Mel Stottlemyre, New York baseball star, dead at 77

Mel Stottlemyre, the former New York Yankees pitcher who became one of baseball’s top pitching coaches, had died at the age of 77.

Stottlemyre, who was a five-time All-Star pitcher and five-time World Series champion as a coach, had been battling bone marrow cancer.

Stottlemyre pitched in American Legion Baseball and attended Mabton High School in Mabton, Washington, and Yakima Valley Community College. A scout for the New York Yankees discovered Stottlemyre pitching for Yakima’s baseball team, and signed him to a contract with no signing bonus on June 10, 1961.

After pitching for the Yankees from 1964-74, Stottlemyre went on to have a brilliant career as a pitching coach, winning championships with the New York Mets in 1986 and the Yankees in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000.  Stottlemyre also was the Seattle Mariners pitching coach for one season before retiring from baseball in 2008.

Stottlemyre is survived by his wife, Jean, and two sons, Todd and Mel, Jr., both of whom pitched in the major leagues.