Books and articles about Vern Law

Law was largely responsible for the Pirates' World Championship in 1960, when he captured the Cy Young Award with a 20-9 record and a league-high 18 complete games. Despite nursing a late-season sprained ankle, he won the first and fourth games of the Series and had a no-decision in the famed seventh game, won by the Pirates on Bill Mazeroski's ninth-inning homer.

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Idaho Senator Herman Welker recommended favorite son Law to former classmate Bing Crosby, part owner of the Pirates. Signed by the Pirates in 1948, Law, a control pitcher with a classic, straight-up motion, reached Pittsburgh in 1950 but spent 1952 and 1953 in the military. He and Bob Friend anchored a young pitching staff on last-place teams in 1954, 1955, and 1957. But both blossomed in 1958 and the Pirates rose to second place. Though Friend slumped in 1959, Law went 18-9.

After reaching the top in 1960, Law missed most of 1961 with a torn rotator muscle. Pitching in pain throughout 1962, he rebounded to go 10-7, but more physical problems in 1963 forced him on to the voluntary retired list. He made a surprising comeback in 1964 (12-13, 3.61) and in 1965, at age thirty-five, led the Pirates with 17 wins and a 2.15 ERA. He was honored with the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award as comeback player of the year. After more injuries his last two years, he retired among Pittsburgh's all-time pitching leaders. Vern and his wife, VaNita, had six children: Veldon, Veryl, Vaughn, Varlin, VaLynda, and major league infielder Vance. (ME)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 14, 1927: Cubs pitcher Guy Bush must feel his name as he and Braves starter Charlie Robertson battle for 18 innings before Robertson tires and the Cubs win 7–2. Jimmy Cooney drives in the winning run and Sparky Adams contributes four hits. Bush goes 18 innings and Robertson 17 1/3. Two National League pitchers -- Carl Hubbell in 1933 and Vern Law in 1955 -- will match Bush's marathon effort. » August 27, 1951: "The two fine Italian arms of Branca and Furillo had a no-hitter running for eight innings" writes columnist Dick Young; in the 3rd inning Ralph Branca's no-hitter seems broken by a one-hop shot to RF by pitcher Mel Queen, but Carl Furillo guns him out at first. Branca, pitching on two days rest, finally gives up two Pirate hits in the 9th before winning, 5–0. In the nitecap the Pirates jump on Erv Palica for three runs in the first inning and hold on for a 5–3 win behind Bill Werle and Vern Law. Clyde McCullough is the "Big Un" with a two-run double and a two-run homer. The Pirates continue to be the only team with a season edge on the Dodgers. » May 2, 1954: At Chicago, the Cubs and Pirates split. Chicago's Paul Minner outguns Vern Law in the opener, 5–3, and the Pirates outhit Chicago to win the nitecap, 18–10 in eight innings. Frank Thomas has seven straight hits on the afternoon for Pittsburgh, before fanning. Hank Sauer hits three homers for Chicago, two in the nitecap, when he goes 4-for-4: Hammerin' Hank will belt 13 homers this year against the Pirates—a major-league record (set by Jimmie Foxx and since tied by Joe Adcock, in 1956) for home runs against one team. Bob Skinner has three hits to drive in five runs for the Bucs in game 2, as they score 15 runs in the first four innings. Winning pitcher Bob Friend also drives in three runs to win his first of the year. With homers in both games today, the Cubs set an National League mark of 13 straight games in which they've homered since the start of the season. » May 12, 1955: Sam "Toothpick" Jones of the Cubs no-hits the Pirates 4–0, fanning the last three batters in the 9th after walking the bases loaded. It is the first no-hitter in Wrigley Field since the double no-hitter of 1917, and the first no-hitter in the ML by a black pitcher. The Cubs lace 15 hits against Nellie King and Vernon Law. TV announcer Harry Creighton joked in a pre-game interview with Jones that he'd give him a gold toothpick if he pitched a no-hitter. Creighton keeps his word. » May 24, 1955: After losing 11 straight games, the Pirates rout the Dodgers 15–1, their highest score in 172 games. Tomorrow they will sink to the cellar. Bob Friend, who pitches the last four 1/3 innings in relief of starter Vern Law, is the winner. Preston Ward has a single, triple and home run to pace the Corsairs. » July 19, 1955: Pirate hurler Vern Law pitches 18 innings in beating Milwaukee 4-3, giving up just nine hits and fanning 12. » May 1, 1960: The Pirates, behind Vern Law's pitching, win their 9th game in a row, 13–2, against the Reds at Cincinnati. » July 13, 1960: Vern Law becomes the 2nd Pirate to win a 1960 All-Star Game, working two scoreless innings. Stan Musial comes off the National League bench and hits his record 6th and last All-Star Game home run. Willie Mays, Ken Boyer, and Eddie Mathews also homer in the 6–0 NL win, the 3rd shutout in All-Star Game history. » September 18, 1960: Pittsburgh's Vern Law joins the 20-win circle with a complete-game 5–3 win in the first game of a Sunday doubleheader at Cincinnati's Crosley Field. » October 5, 1960: In a portent of things to come, Bill Mazeroski's 2-run 5th-inning home run off Jim Coates is the difference as Pittsburgh beats New York 6–4 in its first World Series win since 1925. Roy Face survives a 2-run 9th-inning Elston Howard home run to preserve Vern Law's victory. » October 9, 1960: Vern Law wins again, thanks to his own RBI single and Bill Virdon's 2-run hit. Roy Face retires the final eight batters in order. Pittsburgh's 3–2 win evens the World Series. » November 3, 1960: Pittsburgh's Vern Law is voted Cy Young Award winner. He outpolls Warren Spahn 8-4. » July 2, 1961: The Pirates sweep a pair from the Giants, winning 7–6 and 9–0. Sore-armed Vern Law, making his 1st start in more than three weeks, is lifted in the 6th and Harvey Haddix wins in relief. Bobby Shantz pitches a 5-hitter to win the nitecap as the Bucs score six unearned runs off Juan Marichal. The Giants, two 1/2 games back yesterday, will be nine out on the evening of July 8. » July 7, 1961: Pittsburgh puts Vern Law on the retired list, on doctor's orders, to rest his sore right arm. » August 8, 1963: Vern Law (4-5) is placed on the retired list with a sore arm. He will come back in 1964. » June 17, 1965: Julian Javier suffers a broken finger when hit by a Vern Law pitch. The St. Louis 2B will be out seven weeks. Pittsburgh's Law wins the game 4–1. » September 20, 1966: Vern Law shuts out the Giants 6–0 to keep the Pirates one 1/2 games behind the Dodgers. Pittsburgh turns four double plays in the game and will end the year with an National League-record 215.