Major League Baseball

Former major leaguer Duren dies at 81

Published Jan. 7, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Ryne Duren, an All-Star pitcher known for a 100 mph fastball, occasional wildness and thick glasses that created an intimidating presence of the pitcher's mound, has died at his winter home in Florida. He was 81.

Duren died Thursday, stepson Mark Jackson said Friday.

An All-Star in three seasons, Duren played for the New York Yankees and six other teams during a big league career from 1954-65. He went 27-44 with a 3.83 ERA in 311 appearances, all but 32 in relief. He helped the Yankees win AL pennants in 1958 and 1960 and was 1-1 with a 2.03 ERA in five World Series games.

Duren was with the Yankees from 1958-61 and also played for Baltimore, the Kansas City Athletics, Los Angeles Angels, Cincinnati, Philadelphia and Washington.