1975 Profile: Larry Gura

"When the Cubs let Larry Gura drift to the Texas Rangers, and the Rangers sent him to Spokane, and Spokane transferred him to Syracuse, people stopped paying attention to his progress. After all, here was the once promising Arizona State product floating in the minors after four trials with the Cubs.
But Larry mastered his art at Syracuse. He hurled four shutouts and was the International League's earned run average champion. The Yankees brought him up on August 18 when Mel Stottlemyre was disabled, and Larry proceeded to win five straight games, two by shutouts and posted a 1.55 ERA. He wasn't beaten until September 24.
The 27-year-old left-hander, who now lives in Litchfield Park, Arizona, has always felt a warm spot for the Yankees. While with Chicago, he and his wife visited Yankee Stadium in 1973 to see the old park before the remodeling began.
Now, as fate would have it, he figures to help build towards the 30th Yankee pennant by wearing the pinstripes himself."

-The New York Yankees Official 1975 Yearbook

"Larry's arrival on the Yankees last August turned into a big move for the club during the pennant drive. He promptly won his first five decisions, which included two shutouts and a 1.55 earned run average with only eight walks in 46 innings. He beat the Tigers twice, and California, Baltimore and Cleveland once each before Boston finally stopped him on September 24. Larry did it in a craftsman-like way, without throwing the ball by hitters, but he had a knack for recording the big strikeout when he needed it.
1974 was the fifth year in a row split between the minors and the majors for Larry. He was the Cubs' number two pick in June 1969 after a 19-1 senior year with a 1.73 ERA for Coach Bobby Winkles at Arizona State. Larry was All-American in 1969, and All-Conference in 1968 and '69. His first major league win was on August 5, 1970, a complete game 7-hitter against Montreal.
He attended Joliet East High School, participating in track, swimming and cross country as well as baseball. While still with the Cubs, Larry and his wife visited Yankee Stadium during a road trip to New York in 1973.
He was traded to Texas by the Cubs in November of '73 and spent last spring training with the Rangers. After his transfer to Syracuse, Larry appeared in the Mayor's Trophy Game in a Yankee uniform last May. Four of his seven Syracuse victories were shutouts, and he wound up with the lowest earned run average in the International League, 2.13.
Larry enjoys archery, hunting and tennis.
As an amateur, he threw two consecutive no-hitters with 23 strikeouts in each game. In college, he played with or against a host of current big leaguers, including Elliott Maddox, Chris Chambliss, Reggie Jackson, Lenny Randle, Lerrin LaGrow, Sal Bando, Rick Monday, Burt Hooton and Gary Gentry."

-1975 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide