Bud Daley, who made a pivotal relief appearance in Game 5 of the 1961 World Series, helping the New York Yankees secure a championship victory over the Cincinnati Reds, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 92, as announced by the Yankees.
Over his 10-year major league career, Daley played for the Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Athletics, and the Yankees. He was part of two World Series-winning Yankee teams in 1961 and 1962 and was an All-Star for Kansas City in 1959 and 1960, when both leagues held two All-Star games each year.
Daley’s standout moment occurred on October 9, 1961. With the Yankees needing one win to clinch the title, Ralph Terry started but struggled, allowing three runs and six hits in 2.1 innings. Daley stepped in during the third inning at Crosley Field and impressively completed the game, allowing only two runs (none earned) over 6.2 innings as the Yankees triumphed 13-5. In 1962, Daley made 43 appearances for the Yankees and had a flawless relief outing in Game 2 of the World Series against the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park. He finished his career with a record of 60-64 and a 4.03 ERA in 248 games (116 of which were starts) from 1955 to 1964.
Daley, originally from Orange, California, grew up in a rural area near San Diego. He didn’t participate in organized baseball until attending Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, where he emerged as a star during his senior year, boasting a .450 batting average in the outfield and an impressive 11-1 record on the mound. After being scouted by 14 of the 16 major league teams, he decided to sign with the Cleveland Indians, inspired by the fact that Hall of Famer Bob Lemon, a former Wilson High graduate, had also played for the team.
Daley spent parts of five seasons in the minor leagues from 1951 to 1955 before making his major league debut with the Cleveland Indians in September 1955. He divided the following two seasons between the Indians and their Triple-A affiliate in Indianapolis. In 1958, Daley was traded, along with outfielders Dick Williams and Gene Woodling, to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Larry Doby and Don Ferrarese. However, he only made one spring training appearance for the Orioles before being traded again, this time two weeks later, to the Kansas City Athletics for right-handed pitcher Arnie Portocarrero.
Daley recorded a 39-39 record with a 3.93 ERA while with the Kansas City Athletics. He appeared in both AL All-Star games in 1959 (where he went 16-13) and 1960 (16-16) before being traded to New York in June 1961 in exchange for Art Ditmar and Deron Johnson. Daley later recounted that he found out about the trade when a teammate unintentionally overheard a phone conversation between A’s owner Charlie Finley and Yankees GM Roy Hamey arranging the deal.
Daley relocated to Wyoming in 1975. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy, as well as four children, eight grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.
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