Peter Willits Burnside (July 2, 1930 – August 26, 2022) was an American professional baseball player and left-handed
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
who appeared in 196
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
games
A game is a structured form of play, usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator sports or games) or art (such ...
in 1955 and from 1957 to 1963 for the
New York / San Francisco Giants,
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
,
Washington Senators and
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
. He was listed as tall and .
Burnside grew up in
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston ( ) is a city, suburb of Chicago. Located in Cook County, Illinois, United States, it is situated on the North Shore along Lake Michigan. Evanston is north of Downtown Chicago, bordered by Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, Wil ...
, rooting for the
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
. He signed with the New York Giants out of high school, under the agreement that he could earn his degree at
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native A ...
while pitching in their minor league system. After a stint in the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
, Burnside made his major league debut in 1955, picking up his first win the same year and impressing
Carl Hubbell
Carl Owen Hubbell (June 22, 1903 – November 21, 1988), nicknamed "the Meal Ticket" and "King Carl", was an American Major League Baseball player. He was a pitcher for the New York Giants of the National League from 1928 to 1943, and remained o ...
, Giants' Hall of Fame pitcher and farm director. Injuries prevented Burnside's return to the big leagues until 1957, and he only won one of the 16 games he pitched for the Giants in 1957 and 1958. Acquired by the Detroit Tigers for 1959, Burnside spent the whole season in their
bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if t ...
that year. Getting a chance to start with the team in 1960, he had a career-high seven wins before being selected by the Washington Senators in the
expansion draft
An expansion draft, in professional sports, occurs when a sports league decides to create one or more new expansion teams or franchises. This occurs mainly in North American sports. One of the ways of stocking the new team or teams is an expansion ...
.
In 1961, the Senators used Burnside as a starter at the beginning of the year. He lost his rotation spot due to ineffective pitching, altered his delivery, and rejoined the starting rotation in September, throwing two
shutouts
In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball.
Shutouts are usuall ...
. He started 1962 in their rotation again but lost his spot; though he set a career high with 20 starts, he also lost a career-high 11 games. He was traded to the Baltimore Orioles after the season, started 1963 in their bullpen, and was reacquired by the Senators following his release in May; however, he had a 6.15
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
for Washington. He went to Japan following the season, pitching two years with the
Hanshin Tigers
The Hanshin Tigers (Japanese: 阪神タイガース ''Hanshin Taigāsu'') are a Nippon Professional Baseball team playing in the Central League. The team is based in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and is owned by Hanshin Electric Railway ...
of
Nippon Professional Baseball
or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''.
Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...
before returning to Illinois to become a teacher and coach at
New Trier High School
New Trier High School (, also known as New Trier Township High School or NTHS) is a public four-year high school, with its main campus for sophomores through seniors located in Winnetka, Illinois, United States, and a campus in Northfield, Illinoi ...
, his alma mater.
Early life
Burnside was born July 2, 1930, in
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston ( ) is a city, suburb of Chicago. Located in Cook County, Illinois, United States, it is situated on the North Shore along Lake Michigan. Evanston is north of Downtown Chicago, bordered by Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, Wil ...
. His father Robert, a salesman, married his mother, the former Helen Willits, six years before Burnside's birth—the couple separated in the early 1930s. Burnside grew up a
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
fan and often rode the
Chicago "L"
The Chicago "L" (short for "elevated") is the rapid transit system serving the city of Chicago and some of its surrounding suburbs in the U.S. state of Illinois. Operated by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), it is the fourth-largest rapid tr ...
rapid transit system to
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a Major League Baseball (MLB) stadium on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the home of the Chicago Cubs, one of the city's two MLB franchises. It first opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park for Charles Weeghman's Chicago Wh ...
, where his favorite player was
Larry French
Lawrence Herbert French (November 1, 1907 – February 9, 1987) was an American starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1929–1934), Chicago Cubs (1935–1941), and Brooklyn Dodgers (1941–1942). A k ...
, who, like Burnside, threw left-handed. At
New Trier High School
New Trier High School (, also known as New Trier Township High School or NTHS) is a public four-year high school, with its main campus for sophomores through seniors located in Winnetka, Illinois, United States, and a campus in Northfield, Illinoi ...
in
Winnetka, Burnside played
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
and baseball, helping the basketball team post a 13–3 record in his senior year and once throwing 19 straight scoreless innings for the baseball team. The Chicago Cubs gave him a tryout at Wrigley, but he ultimately decided to attend
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native A ...
, choosing not to sign with the Cubs as the minor league baseball season conflicted with the college schedule.
