Ron Guidry
Ronald Ames "Ron" Guidry ( born August 28, 1950 in Lafayette, Louisiana ) is a former American professional baseball player in Major League Baseball. His nicknames are Louisiana Lightning or Gator.
Biography
Ron Guidry spent his total of 14 seasons in the Major League all in the jersey of the New York Yankees. The left-handed pitcher won it three times over 20 victories, but fond memories he is by the 1978 season. Guidry scored 25 wins and just three defeats, had an ERA of 1.74, threw nine shutouts and came to a total of 248 strikeouts. Due to these achievements he also won the Cy Young Award of the American League and was behind Jim Rice, second from the Boston Red Sox in the choice of MVP. On June 17, 1978 he scored 18 strikeouts in a single game against the California Angels. Also the playoff against the Red Sox on October 2, finished Guidry as the winning pitcher. This year, Guidry was awarded the Sportsman of the Year Award from the Associated Press.
With the Yankees Guidry won two World Series titles in 1977 and 1978. Between 1982 and 1986 he won five times the Gold Glove Award. However, since 1981, problems began to his throwing arm, which reduced its performance potential significantly. He underwent after the 1988 season to a shoulder surgery, attempted a comeback on the Minor Leagues, but without success. So Guidry ended July 12, 1989 his playing career.
On 23 August 2003, the Yankees erected a plaque in Monument Park for Guidry and forgive his number 49 no longer. As of the 2006 season, he is hired as pitching coach for the Yankees.