Books and articles about Bob Turley

Turley used a no-windup delivery, turning to the simplified motion to improve his control. He led the AL in bases on balls in 1954, 1955, and 1958. Bullet Bob threw in the 93-mph range and was the league's strikeout king with the 1954 Orioles, fanning 10 or more 17 times. He went to the Yankees as part of an 18-player deal that winter and compiled a 17-13 record in 1955.

RELATED LINKS » 1956: October's Revenge Book Excerpts » 1960: The Last Pure Season by Kerry Keene » "[Jackie Jensen] admitted he had thought the [1958 MVP] award would go to the Yanks' Bob Turley": George I. Martin Submissions » Trade a Player a Year Too Early, Not a Year Too Late by Harvey Frommer Around the Web » Bob Turley from baseball-reference.com Jump directly to Library content from any website!

Turley pitched in five Yankee World Series. In 1956 he shut out the Dodgers through nine innings of Game Six, only to lose 1-0 when Jackie Robinson singled in the winning run in the tenth inning on a fly misjudged by Enos Slaughter. In 1958 Turley won the Cy Young Award, leading the AL with a 21 wins, a .750 winning percentage, and 19 complete games. Though he was pounded by Milwaukee in the first inning of WS Game Two, he shut them out in Game Five and won the Series finale with six-plus relief innings in Game Seven.

