On this date in New York Yankees history, Bob Turley earned the Cy Young Award.
Turley, who also finished second in AL MVP voting behind Jackie Jensen, topped Milwaukee Braves Hall of Fame southpaw hurler Warren Spahn, by a single vote.
Everything came together in 1958 for ‘Bullet Bob.’ An AL All-Star, Turley paced the Junior Circuit with 21 wins, a .750 winning percentage, 19 complete games. Turley also posted six shutouts and an ERA of 2.97.
To say Turley “sold his soul” to win a title is quite an understatement.
In winning the 1958 World Series MVP, ‘Bullet Bob’s” Bombers also edged Spahn’s Bravos in seven.
Although he didn’t stick around long in Game 2, Turley earned a shutout victory with 10 K’s in Game 5, notched the save by recording the final out in the tenth inning of Game 6 and a day later earned the Game 7 victory by following Don Larsen in relief with 6.2 frames of one-run ball.
The Yankees exacted their revenge on ex-Yankee Lew Burdette and the Braves and Turley was a big part of winning the crown.
Unfortunately, he wouldn’t reach those heights again but in ’58, ‘Bullet Bob’ was simply great.
