"It took some time for Bud Daley to adjust to pitching for a pennant contender. The crafty 28-year-old left-hander had been a 16-game winner for Kansas City in 1959 and 1960. He was the workhorse of the staff for two years. But in 1961, Bud was off to a so-so start.
When the Yankees were looking for pitching insurance, the New Yorkers coveted Daley. It was an appropriate time to obtain the balding Californian, and Art Ditmar and Deron Johnson were traded to obtain the southpaw. It was a new experience for Bud and he had some trouble adjusting to the daily pressure that exerts itself on players working for a top contender. But, after a few turns in the bullpen, Daley came fast toward the end of the season.
When the Yanks faced the Cincinnati Reds in the World Series, Buddy Leo Daley was ready. He got in the fifth and deciding game at Cincinnati. He relieved Ralph Terry in the third inning and pitched the rest of the way to gain the big win over the National League champs.
The knuckleball specialist has a good assortment of pitches and his strikeout record has averaged better than 120 a year in the last three seasons. The Yankees are counting on him for some important victories in 1962 and the years ahead."
-The New York Yankees Official 1962 Yearbook
Leavitt Leo Daley (P) #28
Born October 7, 1932, in Orange, California, where he resides. Height: 6-1, weight: 187. Bats left, throws left.
Married and father of two boys, Eddie (9) and Jeff (3), and two girls, Debbie (7) and Laurie (5).
-The New York Yankees Official 1962 Yearbook
"The Yankees finally captured Bud Daley last summer after having pursued the stouthearted southpaw for two seasons. While his 1961 record was far from being impressive, Daley pitched some fine ball for the champs and should be ready to take his place in the starting rotation this semester.
Bud broke into Organized Ball in 1951 with Bakersfield of the California State League and had a 9-10 record. Advancing to the Three-Eye loop in 1952, he racked up a 14-9 mark with Cedar Rapids.
The 29-year-old native of Orange, California, was 7-1 at Reading (Eastern League) when the Cleveland Indians, who owned him, moved him to Triple A company with Indianapolis in 1954. The Tribe optioned him to Sacramento of the Pacific Coast League in 1954 and again in '55, and Daley produced records of 13-9 and 18-16 with the Solons.
In late '55 he got the call to join the Ohioans. The 6'1" southpaw dropped his first major league verdict but posted a win in 1956 before being farmed out to Indianapolis once again. His record there was a brilliant 11-1.
Daley, who has a crippled right arm, divided 1957 between Cleveland and San Diego of the PCL. With the Indians, he was 2-8, with the Padres, 3-0.
Cleveland dealt him to Baltimore during the off-season, and the Orioles passed him on to Kansas City for pitcher Arnold Portocarrero.
During the 1958 campaign, Bud was 3-2 with the A's, and with Buffalo of the International League was 4-6. Daley won 16 games in each of the next two summers in Kansas City. His name crept into the rumored trades repeatedly, until New York finally managed to close the deal for him.
K.C. received veteran hurler Art Ditmar and outfielder Deron Johnson from the Bombers for the 185-pound moundsman.
Bud's record for the '61 campaign was 12-17. Two of the defeats came at the hands of the Yankees. On the credit side of the ledger, three of Daley's victories were against the Baltimore Orioles.
And he relieved Whitey Ford and hurled shutout ball in an all-important night game against Detroit late in the season. Many experts, in fact, call this game the turning point of the 1961 pennant race, as the Yankees won 1-0 and went on to sweep the Bengals.
Daley has the desire, plus an assortment of baffling stuff - including a knuckler - to be a winner. He's also a fairly good batsman and fields his position well.
Bud has had a taste of victory - the 1961 Series - and he likes it. You can bet he'll be giving it his all this season."
