American League Pitcher Dave Righetti Breaks Major League Record for Most Saves

I once saw a baseball star "born."

It was late in the season, September 1979, while sitting in the Twins' press box in Minnesota, I watched Dave Righetti, a 19-year-old-southpaw, make his second pitching start as a major leaguer with the Yankees. He sparkled in the game, although emerging as a loser.

Faced by the Twins in Bloomington, Minn., the teenager was replaced in the seventh inning. He had allowed only three hits. The Twins, nevertheless, went on to post a 3-1 victory.

Righetti went on to become one of the sport's all-time great relief pitchers. In 1986, he led the American League with 46 saves. That also was the season he turned in two saves in a double-header with the Boston Red Sox.

In 1984, Righetti was moved to the Yankee bullpen by Manager Yogi Berra because of an excess of starters on the New York roster. He lost little time in demonstrating he was as effective as the Yankees' previous great closer, Goose Gosage.

In that losing Righetti effort in Minnesota, five years earlier, the Twins triumphed despite singles by the Yankees' Bobby Murcer and Chris Chambliss in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively. That Twins triumph followed two straight shutouts they had suffered two nights earlier in Chicago.

Their subsequent 3-1 victory over the Yankees brought particular cheer to the Twins clubhouse.

But there was some of the same in the New York team's locker room. Billy Martin, then the Yankee manager, expressed delight over Righetti's performance. He was to observe his 20th birthday that November.

"Dave throws hard and has a good slider." said the Yankee skipper. "I'm convinced he's got a strong shot to be a team member next year. He has the makings of a 20-game winner."

Berra's decision five years later to have Righetti fill the role of a reliever proved an astute one. It immediately moved him into strong focus as a Yankee stalwart. Indeed, in that first year in the bullpen, the tall southpaw posted an impressive 31 saves.