Marty Kutyna
From BR Bullpen
Marion John Kutyna
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 0", Weight 190 lb.
- Debut September 19, 1959
- Final Game September 22, 1962
- Born November 14, 1932 in Philadelphia, PA USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Marty Kutyna was a relief pitcher with a 14-16 record for the Kansas City Athletics and Washington Senators from 1959 to 1962 and has one very special souvenir from his career which as of this date (2009) the Baseball Hall of Fame has tried without success to get him to relinguish. On Opening Day in Washington in 1962 Marty came up with the baseball thrown out by President John F. Kennedy, There is a photograph of the right-hander presenting the ball and shaking hands with the president.
Kutyna had signed as an amateur free agent with the St. Louis Cardinals before the 1953 season and had a seven year trip through the minor leagues, with a couple of trades thrown in along the way, before he reached Kansas City in late September of 1959. Marty had just went 14-10 with a 3.34 ERA with the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League and would make four appearances with no decisions for the Athletics in 1959.
Marty talked about his major league debut. "I came into a game in Fenway Park and the first batter I faced was Ted Williams. I threw him what I thought were four straight strikes that were called balls by home plate umpire Eddie Hurley, who told me 'welcome to the big leagues. 'Williams walked to first base and yelled over to me 'nice pitching, kid. They were all strikes."
Kutyna worked in over fifty games for the Athletics in 1960 and for the Senators in 1961 and 1962 before ending his career with the Buffalo Bisons of the International League the following year. Marty had spent ten active seasons in pro baseball with a little over three years in the majors where he ended with a 14-16 and a 3.88 ERA. His minor league sheet shows a 94-60 record with a 3.61 ERA.
After baseball he became a department store manager in his hometown of Philadelphia and was a batting practice pitcher at Phillies home games from 1965 to 1978. As of last notice he is now retired in Delray Beach, FL.
[edit] Sources