-The 1962 Jay Publishing New York Yankees Yearbook
DALEY YANKS' NEW MAN OF THE HOUR AS RALLY SNUFFER
Bud Yielded Only One Single Run in 33-Inning Stretch
"Only a few weeks ago, Bud Daley's status as a productive Yankee was what you might call a bit on the iffy side. The left-hander was almost completely the forgotten man of Ralph Houk's pitching staff.
Oh, he'd get a turn here and there. But there was neither rhyme nor reason for the schedule of Daley's employment. He worked manfully, if not with great distinction, on a hit-or-miss basis and there were whispers among certain of the pitchers' brotherhood that Buddy Leo Daley's days as a front-line pitcher were numbered.
That's the way it used to be because nobody is making any clucking noises about poor old Buddy these days. Not since Daley found a new home in the bullpen, that is. Ask any Yankee pitcher who the hottest member of the firm is nowadays and chances are he'll point in the direction of the fellow with the Yul Brynner pate. The reasons for Daley's new lease may be found in the comforting statistics alongside his name. Going into the doubleheader with the Orioles on August 8, Daley had allowed one run in his last 33 1/3 innings, all of which was logged in relief chores.
In his last five appearances, the veteran left-hander has not allowed a run and [allowed] only seven hits in 12 1/3 innings. All this testimony was enough to convince Houk that Daley's future was set in the bullpen. The Yankee manager said, 'Until further notice, Daley's going to work out of the bullpen.'
Wide Range of Pitches
"This rather sudden spurt by the left-hander as a relief specialist needs some explaining. Here is no typical bullpen performer. Daley doesn't fog his hard stuff by the hitters a la Marshall Bridges. Neither does he get them out the one-pitch way, as does Luis Arroyo with his screwball.
Daley's repertoire features 'a little bit of everything,' as he puts it.
'On any given day, my 'out' pitch may vary,' he said.
No matter what Daley's pitch of the day may be, one look at the left-hander on the mound is enough to inspire extreme confidence in the breast of any hitter foolish enough to let his ambition govern his common sense. Watching Daley from close view, you get the impression he'd be a soft touch. He is far from overpowering- on any of his pitches, and he has several.
The screwball and the knuckleball, for instance. The big curve, the little curve, the slider and changes of speed on everything.
Three Types of Curves
Daley describes his assortment as being something like Stu Miller's.
'You know,' he said, 'a little bit of this, a little bit of that, then bust through there with a fastball now and then. I guess you'd call it mostly junk, but I feel I can throw three different types of curves. I can come straight overhand, three-quarters and then sidearm.'
Daley's spectacular success lately as a relief pitcher is, according to Houk, 'one of the very good reasons the Yankees have been doing so well.'
The relief pitching has been excellent. Without it, the Yankees would be floundering around in the league standings a lot lower than first place.
After 106 games, for instance, Yankee pitchers had completed only 20 games. Of the 86 in which more than one pitcher was required to do the job, Bridges alone had saved ten in addition to posting four victories against no losses.
Houk makes no secret of the fact his pitching will be the important factor in the drive to another pennant.
'Unless we fall apart completely on the mound, we should do all right,' he said."
-Til Ferdenzi, The Sporting News (August 18, 1962)
MRS. DALEY HILL STAR, TOO - FOR COAST MOTHER'S TEAM
"Every now and then, the Bud Daleys contribute an interesting twist on the togetherness theme. Just a couple of weeks ago, for example, Mr. Bud Daley of the Yankees was the winning pitcher against the Chicago White Sox. About the time papa was logging his triumph in Yankee Stadium, mama- Bud's pretty wife, Dorothy- was the winning pitcher in a softball game out in Long Beach, California.
Mrs. Daley's primary job concerns itself with running the Daley menage, and that includes tending to the wants and needs of Eddie, 9; Debbie, 7; Laurie, 5, and Jeff, 3. Now and then, though, she performs on the mound for a team made up of mothers, just like herself ... Mothers of Little Leaguers, that is."
-Til Ferdenzi, The Sporting News (August 18, 1962)
