Longtime Major League Baseball Relief Pitcher Bill Campbell He died today after a battle with cancer, according to multiple reports. he was 74 years old.
A native of Highland Park, Michigan, Campbell began his professional baseball career with the Twins after a military stint in Vietnam. The war delayed his entry into professional baseball until he was 22, but his 6’3-inch right-hander reached the majors within his two seasons. Campbell, a starting pitcher in the minors, began the 1973 season when he entered the big leagues as a relief pitcher with Minnesota. He appeared in his 28 games as a rookie, pitching 51 2/3 innings and an earned run average he had 3.14.
It kicked off a stretch in which Campbell was one of the sport’s better late-game weapons. bottom. He surpassed 120 frames in each season from 1974 to 1976 and allowed fewer than four earned runs per nine innings in all three years. During the ’76 campaign, Campbell led all the big leaguers in his 68 games and out of the bullpen he posted a 3.01 ERA in 167 2/3 innings.
For his efforts, Campbell was ranked 7th in AL Cy Young voting and 8th in MVP voting. It marked an excellent platform for him to show before qualifying for free agency.He signed with the Red Sox that offseason and had a great year in his first season in Boston.Campbell scored 140. Innings he recorded a 2.96 ERA and paced the American League with 31 saves. He earned an All-Star nod and finished fifth in Cy Young voting and tenth in MVP voting.
This was Campbell’s last elite season, as his next four years in Boston were limited to fewer than 55 innings each. Campbell signed with the Cubs during the 1981–82 offseason when he qualified for free agency. He topped his 100 frames again in his two seasons at Chicago, and his first year ERA was his 3.69. The Cubs traded him to the Phillies, and in 1984 he had 81 and he posted a 3.43 ERA in 1/3 innings. Tiger and Expo. The ’85 campaign gave Campbell the only chance to pitch in the postseason as he threw his ball for a 6 1/3 inning one-run run for the National League his champions.
Campbell appeared in all 15 major league seasons from 1973-87. He played for his seven different clubs and found success especially in his early work with the Twins and the Reds in his Sox. Campbell was named the American League’s Relief Player of the Year in both seasons where he secured Cy Young and MVP votes. At the end of his career, he owned his 3.54 ERA in 1229 1/3 innings, just as he made 700 big league appearances. Campbell struck out 864 batters, won 83, and in 455 games he had 126 saves.
After his playing career ended, Campbell coached with the Brewers and Red Sox organizations.MLBTR extends its condolences to Campbell’s family, friends, loved ones and former teammates.