However, the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
also pursued him, on the advice of scout
Tom Sheehan
Thomas Clancy Sheehan (March 31, 1894 – October 29, 1982) was an American pitcher, scout, coach and manager in Major League Baseball.
Born in Grand Ridge, Illinois, Sheehan, a right-hander, had a six-year pitching career from 1915–16, 1921 ...
.
Chub Feeney
Charles Stoneham "Chub" Feeney (August 31, 1921January 10, 1994) was an American front office executive in Major League Baseball. Feeney was vice president of the San Francisco Giants, president of the National League (NL), and president of the Sa ...
, the Giants' president, was a graduate of Dartmouth and worked out an agreement with Burnside under which the pitcher could wait until the spring semester was over to begin his seasons, allowing him to earn his degree. He signed with the Giants in 1949 but continued his education until 1952, at which point he graduated with a
double-major in history and sociology.
Career
Burnside's professional career began in 1949 with the
St. Cloud Rox of the
Class C Northern League. He only pitched one game for them that year before being limited to throwing
batting practice
B backdoor breaking ball
:A breaking pitch, usually a slider, curveball, or cut fastball that, due to its lateral motion, passes through a small part of the strike zone on the outside edge of the plate after seeming as if it would miss the pla ...
because of a back ailment.
In 1950, he appeared in 12 games with the team, going 2–6 but posting a 10.07
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA), the product of 60
walks in only 42
innings of work.
He pitched for two teams in 1951: four games for the
Ottawa Giants
The Ottawa Giants were a professional minor-league baseball team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada that operated in 1951 after the relocation of an existing Triple-A team, the Jersey City Giants. It played at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa and finishe ...
of the
Class AAA
Triple-A (officially Class AAA) has been the highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946. Currently, two leagues operate at the Triple-A level, the International League (IL) and the Pacific Coast League (PCL ...
International League
The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ...
and 14 for the
Knoxville Smokies
Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division and the state's ...
of the
Class B Tri-State League The Tri-State League was the name of six different circuits in American minor league baseball.
History
The first league of that name played for four years (1887–1890) and consisted of teams in Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia.
The second leagu ...
. With both of those teams, he had more walks than innings pitched, though his ERA was less than half what it had been the year before.
In 1952, he made an appearance with the
Minneapolis Millers
The Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, through 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League. The team played first in ...
of the Class AAA
American Association American Association may refer to:
Baseball
* American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891
* American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997
* American Association of Profe ...
-he walked seven and allowed three runs in two innings before getting reassigned to the
Nashville Volunteers
The Nashville Vols were a Minor League Baseball team that played in Nashville, Tennessee, from 1901 to 1963. Known only as the Nashville Baseball Club during their first seven seasons, they were officially named the Nashville Volunteers (often sh ...
of the
Class AA
Double-A (officially Class AA) is the second-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946, below only Triple-A. There are currently 30 teams classified at the Double-A level, one for each team in Major League ...
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A (1902–1935), Cl ...
.
In nine games for Nashville, he had a 2–3 record and a 4.90 ERA—and then, with the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
going on, Burnside was drafted into the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
Medical Corps, ending his season.
While in the military, Burnside continued his pitching, drawing national attention by striking out the first 17 batters of a game he pitched for the Hilltoppers, the baseball team for
Fort Leonard Wood
Fort Leonard Wood is a U.S. Army training installation located in the Missouri Ozarks. The main gate is located on the southern boundary of The City of St. Robert. The post was created in December 1940 and named in honor of General Leonard Woo ...
, in October 1953. He was discharged in 1954 and assigned to Minneapolis. Then, he was sent to Nashville in a trade between the minor league clubs, with Minneapolis receiving
Alex Cosmidis.
At Nashville again, Burnside had mixed success. He walked a lot of batters and had 16
home runs allowed In baseball statistics, home runs allowed (HRA) signifies the total number of home runs a pitcher allowed.
The Major League Baseball record for the most home runs allowed by any pitcher belongs to Jamie Moyer (522 in his career). He gave up home r ...
in 97 innings but did win two games against the
Atlanta Crackers
The Atlanta Crackers were Minor League Baseball teams based in Atlanta, Georgia, between 1901 and 1965. The Crackers were Atlanta's home team until the Atlanta Braves moved from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1966.
History
Atlanta played its first ...
(who had the best record in 1954) and was one of two Nashville pitchers to have a winning record. “
urnsideha
the stuff, in bountiful quantity...it’s only a question of polish and control before
eis ready to wear
Giants uniform” opined Joe King of the ''
Sporting News
The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...
''.
