1960 Profile: Ralph Terry

1959

April 24: With A's, beats Tigers, 10-1, on six hits.

May 3: Downs Red Sox, 7-3, on 8-hitter.

May 26: Traded to Yankees with Hector Lopez for Johnny Kucks, Tom Sturdivant and Jerry Lumpe.

July 1: Shuts out Orioles, 4-0, on four hits.

July 17: Loses 2-hitter to White Sox, 2-0.

September 10: Holds A's to four hits in 11-1 victory.

Comment: "Terry had an off year but pitched better than his record indicates and rates high in Yankee plans for the future."

-Joe Sheehan, Dell Sports Magazine Baseball, April 1960

"Ever since the Yankees won the services of lanky Ralph Terry in competition with the Cardinals, the Oklahoman has given the impression he was going to be a big winner. Eventually, the Yanks traded him to K.C. where he was an 11-game winner in 1958. He was re-obtained from the A's last summer in the big deal that also brought Hector Lopez to the Yanks. Despite several brilliant games, Terry's overall Yankee record was disappointing.

Now with the added weight obtained with winter-time military duty, Ralph hopes to make it 'big' with the Bombers. He has a double incentive ... for he'll marry a TWA hostess in October."

-The New York Yankees Official 1960 Yearbook

Ralph Willard Terry (P)   #23

Born January 9, 1936 in Big Cabin, OK, resides in Chelsea, OK. Height: 6-3, weight: 194. Bats - right, throws - right.

-The New York Yankees Official 1960 Yearbook

"Back for a second whirl with the Bronx Bombers, 24-year-old Ralph Terry was the center of a controversy before ever donning a big-league uniform. In 1954 there was some discrepancy over who Terry belonged to, the Yanks or the St. Louis Cardinals. The commissioner ruled in favor of New York and the 6'3" Oklahoman was dispatched to Binghamton. He had an 11-9 record in his first year of Organized Ball and split the following season between Denver and Birmingham.

A 13-4 ledger at Denver in mid-season 1956 earned Terry a trip to New York. In three games he took one win and two setbacks and was rattled for a 9.69 earned run average.

The Yankees sent Terry to Kansas City in '57 in the Billy Martin for Harry Simpson deal. At the time the Bombers needed help in their battle for the flag and they reluctantly let Ralph go to their K.C. cousins.

He was 5-12 in '57 and 11-13 in 1958. In the latter season, Terry fanned 134 in 217 innings.

Last season the Yanks and A's made another trade- which in itself is certainly not news- and Terry was back in the pin stripe. His record was only 5-11, but Ralph showed enough for the Yanks to figure on him as being one of their front line hurlers this season.

A bachelor, Ralph has moved from his native Big Cabin to Chelsea, both in the Sooner State."

-New York Yankees 1960 Yearbook (Jay Publishing Co.)

"Ralph Terry started and finished the season in brilliant form. Only an ineffective mid-season spell marred what has otherwise been his best year to date in the big leagues. In this season's finale with Baltimore, a key game, Ralph pitched perfect ball for 6 2/3 innings and narrowly missed a no-hitter on eighth and ninth inning singles.

At 24, hard-throwing Terry is a bright Yankee prospect."

-1960 World Series Official Souvenir Program