#69 GAYLORD PERRY

FAVORITE BRAVES PLAYERS OF THE 1980'S

#69 GAYLORD PERRY

ATLANTA BRAVES 1981

During the Braves late 80's doldrums, the team actually put together a fairly productive bench of reserve players. These players were dubbed "The Bomb Squad" by former all-star Ted Simmons and charter member of the "BS." For my version of the Bomb Squad, I use the phrase in more general terms for eighteen players the Braves got at the wrong end of their career during that decade.

Gaylord Perry 1982

AND ON THE LIST WITHIN A LIST...

COMING IN AT #14 ON THE LIST-

"THE BOMB SQUAD: 1980'S FORMERLY PRODUCTIVE 

MAJOR LEAGUE PLAYERS THE BRAVES ACQUIRED

NEAR THE END OF THEIR CAREER"-Gaylord Perry

Career: Hall of Famer. Won the Cy Young award in both leagues. 4-time 20-game winner. 

The Bomb squad: The Braves acquired the famed 42-year-old sometime spitballer in 1981 when he was a dozen wins shy of 300. The baseball strike that year prevented him from reaching that milestone in a Braves uniform. He finished 8-9 that year and led the league in hits given up that season. The thing I remember most about that season with Perry is Bobby Cox running out of players in one game and having to use Gaylord as a pinch-runner. I seem to remember the other team doubling over in laughter when Perry was brought in in that role, but that memory may not be completely accurate.

Gaylord Perry 1962