in MLB history at the time of his retirement.
He was the fourth relief pitcher enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame and was in the inaugural class of the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2014. His No. 42 is one of 14 numbers retired by the Cardinals organization.
“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 and 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 Chicago Cubs from 1976 to 1980, the Cardinals from 1981 to 1984 and the Braves from 1985 to 1988. He pitched his final game at the age of 35.
Sutter was born on Jan. 8, 1953 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The Cardinals said he is survived by his wife, Jayme, sons Josh, Chad and Ben; daughter-in-law Amanda Sutter, and his six grandchildren.