Gary Waslewski – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Gary Lee Waslewski made his mark in baseball history during a short but memorable Major League run from 1967 to 1972.

Born July 21, 1941, in Meriden, Connecticut, he was a right-handed pitcher best remembered for his World Series appearance with the Boston Red Sox and his winding journey through five MLB teams in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s.

Waslewski set the record for the fewest career wins before starting a World Series game, with just two victories before he took the mound in Game 6 of the 1967 World Series for Boston against the St. Louis Cardinals.

That moment came during the Red Sox’s “Impossible Dream” season, when they snatched the American League pennant in dramatic fashion.

In six years, Waslewski put up an 11-26 win-loss record, tallied 5 saves, and finished with a 3.44 ERA over 157 games.

He moved from the Pittsburgh Pirates organization to the Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Montreal Expos, New York Yankees, and finally the World Champion Oakland Athletics in 1972.

His story is one of a pitcher who faced both triumph and adversity, competing alongside some of the game’s legends.

Early Life and Amateur Career

Gary Lee Waslewski was born July 21, 1941, in Meriden, Connecticut, to Michael and Adelaide Lee Waslewski.

He started his athletic journey in Connecticut’s rural fields, developing the skills that would eventually land him in professional baseball before he attended the University of Connecticut on a partial scholarship.

Childhood and Family Background

Gary arrived in Meriden, Connecticut, on July 21, 1941.

His dad, Michael, worked as a master tool and die maker, while his mom, Adelaide Lee, stayed at home.

The family settled in the Kensington section of Berlin, Connecticut. Michael held a job at a silversmith plant in Wallingford, earning the modest wages that came with factory work back then.

Gary’s family background was a true mix.

His father’s side was all Polish, and his mother brought German and Cherokee Indian roots to the family tree.

Gary grew up with his younger brother, Michael Robert, born in 1943.

Since there weren’t many kids nearby, the brothers spent hours roaming the woods, playing cowboys and Indians.

Baseball quickly became their obsession. They played in cow fields, using cow droppings as bases when they didn’t have proper gear.

Gary once said, “We learned bat control, because if you had a guy out in left field, and you hit the ball to right field, it was an automatic out.”

Their backyard pond became Gary’s own Ebbets Field. He used a board to hit rocks, pretending to be Brooklyn Dodgers stars like Duke Snider and Gil Hodges.

High School Years and Berlin High School

Gary started at Berlin High School in 1956 and shined in multiple sports.

His baseball skills became the stuff of local legend, with teammates recalling a 24-1 or 25-1 record during his high school years.

His junior year was especially impressive, as he went 10-0 and led Berlin to the State Class-C Championship as their ace pitcher.

Senior year was bittersweet.

The team made it to the championship game again, but Gary couldn’t pitch because he fainted at school that day for reasons that were never clear.

He squared off against some big names, including future legend Steve Dalkowski from New Britain High.

Gary remembered, “I don’t think we got a hit off him that day, but we beat him because he walked about 15 guys in seven innings.”

Basketball became his second sport, even though he’d never played before high school.

Gary said, “I never played basketball in my life until I got to Berlin High School. I remember my freshman year we were playing in a gym class, and I didn’t know what was going on.”

By senior year, he’d put in the work, developed a solid jump shot, and earned co-captain status on the basketball team.

University of Connecticut Athletics and Education

Coach J.O. Christian at the University of Connecticut offered Gary a partial scholarship after his standout high school career.

Gary’s grandfather had left each grandchild $1,000, and together with the scholarship, that covered his first year.

He enrolled as a physical education major and minored in American History.

At this stage, Gary was pretty lanky—about 6-3 and only 145-150 pounds.

His freshman baseball season wasn’t stellar, as he went 2-3 for the freshman team.

The next year, he improved to roughly 6-3 and earned his varsity letter in 1960.

He just didn’t click with academic life. Gary later admitted, “I probably wasn’t going to go back because I just wasn’t into the schooling and stuff.”

During summer breaks, he kept playing for the Knights of Columbus team.

That turned out to be a big deal—Pittsburgh Pirates scout Milt Rosner saw him dominate a college all-star team.

Gary struck out 13 or 14 batters and got four hits himself in a 9-0 win.

After the game, Rosner asked if he’d ever thought about playing professional baseball.

Professional Baseball Debut

Gary Waslewski’s pro baseball journey kicked off in 1960 when he signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates after his freshman year at UConn.

He worked his way through the minors before the Boston Red Sox picked him in the 1964 minor league draft.

Signing with Pittsburgh Pirates Organization

In June 1960, Waslewski signed his first pro contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, thanks to scout Milt Rosner.

At 19, he got a $4,000 signing bonus and earned $350 a month.

The Pirates noticed him after he dominated a barnstorming college all-star team while pitching for the Knights of Columbus.

He struck out 14 in a complete-game shutout, and Rosner took notice.

The Pirates sent Waslewski to their Short-Season D club in Kingsport, Tennessee, to start his pro career.

