View source for Ron Guidry

{{short description|American baseball player and coach (born 1950)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Ron Guidry
|image=Ron Guidry - New York Yankees - 1981.jpg
|caption=Guidry in 1981
|position=[[Pitcher]]
|bats=Left
|throws=Left
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1950|08|28}}
|birth_place=[[Lafayette, Louisiana]], U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=July 27
|debutyear=1975
|debutteam=New York Yankees
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=September 27
|finalyear=1988
|finalteam=New York Yankees
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Win–loss record (pitching)|Win–loss record]]
|stat1value=170–91
|stat2label=[[Earned run average]]
|stat2value=3.29
|stat3label=[[Strikeouts]]
|stat3value=1,778
|teams=
'''As player'''
* [[New York Yankees]] ({{mlby|1975}}–{{mlby|1988}})
'''As coach'''
* [[New York Yankees]] ({{mlby|2006}}–{{mlby|2007}})
|highlights=
* 4× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1978 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1978]], [[1979 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1979]], [[1982 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1982]], [[1983 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1983]])
* 2× [[World Series champion]] ({{wsy|1977}}, {{wsy|1978}})
* [[AL Cy Young Award]] (1978)
* 5× [[Gold Glove Award]] (1982–1986)
* [[Roberto Clemente Award]] (1984)
* 2× [[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders|AL wins leader]] (1978, 1985)
* 2× [[List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders|AL ERA leader]] (1978, 1979)
* [[New York Yankees#Retired numbers|New York Yankees No. 49]] retired
* [[Monument Park (Yankee Stadium)|Monument Park]] honoree
}}
'''Ronald Ames Guidry''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɡ|ɪ|d|r|i}}; born August 28, 1950), nicknamed "'''Louisiana Lightning'''" and "'''Gator'''",<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2003/08/24/guidry-yanks-caught-lightning-in-bottle/|title=GUIDRY, YANKS CAUGHT LIGHTNING IN BOTTLE|first=Evan|last=Grossman|date=August 24, 2003|website=NYPost.com|access-date=April 6, 2019}}</ref> is an American former professional [[baseball]] [[pitcher]] who played 14 seasons in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) for the [[New York Yankees]]. Guidry was also the pitching coach of the Yankees from 2006 to 2007.

Guidry's major league career began in 1975. He was a member of World Series-winning Yankees teams in [[1977 World Series|1977]] and [[1978 World Series|1978]], both over the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]]. He won the [[American League]] [[Cy Young Award]] in 1978, winning 25 games and losing only 3. He also won five [[Gold Glove Award]]s and appeared in four [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] games. Guidry served as [[List of New York Yankees team captains|captain]] of the Yankees beginning in 1986; he retired from baseball in 1989. In 2003, the Yankees retired Guidry's uniform number (49) and dedicated a plaque to him in [[Monument Park (Yankee Stadium)|Monument Park]].

==Early life==
Ronald Ames Guidry was born to Roland and Mary Grace Guidry on August 28, 1950 in [[Lafayette, Louisiana]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pinstripealley.com/2024/1/26/24048601/yankees-top-100-players-ron-guidry-12-biography-starting-pitcher-1978-cy-young |title=Pinstripe Alley Top 100 Yankees: #12 Ron Guidry|website=pinstripealley.com|last=Winterhalt|first=Kevin|date=January 26, 2024}}</ref> Guidry is of [[Cajun]] heritage.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1979/01/22/yankee-from-louisiana-ron-guidry-the-cajun-with-the-shotgun-left-arm-mowed-down-american-league-hitters-last-season-now-hes-back-home-by-the-bayou-trying-to-be-just-another-guidry|title=Yankee from Louisiana|website=[[Sports Illustrated]]|last=Moses|first=Sam|date=January 22, 1979}}</ref>

==College career==
Guidry attended and pitched for the [[University of Louisiana at Lafayette|University of Southwestern Louisiana]]. He was a combined 12&ndash;5 with a 2.03 [[earned run average]] (ERA) and 137 [[strikeout]]s as a two-year [[letterman (sports)|letterman]] with the [[Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns baseball|Ragin' Cajuns baseball team]] in 1969 and 1970.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ragincajuns.com/sports/2016/3/1/2016-baseball-media-guide.aspx?path=baseball|title=2016 Baseball Media Guide|website=Louisiana Athletics|access-date=April 6, 2019}}</ref>

