"The Yankees were ready to set a precedent in 1986 by adding a young pitcher to the rotation. A 4-1 record and 0.93 ERA during the spring exhibition season by Bob Tewksbury made the club's decision an easy one. The big right-hander won the James P. Dawson Award as the top rookie in camp and became the first rookie pitcher to accompany the team to New York since Mike Griffin in 1980.
'We came down here really looking to let young people make our staff,' said manager Lou Piniella, 'and here's one of them.' At age 25 the dream continued with a Yankee Stadium standing ovation of 'Tewks!' after 7 1/3 innings and a win in his major league debut. 'It was the biggest thrill I ever had,' Tewskbury later said.
The bubble burst for the Pride of Penacook (New Hampshire) when he was sent to Columbus in July with a sore shoulder. Tewksbury returned to the big club in September and won three of four decisions to finish the year at an impressive 9-5. This year he's determined to continue his storybook career.
'There's no doubt about it,' Tewksbury says, 'I showed I could pitch here.'"
-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook
"Bob made the Yankees in 1986 after a strong spring training, going 4-1 with a 0.93 ERA in Florida. He made his major league debut in a start against the Milwaukee Brewers in Yankee Stadium on April 11 and recorded his first major league win in that game by pitching 7.1 innings, giving up nine hits and two runs (both earned) in the Yanks' 3-2 victory. His first major league loss came in his next outing, on April 17 at Cleveland (6.1 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 5 ER), a 6-4 Yankee loss to the Indians. In his third outing, April 22 at Kansas City, he notched his second victory (7.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER) in the Yanks' 5-1 win.
In his next five starts he went 2-1 (wins on May 3 against Texas and May 17 against Seattle, and a loss on May 11 at Texas) with a 4.74 ERA (13 ER, 24.2 IP), giving him on overall record in his first eight starts of 4-2 with a 4.14 ERA (45.2 IP, 56 H, 24 R, 21 ER, 7 BB, 19 K) through May 28. Bob then made two relief appearances against Baltimore on June 6 and 7, allowing no earned runs in 4.1 combined innings pitched without a decision. He returned to the starting rotation on June 13 at Baltimore, and in his next seven starts from that point through July 13 he went 2-2 (wins at Baltimore on June 13 and at Texas on July 9, and losses at Chicago on July 4th and at Minnesota on July 13) with a 3.16 ERA (42.2 IP, 15 ER). Included in those contests was Bob's first major league complete game, the July 4th loss at Chicago, going eight innings and giving up six hits and just two runs (earned), but losing a 2-1 decision to the White Sox.
After his July 13 outing he suffered a sore right shoulder and was optioned to Columbus on July 25 but did not pitch there until August 23 because of his injury. At the time of his option he was 6-4 with a 3.59 ERA (92.2 IP, 111 H, 44 R, 37 ER, 18 BB, 37 K). He made two starts for the Clippers, going 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA (10.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 4 K) with the Clippers winning both games.
Bob was recalled by the Yankees on September 1 and in his first six appearances (five starts) following his recall through the end of the season, he went 3-1 with a 2.63 ERA (37.2 IP, 33 H, 14 R, 11 ER, 13 BB, 15 K). His first appearance following his recall was in relief on September 9 at California, and in his next outing, a start at Toronto on September 11, he had his major high of five strikeouts and gave up two runs (earned) in six innings, but did not get a decision in the Yanks' 7-5 win. Bob was tagged with his fifth loss of the year on September 17 at Baltimore, going 5.2 innings and issuing his major league high of five walks in the Yanks' 8-3 loss.
He finished the season by winning each of his final three starts beginning on September 22 at Baltimore, going seven innings and giving up five hits and one run (earned) while getting credit for the Yanks' 4-2 victory. In his next outing on September 28 against Detroit, Bob gained the first complete game win of his big league career, going nine innings and giving up eight hits and two runs (earned) along with one walk and four strikeouts in the Yanks' 10-2 win. In his final start on October 4 at Boston (first game) he beat the Red Sox, giving up four hits and three runs (none earned) in 7.1 innings pitched in the Yankees' 5-3 win. In those final three games he was 3-0 with a 1.16 ERA (23.1 IP, 17 H, 3 ER).
Bob finished the season with an overall record of 9-5 with a 3.31 ERA (130.1 IP, 144 H, 58 R, 38 ER, 31 BB, 49 K) and a .282 batting average-against (144-for-511) in 23 appearances (20 starts). His nine wins was tied for the second highest total on the club and was the most by a Yankee rookie pitcher since Dennis Rasmussen went 9-6 in 1984. His 3.31 ERA was the second best among Yankee pitchers with 100 innings pitched, behind only Dave Righetti, and was the lowest ERA by a Yankee rookie with 100 innings pitched since Righetti posted a 2.06 ERA in his Rookie of the Year season of 1981. Bob's 130.1 innings pitched was the fourth highest total on the team, yet he allowed just eight home runs; he walked just 31 hitters, an average of just 2.14 walks per nine innings.
As a starter he was 9-5 with a 3.21 ERA in 20 games, while he was 0-0 with a 5.14 ERA in three relief appearances. At home he was 4-1 with a 2.56 ERA, while on the road he was 5-4 with a 3.95 ERA. During the day he was 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA and at night he was 5-3 with a 3.32 ERA.
Bob was one of five rookie pitchers to start at least one game for the Yankees in '86. He has good control on both his fastball and sinker.
In 1981 Bob was the top fielding pitcher in the New York-Penn League (1.000) while leading the Oneonta club (A) in wins (7) and strikeouts (62). In 1982, he led the Florida State League (A) in ERA (1.88), wins (15), shutouts (5) and complete games (13). He was named the right-handed pitcher on the Florida State League's 1982 All-Star team and was New York Yankees Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Bob split his 1983 pitching between the Nashville Sounds (AA) and Fort Lauderdale (A), recording impressive numbers with each, and in 1984 led Nashville in victories (11) and complete games (6) and had a 2.83 ERA.
After 17 games with Albany (AA) in 1985, going 6-5 with a 3.54 ERA, Bob was moved to Columbus (AAA) where he posted a 3-0 mark and a 1.02 ERA in six starts. He had a .248 batting average-against at Albany, but just .174 at Columbus.
Bob played baseball and basketball at Merrimack High School in Penacook, New Hampshire. He attended St. Leo (Florida) College, was a 1979 All-Star in the Cape Cod Summer League and was signed by [Yankee scout] Jack Gillis.
His hobbies are art and music, and his favorite spectator sports are basketball, college football and watching his 14-year-old brother play sports. His favorite player growing up was Reggie Smith and his favorite ballparks are Yankee Stadium and Royals Stadium. Bob's most memorable moment was winning his first major league game and retiring Robin Yount with a runner on second and two outs in the seventh inning, with a 3-2 lead, after Yount had gone 3-for-3 until that point.
During the off-season Bob was active in scholastic drug awareness programs and also served as a television sports reporter for a Concord (NH) TV station at postseason Red Sox games at Fenway Park."
-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide
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