They really focused on teaching fundamentals.

“The Pirates were really big on fundamentals,” Waslewski recalled. “They taught you how to properly run the bases, how to slide and how to bunt. So that was a great foundation for me.”

For his first four seasons, he mostly started games.

In 1963, his career paused when he enlisted in the Army for 20 weeks, but he got discharged after getting pneumonia and suffering severe chest pains.

Minor League Achievements

Waslewski’s breakout year came in 1964.

He went 12-1 with a 1.64 ERA in 14 starts at Class-A Kinston, then moved up to Double-A Asheville.

His combined numbers for 1964 were 17-6 with a 2.61 ERA in 29 starts.

That season put him on the radar as one of the Pirates’ top pitching prospects.

His strong performance at Double-A showed he could handle tougher hitters.

Drafted by Boston Red Sox

In November 1964, the Boston Red Sox picked up Waslewski in the minor league draft.

The Red Sox liked his potential and sent him to Double-A Pittsfield for the 1965 season.

He did well at Pittsfield, going 6-2 with a 2.45 ERA in 12 games.

That earned him a promotion to Triple-A Toronto Maple Leafs, where he’d spend the next two seasons.

Boston’s move turned out to be a good one for Waslewski.

With manager Dick Williams in Toronto, he helped the Maple Leafs win back-to-back International League championships in 1965 and 1966.

Getting picked by Boston set him on the path to the majors, and he made his MLB debut in 1967 during the Red Sox’s unforgettable pennant run.

Major League Baseball Career Overview

Gary Waslewski pitched in the majors from 1967 to 1972, suiting up for five different teams in six seasons.

He debuted with the Boston Red Sox and became known for starting Game 6 of the 1967 World Series with just two career wins behind him.

Boston Red Sox and the 1967 World Series

Waslewski made his big league debut on June 11, 1967, for the Boston Red Sox at 25 years old.

He joined the team during their magical “Impossible Dream” season, when Boston grabbed the American League pennant.

He made baseball history in the 1967 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

With only two wins to his name, he started Game 6—still a record for fewest career wins before a World Series start.

He pitched at Fenway Park against a powerful Cardinals lineup.

The series went all seven games, though St. Louis took the title.

In Boston, Waslewski played with Hall of Fame left fielder Carl Yastrzemski.

The 6’4″ righty weighed 195 pounds and threw from the right side.

St. Louis Cardinals in the National League

After Boston, Waslewski joined the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League.

That was a big shift—he ended up on the same team that had just beaten his Red Sox in the Series.

With the Cardinals, he shared the field with legends like Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, and Joe Torre.

Steve Carlton, another future Hall of Famer, was also on the roster.

St. Louis gave him a taste of National League baseball.

He finished his time with the Cardinals as part of a career that saw him go 11-26 with 5 saves and a 3.44 ERA in 157 games.

Montreal Expos Tenure

Waslewski moved on to the Montreal Expos for another chapter.

The Expos were a new franchise then, just getting started in the National League.

While in Montreal, he played with guys like Rusty Staub, one of the team’s first big stars.

The Expos gave Waslewski a chance to keep pitching and bring some veteran experience to a young team.

He wrapped up his major league career in 1972, making his final appearance on September 28.

Playing for Montreal was just one stop in a winding journey across five MLB teams.

Later MLB Years and Retirement in 1972

Waslewski spent his last two seasons with the New York Yankees (1970-1971) and finished up with the Oakland Athletics in 1972.

His last big league game came on September 28, 1972, ending a six-year run in the majors.

New York Yankees Stint

On May 15, 1970, the Montreal Expos traded Waslewski to the New York Yankees for Dave McDonald.

That move brought him to one of baseball’s most famous franchises, though the Yankees were in a rebuilding phase.

Waslewski pitched for the Yankees over parts of two seasons, 1970 and 1971.

The team was in transition, giving veterans like Waslewski innings to work with.

His time in pinstripes ended up being his longest stint with any club since Boston.

The Yankees mostly used him out of the bullpen.

They released him on April 3, 1972, and that marked a turning point in his career.

Oakland Athletics and Final Season

After New York let him go, Waslewski signed with the Oakland Athletics as a free agent on May 15, 1972. The A’s were starting to look like a real powerhouse in the American League at that time.

Waslewski pitched in 30 games for Oakland in 1972. That season ended up being his last campaign in professional baseball, but he still played a part in a team that was on its way to championship glory.

He made his final big league appearance on September 28, 1972, wearing an Athletics uniform. That game closed out his six-year professional career.

The A’s went on to win the World Series that year, although Waslewski had already finished playing by then. His last season stats showed his role as a veteran presence on the pitching staff.

Retirement Decision and Transition

Waslewski decided to retire from professional baseball at 31, after the 1972 season. He finished with an 11-26 win-loss record, 5 saves, and a 3.44 ERA over 157 games.