Burnside continued to hone his skills in winter ball, joining Giants' stars
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays Jr. (born May 6, 1931), nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid" and "Buck", is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Regarded as one of the greatest players ever, Mays ranks second behind only Babe Ruth on most all-tim ...
and
Rubén Gómez in helping the
Cangrejeros de Santurce win a pennant.
Burnside attended
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
with the Giants in 1955 but was sent to the minors two weeks before the season began. "I’m happy about it,” he said. “I want a chance to pitch regularly and I know I’ll get it here.”
His 1955 season in the Class AA
Texas League
The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...
, where he posted an 18–11
record, a 2.47 ERA, and a league-leading 235
strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
s for the pennant-winning
Dallas Eagles
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
, earned him his first big-league call-up to the New York Giants in September.
Carl Hubbell
Carl Owen Hubbell (June 22, 1903 – November 21, 1988), nicknamed "the Meal Ticket" and "King Carl", was an American Major League Baseball player. He was a pitcher for the New York Giants of the National League from 1928 to 1943, and remained o ...
, Giants' Hall of Famer and Farm Director, said he was "the most promising pitcher in the chain."
He started two late-season games, both in
doubleheaders. In his first, on September 20, he issued six
bases on balls
A base on balls (BB), also known as a walk, occurs in baseball when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls '' balls'', and is in turn awarded first base without the possibility of being called out. The base on balls is defined in Se ...
and allowed seven
runs (only two of them
earned) in 3
innings
An innings is one of the divisions of a cricket match during which one team takes its turn to bat. Innings also means the period in which an individual player bats (acts as either striker or nonstriker). Innings, in cricket, and rounders, is bot ...
against the cellar-dwelling
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
. While the Giants' offense bailed him out—Burnside departed the game with New York leading 11–7. His early exit kept him from claiming the victory in an eventual 14–8 Giants' triumph; that went to relief ace
Hoyt Wilhelm
James Hoyt Wilhelm (July 26, 1922 – August 23, 2002), nicknamed "Old Sarge", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the New York Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, California Angel ...
. In his second start a week later, however, Burnside threw a
complete game
In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
,
seven-hitter, earning the win in a 5–2 victory over the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
.
In spring training, 1956, Burnside suffered a pulled tendon in his left leg and was sent to Minneapolis shortly before the season began. Then, he broke his left foot and missed much of the first half of the Millers' season with various injuries. When he was healthy, he was not always effective. For example, he had a 1–7 record in his final eight
decisions.
In 22 games (19 starts), he had a 5–9 record, a 4.62 ERA, 71 strikeouts, and 50 walks in 113 innings.
He was called up in September by the Giants but did not appear in any games.
Burnside made the Giants out of spring training for the first time in 1957.
He got his second (and last) victory in a Giant uniform April 23, when he threw a complete game, three-hit
shutout
In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball.
Shutouts are usuall ...
to defeat the Pirates 1–0 at the
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name of three stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used mainly for professional baseball and American football from 1880 through 1963. The original Polo Grounds, opened in 1876 and demolished in 1889, was built fo ...
. He failed to get through the inning in three of his next four starts, then got sent to Minneapolis in May, though he was called up at the end of the month when the Giants hit a stretch of 15 games in 13 days.
On June 2, he limited the Pirates to two runs in innings of the second game of a doubleheader but took the loss in a 2–0 defeat. He made three more starts, then was sent back to Minneapolis. Hubbell felt that he was trying too hard in the major leagues and that he did better with the Millers because he relaxed more.
Indeed, Burside got off to an 8–0 start with the Millers, finishing 10–5 with a 2.47 ERA and 114 strikeouts in 131 innings.
Again, he was called up by the Giants in September but did not appear in any games.
In 10 games (nine starts) with the Giants, he had a 1–4 record, an 8.80 ERA, and 18 strikeouts in innings pitched.
While Burnside did not have a great spring training in 1958, he was added to the Giants' first San Francisco roster because the team did not wish to expose him to
waivers. In 1958, Burnside began throwing a new pitch: a
sinker.
He was used sparingly, only throwing 10 innings through June 4. That day, he entered a game against the
Milwaukee Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in Bost ...
that the Giants led 7–4 with two outs in the ninth; Burnside relinquished a game-tying home run to
Wes Covington
John Wesley Covington (March 27, 1932 – July 4, 2011) was an American professional baseball left fielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from through for the Milwaukee Braves, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Athletics, Philadelphia ...
in an eventual 10–9 loss. After that, he was sent to AAA, now the
Phoenix Giants
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
of the
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
, to finish out the year. He threw three shutouts with Phoenix, posting an 11–7 record, a 3.91 ERA, and 113 strikeouts in 152 innings.
