1982 Profile: Rudy May

"In a world full of self-indulgent, self-praising, greed-filled men, one man stands alone. He's a humble, hard-working, pleasure-to-have-on-your-team kind of guy. You'll catch him working summers in New York in his nattily-attired pinstriped suit. Not a pinstriped suit, mind you, like a stockbroker would wear, but a pinstriped suit made famous by that well-respected baseball team in the Bronx.
Rudy first came to Yankee Stadium as a California Angel rookie in 1965. He stayed with Gene Autry's club until June of '74 when the Yankees purchased this solid left-hander. Rudy played for the Yankees for the equivalent of two seasons and was dealt to Baltimore in June of '76. Earl Weaver utilized the Dude from '76 to '77 and then dealt him to Montreal in the off-season. Rudy pitched in Canada during both the '78 and '79 campaigns. At the end of 1979, his contract was up! Becoming a free agent aroused interest on 161st Street and River Avenue and Rudy knew coming home was his next step. That winter, he signed a multi-year contract with the Yankees.
Two seasons ago, his first year back in New York, the 6'2", 200-pound Californian chalked up 15 wins against only five losses and was the AL's leading ERA man with a 2.47 earned run average. Last season, making the transition from a starting spot to the bullpen and back again was difficult for the Dude and he compiled a mere six wins. This year, Rudy wants to turn it all around and aim for a big, big winning season."

-The New York Yankees Official 1982 Yearbook

"1981 was a confusing season for May. He began the season winning his first three games and four of his first five with a 2.39 ERA, then he couldn't win from May 3 through August 25. He lost seven straight during that streak, saving one with seven no-decisions, had five one-run losses and was shut out twice.
Rudy was used exclusively as a starter in the first half and led the Yankee staff in starts and innings pitched. Winning his first three games of the season gave him an 11-game winning streak as he won his last eight decisions of 1980. In 1980 Rudy won the AL ERA title with a 2.47 mark, though he was disabled early in the season with a lower back strain. 

He originally made it to the majors in 1965 with the Angels and threw a 1-hitter against Denny McLain and the Tigers in his first game, but without a decision. He suffered a sore shoulder later that year and struggled in the minors for three seasons. Rudy was a mainstay of the Angels' pitching staff from 1969 through June 15, 1974 when he was sold to the Yankees. He struck out nine batters in a row while at Portsmouth in 1964.
Rudy lettered in baseball, basketball, football and track at Castlemont High School in Oakland where he was a teammate of Joe Morgan and played against Willie Stargell and Paul Silas. He grew up rooting for the Giants. He credits three of his pitching coaches for helping his career the most: George Bamberger, Jim Brewer and Whitey Ford."

-1982 New York Yankees Media Guide