Former MLB southpaw pitcher Don Gullett dies at age 73

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Don Gullett of Lynn, Kentucky passed away on Wednesday at the age of 73. Gullett pitched nine seasons in the Majors. He was with the Cincinnati Reds from 1970 to 1976, and with the New York Yankees from 1977 to 1978.

Gullett’s MLB career statistics

In 266 Major League games, Gullett had a record of 109 wins and 50 losses, with an earned run average of 3.11. During 1390 innings pitched, he had 44 complete games, 14 shutouts, 11 saves, and 921 strikeouts. Gullett gave up 1205 hits, 481 earned runs, 115 home runs, and 501 walks to go along with a WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) of 1.23.

Solid Winning Percentage

Gullett had a very good winning percentage over his Major League career of .686. In fact, he led the National League with a .727 winning percentage in 1971 after having a record of 16 wins and six losses with the Reds. Then in 1977, Gullett led the American League with a .778 winning percentage after having a record of 14 wins and four losses with the Yankees.

Three-time World Series Champion

One of Gullett’s greatest accomplishments was winning the World Series on three occasions. He was with the Cincinnati Reds in 1975 and 1976, and the New York Yankees in 1977. In the 1975 postseason, Gullett won two games for the Reds. He won game one of the 1975 National League Championship Series, an 8-3 Reds win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Gullett threw a complete game and gave up eight hits, three earned runs and two walks to go along with five strikeouts. Then in game five of the 1975 World Series, Gullett gave up two earned runs, five hits and one walk, to go along with seven strikeouts in a 6-2 Reds win over the Boston Red Sox.

Gullett also won two postseason games in 1976. He gave up one earned run each in a 6-3 Reds win over the Philadelphia Phillies in game one of the National League Championship Series, and in a 5-1 Reds win over the Yankees in game one of the World Series. Gullett had four strikeouts and gave up three walks in each contest.