SEATTLE MARINERS STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF MEL STOTTLEMYRE SR.
The Seattle Mariners organization is saddened by the passing of former pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Sr.
Stottlemyre, 77 (born Nov. 13, 1941), was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (a cancer of the blood plasma) on April 9, 2000. He underwent treatment, including a stem cell transplant in September, 2000, that led to a long remission prior to a return of the cancer in 2010.
"Mel was an outstanding pitcher, earning his place among the best Yankees pitchers ever, and won five World Titles as a pitching coach, as well as the thanks and respect of a legion of pitchers he coached from youth baseball to the Majors," said Mariners President & CEO Kevin Mather. "But more than that, he was truly one of the great gentlemen of our game. I was honored to get to know him when he was our pitching coach, and was always pleased to see him in Seattle or in the ballpark when his son, Mel Jr., coached for us. Our thoughts are with his wife Jean, sons Mel Jr. and Todd, and his grandchildren."
Stottlemyre was pre-deceased by his son Jason, who passed away from Leukemia as a child.
Mel Sr. was a roving minor league pitching instructor with the Mariners from their inception in 1977 through the 1981 season, and also did a handful of games as a color commentator on TV games with Dave Niehaus in 1977. He returned as Major League pitching coach for the 2008 season in Seattle.
Mel. Sr. was raised in Mabton, WA, and pitched for Mabton High School and Yakima Valley Community College prior to signing with the New York Yankees in 1961. He made his MLB debut with New York on August 12, 1964, and his 9-3 record down the stretch helped the Yankees to the American League pennant. In 11 big league seasons, all with the Yankees, Mel. Sr. compiled a 164-139 record with a 2.97 ERA in 360 appearances (356 starts) with 152 complete games. He ranks among the Yankees all-time leaders in games, innings, wins, strikeouts, shutouts and ERA, and was a three-time (1965, 1968 & 1969) 20-game winner. He was a five-time AL All-Star and notched 7 career home runs, including an inside the park grand slam.
Mel was a Major League pitching coach with New York-NL (1984-93), Houston (1994-95), New York-AL (1996-2005) and Seattle (2008). He helped lead the Yankees to five World Series and the Mets to one World Series berth.