Former New York Giant: Al Worthington (1952-1959)

Allan Fulton Worthington was born February 5, 1929 in Birmingham, Alabama. He was nicknamed Red and got signed by the Chicago Cubs in 1951, then got sent to the New York Giants before the 1952 season. Al began his career as a starter in 1953 going 4-8 with a 3.44 ERA. In 1954 he was 0-2 in only ten games seeing no World Series action for the 1954 Championship team. He was back as a starter in 1956 going 7-14 with a 3.33 ERA, the 14th losses were 6th worst in the league. In the Giants last year at the Polo Grounds, Worthington shifted to the bullpen where he would find success for the future. He went 8-11 with four saves in 1957. While still in New York, he attended a Billy Graham religious crusade, and became one of MLB’s first born again Christian’s. In 1958 on the West Coast he went 11-7 with six saves, giving him one of the league’s best winning percentages. In 54 appearances, he posted a 3.53 ERA.

Al would move on briefly to Boston, Cincinnati & with the Chicago White Sox. In Chicago, the religious man refused to pitch for a White Sox team that was stealing the other team’s signs. By 1964 he settled in with the Minnesota Twins, one of the A.L.’s best teams in the mid to late sixties and became their ace reliever. His side arm curveball helped make him one of the leagues dominant closers of the day. He was among the leagues save leaders throughout the decade, leading the league with 18 in 1968. In 1965 the Twins went to the World Series and Worthington had 21 saves with a 10-7 record and a fantastic 2.13 ERA. In July the Twins staff was hurting with injuries, Worthington stepped in winning three games & saving three in a seven day stretch. In the World Series he made two appearances allowing a run in four innings pitched, while Minnesota lost to Sandy Koufax & the Dodgers in seven games. Late in his career he developed a knuckleball which he had thrown in the bullpen for years. His last career appearance was in the 1969 ALCS allowing a run & three hits to Baltimore in one inning pitched. In his career Worthington went 75-82 with 110 saves, and a 3.39 ERA.

After his playing days, he sold insurance in Minneapolis then returned as the Twins pitching coach (1972-1973) under former NY Giants team mate Bill Rigney. He then coached baseball for Jerry Falwells Liberty Baptist College into the 1980’s. Their baseball field in named in his honor.