Longtime Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Bob Veale, who helped lead the team to victory in the 1971 World Series, passed away over the weekend at the age of 89.
The news was confirmed by Veale’s family who stated that he died in his hometown surrounded by his loved ones. Further details about his passing have not been disclosed.
“Bob was an integral member of the Pirates who helped our team capture back-to-back division titles as well as the 1971 World Series,” said Pirates owner Bob Nutting in a statement. “He was one of the most dominant left-handed pitchers in all of Major League Baseball during his remarkable big league career that he proudly spent a majority of as a member of the Pirates. He was a great man who will be missed.”
Veale spent 13 seasons in Major League Baseball, primarily with the Pirates, where he earned two All-Star selections. He played a key role in the Pirates’ victory over the Baltimore Orioles in the 1971 World Series, which ended in seven games.
During the 1972 season, Veale made history by participating in a game where the Pirates fielded an all-Black or Afro-Latino lineup. He later joined the Boston Red Sox for the final two seasons of his career.
With a career record of 120-95, a 3.99 ERA, and 1,703 strikeouts in 397 MLB games, Veale left a lasting impact on the sport. After retiring, he worked as a scout for the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees, and was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.
“We want kids to come and learn, so the history of the Negro Leagues will not have been in vain … and the people who come behind us will learn about it as we go past,” Veale said in 2015.