==Professional career==
===Draft and minor leagues===
The [[New York Yankees]] of [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) selected Guidry in the third round, with the 67th overall pick, in the [[1971 Major League Baseball draft|1971 MLB draft]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ragincajuns.com/sports/2015/6/10/BB_Cajuns_In_The_Draft.aspx?path=baseball|title=Cajuns in the MLB Draft|website=Louisiana Athletics|access-date=April 6, 2019}}</ref>

===New York Yankees (1975–1988)===
After four seasons in the minor leagues with the Cardinals in Johnson City, Tennessee, Guidry pitched briefly in the Major Leagues in the 1975 and 1976 seasons.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=guidry001ron|title=Ron Guidry Minor Leagues Statistics & History|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=April 6, 2019}}</ref> He was nearly sent to the [[Baltimore Orioles]] as part of a trade deadline blockbuster on June 15, 1976, but the Yankees did not want to give up any more left-handed pitchers beyond the three ([[Scott McGregor (left-handed pitcher)|Scott McGregor]], [[Tippy Martinez]] and [[Rudy May]]) that they had already included in the deal.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1986/06/15/sports/murray-chass-baseball-players-swap-memories-yankees-orioles-10-player-trade.html?pagewanted=all&mcubz=2 Chass, Murray. "Players Swap Memories of Yankees-Orioles 10-Player Trade", ''The New York Times'', Sunday, June 15, 1986.] Retrieved July 1, 2017</ref> The following year he was to have been dealt to Toronto for [[Bill Singer]] in a transaction that was approved by the Yankees but was vetoed by [[Toronto Blue Jays|Blue Jays]] president [[Peter Bavasi]].<ref>[https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1985/9/30/how-the-blue-jays-did-it Wilson-Smith, Anthony. "How the Blue Jays did it," ''Maclean's'', September 30, 1985.] Retrieved February 29, 2020</ref>

In 1977, Guidry began the season as a [[relief pitcher]] but was moved into the Yankees' [[Starting pitcher|starting rotation]]. On April 30, he was called on to make an emergency start in replace of [[Mike Torrez]], recently acquired in a trade from the Athletics, who had not joined the team in time for what was supposed to be his first start. In the longest outing Guidry could remember since his Eastern League days of 1974, he helped the Yankees beat the [[Seattle Mariners]] 3–0.<ref>Iber, p. 137</ref> Guidry finished the season with a 16–7 record.<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1977/10/16/up-down-guidry-now-up/3c53bf4b-56bb-45b6-9a95-4d5d8851199f/| title = Up, Down Guidry Now Up - The Washington Post| newspaper = [[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> His emergence as a starter after his previous seasons in the bullpen made him one of the Yankees' biggest surprises in 1977.<ref>Iber, p. 143</ref> He helped lead the Yankees to a [[World Series]] championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/598544-mlb-power-rankings-new-york-yankees-25-greatest-pitchers-in-team-history|title=MLB Power Rankings: New York Yankees' 25 Greatest Pitchers in Team History|first=Chris|last=Sbalcio|website=Bleacher Report|access-date=April 6, 2019}}</ref>

