Former MLB All-Star and World Series-Winning Pitcher Dead At 71

Former MLB All-Star and World Series-winning pitcher Pat Zachry passed away this week after a “lengthy illness” at the age of 71.

The six-foot-five pitcher was born on April 24, 1952, in Waco, Texas, where he attended Richfield High School. Zachry’s professional league career began in 1970 when he was selected in the 19th round of the 1970 Major League Baseball draft by the Cincinnati Reds. Pat spent his first six seasons in the Reds farm system, where he compiled a 52-42 win-loss record with a 3.00 ERA and 619 strikeouts.

After the 1975 season, the reigning World Series champion Reds traded star pitcher Clay Kirby to the Montreal Expos for third baseman Bob Bailey in order to make room in their pitching rotation for Zachry.

In 1976, Zachry made his Major League debut as a relief pitcher. Shortly after, the Reds moved him into the starting rotation. Throughout the rest of the 1976 season, Pat compiled a 14-7 record, a 2.74 ERA, and led the team with 143 strikeouts in 204 innings pitched. In the postseason, Zachry won game two of the 1976 National League Championship Series against the Philadelphia Phillies and game three of the 1976 World Series against the New York Yankees.

The 1976 Reds became the first team to sweep the entire postseason since the inception of the League Championship Series in 1969. They also secured their second consecutive World Series title. After the season, Zachry was named co-winner of the Rookie of the Year award with Padres closer Butch Metzger. This marked the first time in Major League history that co-winners of the award were named.

During the 1977 season, Zachry was traded to the New York Mets for Tom Seaver. Zachry stayed with the New York Mets until the 1983 offseason when he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Jorge Orta.

In his first two seasons with the Dodgers, Zachry exclusively pitched in relief, except for one emergency start. This start occurred in the second game of a doubleheader against the Mets at Shea Stadium on August 30, 1983.

Before the start of the 1985 season, Pat was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for the slugging first baseman Al Oliver.Zachry’s role with the Phillies was very limited due to their already full bullpen, and he was released by the Phillies in June 1985.

Rest in peace!