77 Red Sox At Yankees, July 10, 1971, Sparky Lyle, The First Reliever

1 April 2024

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Album art features Sparky Lyle.

899 games pitched, all in relief, with a lifetime 99-76 record; the delightfully named Sparky Lyle was an era-defining relief pitcher.

Take his 1977 Cy Young award, the first AL reliever to do so, twice picking up the AL saves record, and three all-star appearances. Then you have his back-to-back World Series in 77 and 78, plus writing the book on the 78 season ('The Bronx Zoo'). Lyle has the numbers, the prestige, and the passion to lay claim to being one of the most important relievers in the history of the game.

He found his grove with the Boston Red Sox before being traded to the New York Yankees… a move which boosted his career but on reflection one the Red Sox might have wished they could have taken back.

Let's unite the old and new for today's game as Lyle's Yankees welcome the Lyle-less Red Soxs.

You can find the boxscore here.

This game was played on July 10, 1971.