In 1978, Guidry posted a career year that has been described as the all-time best season by a Yankees pitcher.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1094466-ron-guidry-25-3-had-a-better-season-than-jack-chesbro-41-12-for-the-yankees|title=Ron Guidry (25-3) Had a Better Season Than Jack Chesbro (41-12) for the Yankees|first=Harold|last=Friend|website=Bleacher Report|access-date=April 6, 2019}}</ref> Against the [[California Angels]] on June 17, he [[Strike out|struck out]] a Yankee-record 18 batters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/nyy/history/single_game_records.jsp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070309175705/http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/nyy/history/single_game_records.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 9, 2007 |title=Yankees Single Game Records |publisher=Newyork.yankees.mlb.com |access-date=June 18, 2012}}</ref>  Guidry's 18-strikeout performance is usually cited as the launching pad of the [[Yankee Stadium]] tradition of fans standing and clapping for a strikeout with two strikes on the opposing batter.<ref name="mlb.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/remembering-ron-guidry-s-amazing-1978-season-c281063816|title=Remembering Ron Guidry's amazing 1978 season|website=MLB.com|access-date=April 6, 2019}}</ref> For the season, Guidry went 25–3,<ref name="baseball-reference1"/> setting the all-time mark for winning percentage by a pitcher with at least twenty wins. He led the league with a 1.74 [[earned run average|ERA]], an .893 winning [[percentage]], nine [[shutouts in baseball|shutout]]s, and 248 strikeouts.<ref name="baseball-reference1">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/guidrro01.shtml |title=Ron Guidry Statistics and History |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=June 18, 2012}}</ref> Guidry's success in 1978 was due in large part to his mastery of the slider.<ref name="auto"/> His 248 strikeouts set a Yankees' franchise record for most strikeouts by a pitcher in a single season,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/23913118|title=Yanks' new strikeout king? Severino chases Louisiana Lightning|date=July 1, 2018|website=ESPN.com|access-date=April 6, 2019}}</ref> breaking Jack Chesbro’s 1904 record of 239, that subsequently stood for 44 years, until 2022 when [[Gerrit Cole]] recorded 257 strikeouts.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/colege01.shtml | title=Gerrit Cole Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More }}</ref>

Guidry's 25th win of the 1978 regular season was his most significant, as it came in the Yankees' 5–4 win over the Boston Red Sox in a one-game playoff at [[Fenway Park]] in Boston to determine the American League East division winner. The game is best known for [[Bucky Dent]]'s seventh-inning, three-run home run that gave the Yankees a 3–2 lead.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/baseballs_best/mlb_bb_gamepage.jsp?story_page=bb_78aleast_playoff_nyybos |title=Baseball's Best &#124; MLB.com: Programming |publisher=Mlb.mlb.com |date=1978-10-02 |access-date=June 18, 2012}}</ref> Later that month, the Yankees again won the World Series over the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]].<ref name="baseball-reference1"/> Guidry won the 1978 [[American League]] [[Cy Young Award]] unanimously.<ref name="mlb.com"/> He also finished second in the [[American League]] [[Most Valuable Player]] voting to [[Boston Red Sox]] slugger [[Jim Rice]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/11/08/archives/rice-is-mvp-guidry-2d-rice-voted-mvp-beating-out-guidry.html|title=Rice Is MVP., Guidry 2d|first=Gerald|last=Eskenazi|work=The New York Times |date=November 8, 1978|access-date=April 6, 2019|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> In addition, Guidry was named The Sporting News AL Pitcher and Major League Player of the Year.<ref name="baseball-reference1"/> Had he not taken the loss in Toronto on September 20, when his record at the time was 22-2, he would have become the first (and to date, only), pitcher ever with at least a .900 winning percentage, and at least 20 wins in a season.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sbnation.com/2013/8/31/4678072/pitcher-won-lost-records-coolest-max-scherzer | title=The 10 coolest pitcher won-loss records ever | date=August 31, 2013 }}</ref>