With San Francisco, he had a 6.75 ERA in six games (one start).
The Giants sold his contract to the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
on October 5, 1958.
"He’s always had a good arm,” Tigers general manager
John McHale said of the new acquisition. “We’ve had some good reports on Burnside. Several times he’s been on the verge of establishing himself in the major leagues.”
Burnside entered 1959 with another new pitch, a
screwball
A screwball is a baseball and fastpitch softball pitch that is thrown so as to break in the opposite direction of a slider or curveball. Depending on the pitcher's arm angle, the ball may also have a sinking action. The pitch is sometimes known a ...
, which he had learned from teammate
Marv Grissom
Marvin Edward Grissom (March 31, 1918 – September 19, 2005) was an American professional baseball pitcher and pitching coach. During his active career he appeared in 356 games in Major League Baseball for the New York / San Francisco Giants ...
in 1958 and practiced in winter ball over the offseason.
For the first time in 1959, Burnside spent the whole season in the major leagues. Used exclusively in relief throughout the year, he had his best month in July, allowing only two earned runs in innings. In 30 games, he had a 1–3 record and a 3.77 ERA in 62 innings.
Burnside competed for a spot in the Tiger rotation in 1960, did not get it, and was assigned to the
bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if t ...
to begin the year.
On
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent years ...
, he entered in the 12th inning of a 2–2 tie with the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
and threw four scoreless innings, picking up the win in the 4–2 triumph. After posting a 2.16 ERA in his first seven games, he joined the rotation on the last day of May.
He threw a complete game on July 9, allowing one run in a 6–1 victory over the
Kansas City Athletics
The history of the Athletics Major League Baseball franchise spans the period from 1901 to the present day, having begun as a charter member franchise in the new American League in Philadelphia before moving to Kansas City in 1955 for 13 seas ...
. In his next start, the second game of a doubleheader on July 17, he threw another complete game, limiting the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
to two runs in a 3–2 victory. After posting a 6.75 ERA through his first four August starts, he was moved back to the bullpen, making only one more start during the rest of the year (a game in which he was pulled after allowing the first three hitters to reach).
In 31 games, 15 of which were starts, Burnside had a big-league personal best in victories (seven) to go along with an equal amount of losses. His ERA was 4.28, and he had 71 strikeouts in innings pitched.
The
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
expanded to 10 teams after the season, and the Tigers left Burnside unprotected for the
expansion draft
An expansion draft, in professional sports, occurs when a sports league decides to create one or more new expansion teams or franchises. This occurs mainly in North American sports. One of the ways of stocking the new team or teams is an expansion ...
, allowing the
Washington Senators to take him with the eighth overall pick.
Used as a starter at the beginning of the year, Burnside suffered from inconsistency. In one of his better starts on May 12, he only allowed two hits in seven innings against the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
but allowed six walks and two runs and took the loss in a 2–1 defeat.
Meanwhile, on June 7 against Cleveland, he left the game in the first inning after walking four of the first seven hitters.
Moved to the bullpen in July, he continued to struggle, allowing all four batters he faced to reach (they all would score) on July 21 in a 16–5 loss to the
Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
.
Then, pitching coach
Sid Hudson
Sidney Charles Hudson (January 3, 1915 – October 10, 2008) was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Washington Senators (1940–42, 1946–52) and Boston Red Sox (1952–54) who had a lengthy post-playing career as a ...
suggested Burnside shorten his stride on the mound, and Burnside improved enough to return to the rotation in September.
Though his record was just 3–3 for the month, he had a 1.80 ERA and threw two shutouts, both coming against the Athletics: a five-hitter on the 16th and a two-hitter on the 29th.
“His improvement was sudden but
ertain”
Ed Doherty, the Senators'
general manager
A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...
, had to say. “When he had those good days late in the season, there was not a better pitcher in the league.”
In 33 games (16 starts), Burnside had a 4–9 record, a 4.53 ERA, ad 56 strikeouts in innings pitched.
He and
Bennie Daniels
Bennie Daniels Jr. (born June 17, 1932), is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates (–) and Washington Senators (–). During his playing days, Daniels stood , wei ...
were projected to be the team's top two starters for 1962.
On April 14, 1962, Burnside limited the Indians to four hits and two runs in a 5–2 victory, pitching a complete game that only lasted five innings because of rain. The team was in last place by May 23, when Burnside held the Angels to nine hits and went the distance in a 7–2 victory. He had a winning record (4–3) in his first nine starts of 1962, with a 3.45 ERA. After that, he lost seven of his last eight decisions, as well as his starting spot after August 8.