He racked up 229 career strikeouts, which isn’t bad for a pitcher who bounced between teams. Over his six-year career, he played for five different organizations.

Retiring gave him a chance to step away from baseball’s grueling routine. Playing for so many teams gave him a front-row seat to how the game changed in the late ’60s and early ’70s.

After hanging up his spikes, Waslewski stayed involved in baseball through various activities and appearances. His career spanned a period of big changes in the sport, from expansion teams to shifts in playing style.

Pitching Style and Statistical Highlights

Gary Waslewski put together an 11-26 career record with a 3.44 ERA and 229 strikeouts in six seasons. His stats show a pitcher who struggled with consistency, but he definitely had his moments in the majors.

Role as a Pitcher

Waslewski mostly worked as a relief pitcher, though sometimes he got the nod to start. That versatility made him useful for teams needing extra arms.

He pitched in 157 games from 1967 to 1972. With 5 saves, teams called on him to hold leads in late innings.

His job changed depending on what the team needed. Some years, he’d fill in as a spot starter, but other times he stuck to the bullpen.

Teams liked that he could pitch several innings if needed. That flexibility helped him stick around with five different clubs, including the Red Sox, Cardinals, Expos, Yankees, and Athletics.

ERA and WHIP Analysis

Waslewski’s career ERA of 3.44 put him in the middle of the pack for pitchers in the late ’60s and early ’70s. That number showed he could keep runs off the board, even if his win-loss record didn’t always show it.

His ERA bounced around from year to year. He improved some seasons but had trouble staying steady.

WHIP stats show he kept baserunners in check for that era. Limiting walks and hits per inning helped him stay in games.

Looking at his numbers, you can see he could be sharp in short outings. Still, the challenge was keeping it going over a full season.

Notable Performances and Records

Waslewski’s 1972 season with Oakland showed he still had something left in the tank. He threw 17.2 innings in 8 games, with a combined ERA of 2.20 at home and on the road.

At home, he posted a 2.70 ERA in 3.1 innings. On the road, he was even better, with a 1.91 ERA over 14.1 innings.

He gave up just 12 hits and walked 8 batters that year. Three home runs got by him, but he mostly kept runs to a minimum.

With 229 career strikeouts, he showed he could get hitters out when it mattered. That’s a decent total for pitchers from his era.

Personal Life and Legacy

Gary Waslewski’s life after baseball showed the same grit he had on the mound. His ties to Connecticut always stayed important to him.

His post-baseball career, family life, and the recognition he got back home all show the impact of his baseball journey.

Life after Baseball and Career

After stepping away from the game in 1972, Waslewski had to figure out life beyond baseball. That’s a tough adjustment for a lot of former athletes.

His six-year major league run, from 1967 to 1972, took him to five teams. Playing for the Red Sox, Yankees, and A’s gave him a wide view of the pro game.

His 11-26 record and 3.44 ERA might look like tough luck to some. He put up solid pitching numbers, but wins just didn’t come easily. Still, 229 strikeouts showed he could compete at the top level.

Moving on from pro sports meant putting his baseball skills to work elsewhere. A lot of guys from his time found new paths in coaching, business, or other fields where that competitive edge helped.

Family and Personal Interests

Waslewski’s family background really shaped who he was, both as a player and a person. His dad, Michael, worked as a master tool and die maker, and his mom, Adelaide Lee, taught him the value of hard work early on.

He came from a mixed heritage—Polish on his dad’s side, German and Cherokee Indian from his mom. Reporters sometimes mentioned it, but Waslewski always just called himself American.

He grew up in Kensington, a section of Berlin, Connecticut, along with his younger brother Michael Robert, who was born in 1943. Their childhood was filled with outdoor adventures—playing in fields, swimming in local ponds, just being kids.

In early 1970, tragedy hit when his mother, Adelaide, died of cancer at 51. That loss came while he was still playing, adding a personal struggle to his professional challenges.

Growing up in a working-class family gave him perspective on what baseball could offer. When he got his first pro contract—$4,000 and a $350 monthly salary—he realized it nearly matched what his dad made at the factory.

Impact on Connecticut Sports and Recognition

Waslewski started his baseball journey in Connecticut. His achievements brought a spotlight to the state’s amateur baseball scene.

He found success at Berlin High School. That 10-0 junior year? It really showed how much talent Connecticut high school baseball could produce.

When Berlin High School won the State Class-C Championship during his junior year, Waslewski played a huge role. The team made it back to the championship game his senior year, but unfortunately, illness kept him from pitching in that big moment.

The Berlin High School Athletic Hall of Fame later honored Waslewski for what he gave to the school’s sports history. They recognized not just what he did in high school, but also his leap to major league baseball.

He spent a short time at the University of Connecticut, playing freshman baseball before turning pro. That partial scholarship he got? It showed the kinds of chances Connecticut athletes can find if they’re willing to work for it.

Young Connecticut players saw what Waslewski accomplished. His path—from local leagues, to high school, to college, and then to the pros—gave them something real to aim for.