Guidry was named to the American League All-Star Team in 1978, 1979, 1982, and 1983.<ref name="theadvertiser.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.theadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/ul/2016/05/03/special-jerseys-part-uls-ron-guidry-weekend/83884782/|title=Special jerseys part of UL's Ron Guidry Weekend|website=The Advertiser|access-date=April 6, 2019}}</ref> Known as an excellent fielder,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.si.com/vault/1979/01/22/823322/yankee-from-louisiana-ron-guidry-the-cajun-with-the-shotgun-left-arm-mowed-down-american-league-hitters-last-season-now-hes-back-home-by-the-bayou-trying-to-be-just-another-guidry|title=YANKEE FROM LOUISIANA|first=Sam|last=Moses|website=Vault|access-date=April 6, 2019}}</ref> Guidry won a Gold Glove each year from 1982 through 1986.<ref name="theadvertiser.com"/> In 1984, Guidry won the [[Roberto Clemente Award]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/02/14/sports/guidry-reluctant-to-relieve.html|title=Guidry Reluctant to Relieve|first=Murray|last=Chass|work=The New York Times |date=February 14, 1984|access-date=April 6, 2019|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> given annually to the Major Leaguer who "'best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to his team.'"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2018/09/04/roberto-clemente-award-nominees-announced-4/|title=Roberto Clemente Award Nominees announced|first=Craig|last=Calcaterra|date=September 4, 2018|website=NBCSports.com|access-date=April 6, 2019}}</ref>
[[File:Ron Guidry 1984.jpg|thumb|left|Guidry circa 1984]]
On August 7, 1984, Guidry struck out three batters ([[Carlton Fisk]], [[Tom Paciorek]] and [[Greg Luzinski]]) on nine pitches in the ninth inning of a 7–0 win over the [[Chicago White Sox]].  Guidry became the eighth American League pitcher and the 27th pitcher in major-league history to accomplish an [[immaculate inning]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/feats/feats17.shtml |title=9 Pitches – 9 Strikes – 3 Outs / Immaculate Innings by Baseball Almanac |publisher=Baseball-almanac.com |access-date=June 18, 2012}}</ref> In 1985, he led the American League with 22 wins.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1987-02-10-8701090193-story.html|title=YANKEE TRADITION MERE WORDS WITHOUT GUIDRY|first=TIM ROSAFORTE, Staff|last=Writer|website=Sun-Sentinel.com|access-date=April 6, 2019}}</ref> Guidry and [[Willie Randolph]] were named co-captains of the Yankees on March 4, 1986.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2015/03/05/brian-cashman-says-derek-jeter-should-be-the-last-yankees-captain/24466867/|title=Yankees GM: Derek Jeter should be the last team captain|website=USA TODAY|access-date=April 6, 2019}}</ref>

The latter years of Guidry's 14-year major league career were hindered by shoulder and elbow injuries.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/11/sports/guidry-to-retire-as-yanks-spurn-bid.html|title=Guidry To Retire As Yanks Spurn Bid|first=Murray|last=Chass|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 11, 1989|access-date=April 6, 2019}}</ref> He retired from baseball on July 12, 1989.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bronxpinstripes.com/yankees-history/ron-guidry-retires/|title=On this day in Yankees history - Ron Guidry retires|first=R. J.|last=Loubier|date=July 12, 2016|website=BronxPinstripes.com|access-date=April 6, 2019}}</ref>

{{MLBBioRet
|Image  = RonGuidry49.jpg
|Name   = Ron Guidry
|Number = 49
|Team   = New York Yankees
|Year   = 2003
|}}
Guidry's number 49 was retired on August 23, 2003. The Yankees also dedicated a plaque to Guidry in [[Monument Park (Yankee Stadium)|Monument Park]] at [[Yankee Stadium]]. The plaque calls Guidry "a dominating pitcher", a "respected leader", and "a true Yankee." Each living Yankee previously honored with a plaque in Monument Park was on hand for the ceremony: [[Phil Rizzuto]], [[Yogi Berra]], [[Whitey Ford]], [[Reggie Jackson]] and [[Don Mattingly]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2003/08/24/guidrys-number-retired/ |title=Guidry's number retired|work=Chicago Tribune |date=August 24, 2003 |access-date=June 18, 2012}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
===New York Yankees (2006–2007)===
[[File:US Navy 100318-N-3271W-116 Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Isaiah Maring (SEAL) presents the game ball to New York Yankees coach Ron Guidry before a pre-season game with the Tampa Bay Rays at Steinbrenner Field.jpg|thumb|Guidry during spring training in 2010]]
Guidry joined Yankees manager [[Joe Torre]]'s coaching staff as pitching coach in the 2006 season, replacing [[Mel Stottlemyre]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/667273-brian-cashman-new-york-yankees-gm-is-digging-his-own-grave |title=Brian Cashman: New York Yankees GM Is Digging His Own Grave |work=Bleacher Report |date=April 15, 2011 |access-date=June 18, 2012}}</ref> Guidry was criticized in 2007 because the Yankees' highly acclaimed pitching staff was underachieving.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://waswatching.com/2007/04/25/the-first-19-games-under-torre-a-clue-to-yankees-pitching/ |title=The First 19 Games Under Torre A Clue To Yankees Pitching? |publisher=WasWatching.com |date=April 25, 2007 |access-date=June 18, 2012}}</ref> In 2007, Yankees pitchers walked the sixth-most batters overall in the Major Leagues; this was the most walks in a season for a Yankees pitching staff since 2000. Torre's departure from the Yankees following the 2007 season ended Guidry's tenure as pitching coach. Though he was interested in returning to the Yankees for the 2008 season, he was not offered a position on new manager [[Joe Girardi]]'s coaching staff.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/sports/baseball/23guidry.html | work=The New York Times | title=Guidry Hopes He's Wearing Pinstripes in the Spring | first=Joe | last=Brescia | date=December 23, 2007 | access-date=May 22, 2010}}</ref>  He did return to the Yankees as a spring training instructor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/|title=Breaking News, World News & Multimedia|website=www.nytimes.com|access-date=April 6, 2019}}</ref>

