The Tar Heel State has a proud sports history. While the Duke and North Carolina rivalry is among the best in American sports, the state does not lack in baseball. North Carolina has sent 476 players to the Major Leagues. The greatest pitcher born in the Tar Heel State is Gaylord Perry. His 93.02 career WAR is the 10th highest among state and territory pitching leaders. The best position player from North Carolina is Luke Appling. His 77.11 career WAR is 22nd among position player leaders. The Tar Heel State has a combined 170.13 WAR, ranking North Carolina 15th in the United States of Baseball. 

A little vaseline, spit, or grease ought to do the trick. Gaylord Perry made a career out of throwing the Spitball, or so he was accused. The Right Hander pitched for 22 seasons with 8 teams: San Francisco Giants (1962-1971), Cleveland Indians (1972-1975), Texas Rangers (1975-1977, 1980), San Diego Padres (1978-1979), New York Yankees (1980), Atlanta Braves (1981), Seattle Mariners (1982-1983), and Kansas City Royals (1983). He was constantly tugging, touching, rubbing, wiping, and pulling on his uniform, hat, and hair which enraged opposing batters and managers. They assumed he was throwing a Spitball, which had been outlawed by MLB in 1920. The Williamston native was much more than a cheat, he was among the great pitchers of his era. Perry’s brother Jim, who enjoyed his own long Major League career, was a Minor League pitcher with the Cleveland Indians when the San Francisco Giants signed Gaylord for 3 years and $60,000 out of high school. Both Perry brothers found success and in 1970 they became the first brothers to each win 20 games in the same season. 

Gaylord Perry pitched in 777 career Games, made 690 Starts, threw 303 Complete Games, including 53 Shutouts, 5,350 Innings Pitched, allowed 4,938 Hits, 2,128 Runs, 1,846 Earned Runs, 399 Home Runs, 1,379 Walks, 3,534 Strikeouts, posted a 314-265 record, 3.11 ERA, 1.181 WHIP, and 117 ERA+. He remains fifth in Hits allowed, sixth in Losses, seventh in Batters Faced, eighth in Strikeouts, ninth in Starts, 14th in Home Runs, 16th in Shutouts, and 17th in Wins. He was a five time All Star. He twice won the Cy Young Award, winning the 1972 American League Cy Young with the Indians and the 1978 National League Cy Young with the Padres at 39 years old. Perry was the first pitcher to win the award in both leagues. 

So much of Gaylord Perry’s career is shrouded in secrecy that it is hard to separate truth from fiction. He claims the first Spitball he threw in a Major League game was in May 1964. There are managers and batters who suggest otherwise. Perry developed a routine to load up the baseball after 1967 when pitchers could no longer blow on or lick their fingers without wiping them off. He spent the offseason rehearsing in front of a mirror so his routine was ready for Spring Training. Despite the theatrics, Perry pitched well, maybe too well. The Cardinals thought so on September 17, 1968. They complained loudly as Perry threw a No Hitter against St. Louis and Bob Gibson, winning 1-0. The Redbirds had little room to complain the next day when Ray Washburn also threw another No Hitter. This was the first time a team was No Hit on back to back days in the same series. 

Perry was not skilled with a bat in his hands, prompting Giants manager Alvin Dark to say, “Mark my words a man will land on the moon before Gaylord Perry hits a Home Run.” Dark was right. Perry did not hit his first Home Run until 30 minutes after Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon. 

After the 1971 season, the Giants broke up their aging team. Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, and Juan Marichal were all traded, as was Perry who landed in Cleveland. Despite clashing with manager Frank Robinson, Perry was terrific next to Lake Erie, winning his first Cy Young Award. In 1974, after losing his first Start, he won his next 15 decisions. All 15 victories were Complete Games. His record stood at 15-1 with a 1.31 ERA at the All Star Break. Despite his brilliance, Perry was unhappy and was traded to Billy Martin and the Texas Rangers in 1975. 

Perry’s career as an elite journey man had begun. He was again traded in 1978, this time to the San Diego Padres. The Rangers needed cash and the Padres needed a veteran. He responded by winning his second Cy Young and becoming the third pitcher to win 20 games with three different teams, joining Carl Mays and Pete Alexander. Rangers owner Brad Corbett publicly regretted trading Perry and said a front office job was waiting for him when he retired. San Diego rightly levied tampering charges against the Rangers. Once again, success meant little as Perry was traded back to Texas in 1980 after feuding with Padres management. The reunion did not last. He was again on the move, traded to the Yankees in June. He found some success in the Bronx, but was left off the Postseason roster. 

Finally in control of his own future as a free agent, Perry signed with the Atlanta Braves in 1981. He was closing in on 300 wins. However, the Player’s Strike cost him several Starts and he finished the season with 297 wins. Perry was a free agent sitting just three wins away from 300. The phone sat silent for much of the Winter until the Seattle Mariners finally called. The elusive 300th victory came on May 6, 1982 against the Yankees. Perry threw a Complete Game, winning 7-3. He was the first 300 game winner since Early Wynn in 1963. 

Perry was finally caught throwing a Spitball on August 23, 1982. Two suspect pitches and Home Plate umpire Dave Phillips tossed him for doctoring the ball. Seattle released Perry in the middle of the summer and his final stop was Kansas City. His greatest contribution to the Royals was during the infamous Pine Tar Game. On August 18, 1983, Billy Martin and the Yankees protested George Brett’s Home Run, saying the pine tar was too far up the bat. The umpires agreed and called Brett out, who promptly went crazy. In the chaos, Perry grabbed the bat and ran for the clubhouse. Security and the umpires gave chase, caught him, and ejected him. Gaylord Perry’s long and colorful career came to an end after the 1983 season. He retired with the third most Strikeouts and 11th most Wins at the time. Perry was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1991. 