He had an 8.18 ERA in August, allowing 16 runs in 12 innings in the three starts he made that month.
He set career highs that year in starts (20), complete games (six), innings (), and strikeouts (74) but had a 4.45 ERA and set career highs in losses (11) and home runs allowed (20).
On December 5, he and
Bob Johnson were traded to the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
for
Marv Breeding
Marv Eugene Breeding (May 8, 1934 – December 31, 2006) was an American professional baseball second baseman who played four seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles, Washington Senators and Los Angeles Dodgers between ...
,
Art Quirk, and
Barry Shetrone
Barry Stevan Shetrone (July 6, 1938 – July 18, 2001) was an American professional baseball player. An outfielder, he appeared in parts of five seasons (1959–1963) in Major League Baseball for the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Senators ...
.
Acquired by the Orioles to replace
Billy Hoeft
William Frederick Hoeft (May 17, 1932 – March 16, 2010) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball whose career spanned 15 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Braves, Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giant ...
, Burnside was projected by Baltimore manager
Billy Hitchcock
William Clyde Hitchcock (July 31, 1916 – April 9, 2006) was an American professional baseball infielder, coach, manager and scout. In Major League Baseball (MLB), he was primarily a third baseman, second baseman and shortstop who appeared ...
to be another left-hander for the 1963 Oriole bullpen.
He had a 4.91 ERA in five relief appearances for Baltimore through early May of , then drew his unconditional release on May 9.
The
Houston Colt .45's
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
offered him a tryout, but Burnside re-signed with Washington on May 24, replacing Quirk (a pitcher), who had just been optioned to the minor leagues.
He was used mostly in relief this time around, and only allowed one run in seven relief appearances in July.
Gil Hodges
Gilbert Ray Hodges (''né'' Hodge; April 4, 1924 – April 2, 1972) was an American first baseman and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played most of his 18-year career for the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers. He was widely regarded as t ...
, manager of the Senators, called Burnside “a front-line reliever” in an article that appeared in the ''Sporting News'' in early September, but Burnside posted a 12.19 ERA that month, failing to record an out in either of his last two appearances.
In 38 games with the Senators, he had an 0–1 record, a 6.15 ERA, and 23 strikeouts in innings pitched.
After the 1963 season, the Senators were going to assign Burnside to the
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
of the
International League
The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ...
; while Burnside did leave the United States after the season, he opted to pitch in Japan instead, signing a deal with the
Hanshin Tigers
The Hanshin Tigers (Japanese: 阪神タイガース ''Hanshin Taigāsu'') are a Nippon Professional Baseball team playing in the Central League. The team is based in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and is owned by Hanshin Electric Railway ...
of
Nippon Professional Baseball
or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''.
Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...
.
He appeared in 29 games (19 starts) for Hanshin in 1964, posting a 5–8 record, a 3.36 ERA, and 47 strikeouts in 118 innings. The next year, he again won five games but lost 14, even though his ERA fell to 2.90 in 28 starts.
That was his last professional season, as he returned to the United States to earn his master's degree.
During his eight-season MLB career, Burnside lost 36 of 55 decisions (for a
winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of match ...
of .345), and in 567
innings pitched he surrendered 607 hits and 230 bases on balls; he
fanned 303. He threw 14 complete games and three shutouts and, as a reliever, registered seven
saves.
Later life
Burnside met his future wife, Suzette Herbuveaux, while pitching for Phoenix in 1958. The couple was married before he went to Hanshin and had three children, a daughter and two younger sons. Following his baseball career, Burnside obtained his
master's degree
A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. from
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world.
Charte ...
, then returned to his high school alma mater, New Trier, where he was a teacher and coach from 1967 through 1993, when he retired. He was lifelong friends with former Senator teammate
Don Zimmer
Donald William Zimmer (January 17, 1931 – June 4, 2014) was an American infielder, manager, and coach in Major League Baseball (MLB). Zimmer was involved in professional baseball from 1949 until his death, a span of 65 years, across 8 d ...
.
Burnside died August 26, 2022.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burnside, Pete
1930 births
2022 deaths
Baltimore Orioles players
Dallas Eagles players
Dartmouth Big Green baseball players
Dartmouth College alumni
Detroit Tigers players
Hanshin Tigers players
Knoxville Smokies players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Minneapolis Millers (baseball) players
Nashville Vols players
Ottawa Giants players
New York Giants (NL) players
Phoenix Giants players
St. Cloud Rox players
San Francisco Giants players
Sportspeople from Evanston, Illinois
Baseball players from Cook County, Illinois
Washington Senators (1961–1971) players
New Trier High School alumni