Former ''[[New York Times]]'' writer Harvey Araton wrote a book called ''Driving Mr. Yogi: Yogi Berra, Ron Guidry, and Baseball's Greatest Gift'' that profiles the friendship Guidry had with Yankees' Hall of Fame catcher (and Guidry's former coach and manager) [[Yogi Berra]].<ref>{{Cite book |isbn=978-0547746722 |title=Driving Mr. Yogi: Yogi Berra, Ron Guidry, and Baseball's Greatest Gift (9780547746722): Harvey Araton: Books |year=2012 |publisher=Amazon.com |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/drivingmryogiyog0000arat }}</ref>

==Personal life==

Guidry is married to Bonnie Rutledge Guidry; their wedding was on September 23, 1972. They have three children: two daughters, Jamie and Danielle, and a son, Brandon.<ref>{{cite news|last=Parlee|first=William|title=New York Yankee Legends: Louisiana Lightning, Ron Guidry|url=https://empiresportsmedia.com/new-york-yankees/new-york-yankee-legends-louisiana-lightning-ron-guidry|date=March 18, 2020|access-date=October 9, 2020}}</ref>

Guidry is a member of the [[Knights of Columbus]].<ref>[https://www.archbalt.org/father-mcgivney-knights-founder-could-hold-his-own-on-baseball-field/?print=print Father McGivney, Knights founder, could hold his own on baseball field]</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|Baseball|United States}}
*[[List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball single-game strikeout leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise]]

==Sources==
{{reflist|30em}}

*{{cite book|last=Iber|first=Jorge|pages=100–01|title=Mike Torrez: A Baseball Biography|publisher=McFarland|location=Jefferson, NC|year=2016|isbn=978-0-7864-9632-7}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{baseballstats| mlb=115228| espn=936| br=g/guidrro01| fangraphs=1005124| brm=guidry001ron| retro=G/Pguidr001}}



{{s-start}}
{{succession box | before = [[Mel Stottlemyre]] | title = [[New York Yankees|New York Yankees pitching coach]]| years = 2006–2007
| after = [[Dave Eiland]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Monument Park honorees}}
{{1977 New York Yankees}}
{{1978 New York Yankees}}
{{New York Yankees retired numbers}}
{{New York Yankees team captains}}
{{New York Yankees Opening Day starting pitchers}}
{{AL Cy Young}}
{{SN Sportsman of the Year}}
{{Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year navbox}}
{{The Sporting News MLB Player of the Year Award}}
{{Sporting News AL Pitcher of the Year Award}}
{{Roberto Clemente Award}}
{{AL P Gold Glove Award}}
{{AL wins champions}}
{{AL ERA champions}}
{{New York Yankees}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Guidry, Ron}}
[[Category:1950 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Albany-Colonie Yankees players]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
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[[Category:Baseball players from Lafayette, Louisiana]]
[[Category:Cajun sportspeople]]
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