Turley lost his fastball in 1959 and turned to a curveball. Bone chips were found in his elbow, requiring surgery. He never again won more than nine games. A master at picking up opposing hurlers' pitches, he helped his Yankee teammates, particularly Mickey Mantle, by whistling to let them know what was coming. (GDW)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » April 15, 1954: The Orioles Clint Courtney hits the first home run in Memorial Stadium. Following a 90-minute parade, they draw an Opening Day record crowd of 46,354 in a 3–1 afternoon win against the White Sox. Bob Turley strikes out nine in besting Virgil Trucks. Vern Stephens and Clint Courtney homer for the O's. » April 21, 1954: In the first night game at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium, Bob Turley has a no-hitter against Cleveland when, with one out in the 9th, Al Rosen singles and Larry Doby homers. Turley strikes out 14, but loses, 2–1. » May 5, 1954: Walks do in the Browns' Bob Turley, who gives up two hits in losing to the Yankees, 4–2. It's Turley's 2nd 2-hit loss of the season; the Indians beat him on April 21. » November 18, 1954: In an enormous two-part trade begun on November 14, the Yankees and Orioles exchange 17 players. Included are 1B Dick Kryhoski, pitchers Bob Turley and Don Larsen, and SS Billy Hunter from Baltimore. To the Orioles go OF Gene Woodling, SS Willie Miranda, pitchers Harry Byrd and Jim McDonald, and catchers Gus Triandos and Hal Smith. The trade will help both teams. » April 26, 1955: Bob Turley of the Yanks fires a one-hitter, fanning 10 in beating the White Sox 5-0. » May 6, 1955: At Fenway, Mickey Mantle lines a first inning solo shot into the Yankee bullpen, and Bob Turley shuts out Boston the rest of the way for a 6–0 New York win. Frank Sullivan is the losing pitcher. » July 9, 1955: Mickey Mantle goes 5-for-5, and Bob Turley tosses a 2-hitter in a 4-0 win over Washington. » September 4, 1955: Mickey Mantle's first-inning 3-run HR allows Bob Turley to coast to an 8-3 win over Washington. This is Mantle's last HR of the year. » September 30, 1955: The Dodgers Johnny Podres defeats Bob Turley who fails to last 2 innings against the Bums. C Roy Campanella leads the attack with 3 hits and 3 RBI, as Brooklyn wins 8-3 behind the strong effort of lefty Johnny Podres. » May 16, 1957: The Yankees top Kansas City 3–0 behind Bob Turley's four-hit shutout. Mickey Mantle has a homer off Alex Kellner, the 11th time in his last 12 at bats he's reached base safely. That night a group of Yankees celebrate Billy Martin's 29th birthday in a raucous fashion. An ensuing fight at Manhattan's Copacabana Club leads to $5,500 in fines and the eventual trade of Billy to Kansas City. Hank Bauer allegedly starts the fight by hitting a patron, although Bauer denies it. The Yanks fine Whitey Ford, Bauer, Yogi Berra, Mantle and Martin $1,000 each and Johnny Kucks $500. » May 21, 1957: For his part in the Copacabana incident, Yankee OF Hank Bauer is arraigned. He is eventually cleared and threatens to sue the alleged victim, Edward Jones, who suffered a concussion and a broken jaw. In today's game, Yogi Berra, Billy Martin, and Whitey Ford are benched, while Bauer bats 8th. Mickey Mantle has a single, two walks, and a homer to back Bob Turley's 4-hit 3–0 shutout over the A's. Turley helps his cause by starting a triple play. The Yanks now trail the White Sox by a half game. » August 20, 1957: Yankee Bob Turley pitches a 2-hitter against Kansas City, but loses 1-0. » October 5, 1957: The Yankees score 5 in the 7th to cap a 12-3 win, as Don Larsen, in relief of Bob Turley, defeats Bob Buhl. Tony Kubek of the Yankees becomes only the 2nd rookie in WS history to hit 2 HRs in a WS game. » October 8, 1957: The Yankees stay alive as Hank Bauer homers off the foul pole in LF to give the Yankees a 3-2 win behind the 4-hit pitching of Bob Turley. The WS is even at 3 apiece. » June 24, 1958: The Yankees erupt for five runs in the 4th inning off Early Wynn to beat the Sox 6–2 at Comiskey Park. Mickey Mantle's clout into the CF bleachers leads off the inning, followed by a single, walk and Jerry Lumpe's first ML home run, and a home run by Siebern. Duren K's six of the last nine batters to preserve Bob Turley's win. » October 6, 1958: The Yankees finally solve Lew Burdette, scoring 6 runs in the bottom of the 6th and winning 7-0 behind the 5-hit pitching of Bob Turley. » November 12, 1958: The Yankees Bob Turley wins the Cy Young Award, gathering five votes to four for last year's winner, Warren Spahn. » November 26, 1958: The American League MVP is Boston slugger Jackie Jensen, winning over New York's Bob Turley and Cleveland's Rocky Colavito. » April 12, 1959: After two rainouts, the Yankees and Red Sox open at Yankee Stadium before 22,559, as the 42 degree temperature threatens a third postponement. Bob Turley allows just two Sox hits and Norm Siebern's 8th inning homer provides a 3–2 New York victory. Siebern's hit is his 3rd of the game off Tom Brewer. » April 17, 1959: Boston's Tom Brewer shuts out the Yankees, 4–0, on two hits, besting Bob Turley who beat him last week. It is the 1st shut out by a Bosox pitcher since August 7, 1956—a 55 game stretch. » April 23, 1959: The Senators tally only three hits off Bob Turley, but beat the Yankee righty, 3–2, snapping his 12-game winning streak over Washington. Russ Kemmerer is the winner, despite allowing a home run to Mickey Mantle. » May 31, 1959: At Washington, the Yankees beat the Senators, 3–0, on Bob Turley's two-hitter. Moose Skowron accounts for the scoring with a three-run homer. Mickey Mantle almost homers, but his 438-foot drive is caught by CF Bob Allison. » July 4, 1959: Yankee Bob Turley turns in another one-hit masterpiece at Washington. A lazy fly in the 9th by pinch-hitter Julio Becquer drops in front of LF Norm Siebern for the only Senator safety. SS Tony Kubek goes 8-for-10 in the doubleheader, as the Yanks sweep 10–6 and 7–0. » July 11, 1959: Boston SS Don Buddin cracks a 10th inning grand slam, off reliever Bob Turley, to give the Red Sox an 8–4 win over New York. Turley replaced Bronstad, who took over when Ryne Duren and Yogi Berra are tossed by ump Summers. » June 8, 1960: Bob Turley tosses a 3-hit shutout against the White Sox, and Mickey Mantle adds his 9th and 10th homers of the season. His 2nd homer, in the 8th, is followed by Roger Maris's 16th of the year, matching his season total last year with KC. It is the first time the M Boys have hit back-to-back homers. » June 1, 1961: Veteran Vic Wertz hits his first triple in six years as he leads the Red Sox to a 7–5 win over Bob Turley and the Yankees. Since June 14, 1955, Wertz has played in 596 games and collected 537 hits, but no 3-baggers. » May 22, 1962: Roger Maris, who went all of 1961 without receiving an intentional walk, gets four in a 12-inning 2–1 win against the Angels to set an American League record. Maris receives five walks in all. Four Yankee pitchers (Whitey Ford, Jim Coates, Bud Daley, and Bob Turley) combine to give up just one hit in 12 innings. Ford leaves after seven innings because of back spasms, and Coates gives up the lone hit, a one-out 9th-inning single to Bob Rodgers. » October 29, 1962: The Yankees sell Bob Turley (82-52 in eight years with NY) to the LA Angels.