The late 1950s were among the best of times in the rich history of the New York Yankees. While the likes of Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, and Whitey Ford made the headlines, those years featured deep rosters for the Bombers, including exemplary depth and talent on the mound. Among that unsung crowd during that time, the Yankees enjoyed the early years of Tom Sturdivent’s career.
A right-handed pitcher who likely started his career at the peak of his abilities before turning in a decade of journeyman
work, Sturdivent was an important part of several World Series winning squads. Although his time in New York was relatively brief, he made the most of it with some solid work on the bump, and a couple of rings to add to the trophy case.
Tom Sturdivant
Born: April 28, 1930 (Gordon, KS)
Died: February 28, 2009 (Oklahoma City, OK)
Yankees Tenure: 1955-59
Born in Kansas and signing at the age of 18, Tom Sturdivant spent the first decade of his professional baseball career with the Yankees. Originally an infielder, he turned in middling results with the bat in the minor leagues until 1950, before missing the ‘51 season due to military service. He returned in 1952, this time converting to working full-time on the mound.
After re-routing his baseball career, Sturdivant climbed his way up to the big leagues, making his debut in April of 1955. He appeared in 33 games in his rookie season, primarily out of relief, with only one of those being a start, and he pitched quite well. In 68.1 innings of work, the righty managed a 3.16 ERA. He pitched twice in that season’s losing World Series effort, but struggled to make a mark, allowing a pair of runs across three innings of work.
In 1956, Sturdivant came in with a bigger role in store, and handled the added workload gracefully. Although he pitched in fewer games (32), he more than doubled his innings load, and managed to maintain a remarkably similar 118 ERA+ mark in more than 150 frames. He was efficient and kept himself out of trouble, posting a league-leading 2.12 K/BB. He appeared twice in that season’s Fall Classic and was much more successful, highlighted by a complete game in Game 4 of the series. The Yankees took home the World Series in seven games, thanks in part to Sturdivant’s heroics in the fourth game.
Riding the wave of a championship, Sturdivant would enter the 1957 season on a high note and pitch the best baseball of his career. At the age of 27, the hurler started 28 games, working over 200 innings for the only time in his big league career. In his full-time role, Sturdivant shined with a career-best 2.54 ERA. It turned out to be the finest work he would have with the Yankees, and in his Major League career.
After back-to-back successful 16-win seasons in the Bronx, the downswing of Sturdivant’s career unfortunately began in 1958. He began to experience arm troubles, and would never again reach the quality or volume that he did with the Yankees in the two years prior. In ‘58, the righty was only able to start 10 games for the Yankees, with much diminished returns on the mound. Although he did not pitch in the series, his team did win another World Series that season, adding another ring to his collection.
He began the 1959 season with the Yankees once again, but after continued struggles from the jump, Sturdivant’s time in pinstripes was nearing the end. He was traded to the Athletics in late May, as his days in New York, as well as his best days on the mound, were over.
Although it was a new chapter for Sturdivant, it was not entirely unsuccessful. He pitched 165.2 above-average innings in 1961 between Washington and Pittsburgh, and would top 100 innings of work a couple more times, including another solid season with the Pirates in ‘62.
As far as the terms you could describe Tom Sturdivant’s career, well-travelled is certainly one of them. Beyond the Yankees, Washington, and Pittsburgh, the pitcher also made stops with the Athletics, Tigers, Red Sox, and Mets in his 10 years of big league time. Pitching in over 1,100 innings in the Major Leagues, Sturdivant worked out to a roughly league-average run-preventor, which is a far more valuable thing than it sounds, and the Yankees were able to enjoy the very best of that career.
Born on this day 96 years ago, a pitcher whose peak saw a couple of great seasons and a complete game victory in the World Series, Tom Sturdivant was an unsung hero on the highly talented 1950s Yankees rosters.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