The best season of Perry’s career was with the 1972 Cleveland Indians. He pitched in 41 Games, made 40 Starts, threw 29 Complete Games, including 5 Shutouts, 342.2 Innings Pitched, allowed 253 Hits, 79 Runs, 73 Earned Runs, 17 Home Runs, 82 Walks, 234 Strikeouts, posted a 24-16 record, 1.92 ERA, 0.978 WHIP, and 168 ERA+. He led the American League in Wins and Complete Games. Perry set career bests in Wins, ERA, WHIP, and ERA+, while equalling his best in Complete Games. In his 29 Complete Games, he pitched into Extra Innings eight times. Perry’s efforts earned him his third All Star selection, finished sixth for the MVP, and won the Cy Young Award. Cleveland however finished fifth, well out of the Postseason. 

Despite having a Hall of Fame career, Perry pitched for many bad teams. He appeared in the Postseason once, the 1971 National League Championship Series with Giants. Perry pitched in 2 Games, made 2 Strats, threw 1 Complete Game, 14.2 Innings Pitched, allowed 19 Hits, 11 Runs, 10 Earned Runs, 1 Home Run, 3 Walks, 11 Strikeouts, posted a 1-1 record, 6.14 ERA, and 1.500 WHIP. He allowed 3 Earned Runs in a 5-4 Complete Game victory in Game 1. Perry lost the Pennant clinching Game 4, giving up 7 Runs to the Pirates in 5 ⅔ Innings.  

Old Aches and Pains would complain about every little thing, as hypochondriacs do, and then go get three hits. Luke Appling was the Shortstop on the South Side of Chicago for two decades. The High Point native signed with the Atlanta Crackers of the Southern Association out of Oglethorpe College. In 1930, the Cubs bought the Crackers and sold Appling across town for $20,000. He played 20 seasons with the Chicago White Sox (1930-1943, 1945-1950), missing 1944 and nearly all of 1945 serving in the military. He was a great hitter, but his defense was lacking at the start of his career. After a tough first season Appling stopped swinging for the fences, which changed the trajectory of his career. He played in 2,422 career Games, collected 2,749 Hits, 440 Doubles, 102 Triples, 45 Home Runs, 1,116 RBI, scored 1,319 Runs, 179 Stolen Bases, 1,302 Walks, 528 Strikeouts, .310 BA, .399 OBP, .398 SLG, .798 OPS, and 113 OPS+. Appling was a seven time All Star. He won two Batting Titles, 1936 and 1943, and twice finished second for the American League MVP.

After early struggles, Appling became a solid defensive Shortstop, amassing 19.1 career dWAR. He led the Junior Circuit in Assists seven times, Errors five times, and Double Plays three times. Appling remains fifth in Double Plays by a Shortstop, sixth in Assists, seventh in Putouts, eighth in Assists and Games Played, and 12th in Errors. An incredible transformation for a player the White Sox tried to trade after the 1930 season, but found no interest. 

Many legendary players have worn a White Sox uniform, but none earned more WAR on the South Side of Chicago than Appling. He is the White Sox leader in Games Played, Runs, Hits, Doubles, RBI, Walks, At Bats, and Total Bases. He is also third in Triples. When he retired, Appling held the American League record for Assists, Putouts, and Chances by a Shortstop, and the Major League record for Games Played by a Shortstop. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1964. 

Luke Appling was a baseball lifer. He managed the Memphis Chicks beginning in 1951. Appling was so successful, he won the Minor League Manager of the Year award in 1952. He also managed Indianapolis and Richmond before returning to the Majors coaching the Tigers, Indians, Orioles, Athletics, and Braves. His only Major League managing was the final 40 games of the 1967 season after the Kansas City Athletics fired Alvin Dark. The A’s went 10-30 under Appling. In 1982, during an Old Timer All Star game, the 75 years old Appling launched an improbable Home Run off Warren Spahn. Make that 46 career Home Runs.  

The best season of Appling’s career was 1936. He played in 138 Games, collected 204 Hits, 31 Doubles, 7 Triples, 6 Home Runs, 128 RBI, scored 111 Runs, 10 Stolen Bases, 85 Walks, 25 Strikeouts, .388 BA, .474 OBP, .508 SLG, .981 OPS, and 139 OPS+. He won the Batting Title with the highest single season BA for a Shortstop in the 20th century. Appling had career highs in Runs score, Hits, RBI, BA, OBP, SLG, and OPS. He also put together a 27 game hitting streak. Appling was an All Star and finished second in a close race for the American League MVP behind Lou Gehrig. 

Appling, like fellow Chicago legend Ernie Banks, never played in the Postseason. The White Sox were dreadful, having just four winning seasons with Appling. In three of those seasons there was no real hope of reaching the World Series. The White Sox finished Fourth and 20 Games Back in 1936, they finished Third in 1937 and 1939, but 16 and 22.5 Games Back respectively. The closest Appling ever came was 1940. Chicago finished only 8 Games Back of the Pennant winning Detroit Tigers. However, they tied for fourth in a very tight American League. 

North Carolina is home to 11 Minor League and two independent league teams. The availability of professional baseball in the Tar Heel State is among the highest anywhere. There are seven North Carolinians in the Hall of Fame: Luke Appling, Rick Ferrell, Catfish Hunter, Buck Leonard, Gaylord Perry, Enos Slaughter, and Hoyt Wilheim. There will surely be more. Next week the United States of Baseball heads to the Great Plains and The Peace Garden State. North Dakota is next. 

DJ