1984 Profile: John Montefusco

"The nickname 'Count of Montefusco' says a lot more about John Montefusco than meets the eye. A Count symbolizes a swashbuckling, devil-may-care swordsman who fears no man and who always saves the heroine before Basil Rathbone can feed her to the vultures.
That about sizes up the man counted upon to be the Yankees' top right-handed starting pitcher in 1984- and for a few more years thereafter.
When he came to the Yankees in August of 1983, he brought a 9-4 record from the San Diego Padres with him. Could he rescue the Yankees, riding in on a white horse from out of the Western skies?
He didn't ... but he sure gave it one heck of a try, throwing a perfect 5-0 at batters in a new league.
'What the heck,' explained the Count, 'the batter goes to home plate with a bat in his hands, there's a home plate, a catcher, an umpire and I have the ball in my hands. I get the sign and I throw the ball. If he hits it, good for him. If he doesn't- well that's what I get paid for.'
That's more of the Count, kind of a 'What, me worry?' type guy. He's a New Yorker at heart, and New Yorkers took to him instantly in 1983. In 1976, with the San Francisco Giants, he pitched a 9-0 no-hitter, missing a perfect game by one batter- a fourth inning walk to Jerry Royster of the Braves. What does he remember about the game?
'I had him struck out, that's what.' And that's the Count of Montefusco."

-The New York Yankees Official 1984 Yearbook

"Montefusco began the 1983 season with the Padres, being used in both starting and relief roles. Eligible to become a free agent at the end of the season, he was traded to the Yankees on August 26. He won his first start as a Yankee on August 28 at California and, used exclusively as a starter, won five of six starts.
On September 29, 1976, John pitched a no-hitter against the Braves, missing a perfect game by the margin of a fourth inning walk to Jerry Royster. In 1975 he was National League Rookie of the Year (BBWAA) and NL Rookie Pitcher of the Year (Sporting News) when he recorded 215 strikeouts, most by an NL rookie since 1911. In 1974 for Phoenix, John tied a Pacific Coast League record set in 1910 by fanning eight straight batters and hit a home run in his first at-bat in the majors on September 3 at Dodger Stadium.
John played shortstop for Middletown (NJ) Township High until his senior year when he switched to pitching."

-1984 New York Yankees Information Guide