"The only Yankee left from the last pennant-winning team in 1964 under Yogi Berra, Stottlemyre came up to be 9-3, 2.06 that year and has been a stalwart ever since. He has won 158 games in a decade and was 16-16 last year on a poor defensive team. He's a very workmanlike pitcher who depends on a sinker.
'Some nights,' says reserve catcher Jerry Moses, 'he makes nothing but perfect pitches.' Tops in the league with 40 career shutouts, Mel has won 20 three times.
'His fastball,' says Thurman Munson,' weighs about 100 pounds.'"
-Peter Gammons, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1974 Edition
"Still the recognized leader of the Yankee pitching staff, Mel Stottlemyre completes his tenth year with the Yankees in August. The youthful veteran (he's only 32) is the senior man on the Yankee team, the only remaining active player from the Yanks' last championship club (1964).
In that season, the personable right-hander with the outstanding sinker ball won nine of twelve decisions after being called up from Richmond ... a performance that meant a fifth straight pennant - and the 29th overall - for the Yankees. Nothing would make Mel happier than to celebrate his anniversary with another team championship for the Yankees.
During the intervening years, Mel has established himself as one of the all-time Yankee pitchers, ranking high in most Yankee pitching statistics. Going into the 1974 campaign, his 40 lifetime shutouts were second only to Hall of Famer Whitey Ford's 45 ... and were tops in the American League for pitchers still active. His 158 wins put him in sixth place, just four behind Herb Pennock, another Hall of Fame member. Mel is third on the all-time Yankee list for innings pitched; eighth in games; fourth in strikeouts; and seventh in career ERA with 2.94.
An outstanding fielder, Stottlemyre has 'good stuff' plus the moxie to lead the staff. A fine competitor, Mel has the winning attitude which hopefully will lead the Yankees to future glory."
-The New York Yankees Official 1974 Yearbook
"The 'dean' of the Yankees, Mel will celebrate his 10th anniversary as a Yankee on August 12, the day he came up from Richmond as Minor League Player of the Year to begin one of the most successful Yankee pitching stories ever. Famed for his sinker, he was the first major find of scout Eddie Taylor, signing in 1961.
Despite all but that first season without a pennant winner behind him, Mel is high on the charts in most Yankee pitching categories. His 40 career shutouts are tops among active American League pitchers (except for Boston's Juan Marichal, whose 52 were all in the N.L.). Whitey Ford leads the all-time Yankee list with 45. Mel has been a 20-game winner three times, and five times an All-Star. He holds the American League record of 257 consecutive starts without a relief appearance, a record he is still building on.
Since Ford's retirement in 1967, Mel has been the ace of the Yankee staff and the opening day pitcher six times. He was the victim of a shutout six times last year, making his 16-16 record deceiving. A great all-around athlete, Mel is one of the better fielding pitchers in the majors, and as a hitter had seven homers and a 5-for-5 day at Washington in 1964.
Only 32, Mel continues to be the Yankee mound leader, and a big year from him will certainly mean the same for the entire ball club."
-1974 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide
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