Larry Bearnarth – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Larry Bearnarth made a modest but memorable mark in baseball history during his eight seasons as a pro pitcher, from 1963 to 1971. This right-handed relief pitcher from New York spent most of his career with the New York Mets in their early days, then wrapped things up with the Milwaukee Brewers.

At 6’2″ and 203 pounds, Bearnarth really fit the mold of a bullpen workhorse for his era.

Bearnarth retired from Major League Baseball after the 1971 season, finishing with a career record of 13 wins and 21 losses over 173 games and a lifetime ERA of 4.13. He made his final appearance on May 30, 1971, against the Detroit Tigers. That game marked the end of a journey that started with the Mets in their early years, back in 1963.

Even though his stats were pretty modest, Bearnarth’s baseball story didn’t end when he stopped pitching.

Larry’s story stretches far beyond his playing days. He went from a struggling pitcher to a respected coach and scout, which, honestly, might have been even more impactful than his time on the mound.

He helped develop pitching talent for several organizations and played a big part in the early success of the Colorado Rockies.

Early Life and Background

Lawrence Donald Bearnarth grew up in a Swedish-American family in New York City. He spent his early childhood in Brooklyn, then moved to Staten Island.

He did well in both academics and athletics during high school and earned a scholarship to St. John’s University, where he stood out in college baseball.

Birth and Family

Lawrence Donald Bearnarth was born on September 11, 1941, in New York City. He was the third of four kids in the family of John Lennarth and Josephine (Pollock) Bearnarth.

His father, a Swedish immigrant, worked in banking. The Bearnarths gave their kids a solid, middle-class upbringing that valued both education and hard work.

Larry spent his early years in Brooklyn and discovered his love for baseball there. When he was still quite young, the family moved to Staten Island.

That move turned out to be a good thing for Larry’s athletic growth. Staten Island had better recreational facilities and youth sports programs that really helped him develop.

Education and College Years

Bearnarth attended St. Peter’s Boys High School in the New Brighton section of Staten Island. He quickly made a name for himself as a multi-sport athlete, excelling in both basketball and baseball.

After he graduated in 1959, major league scouts started to notice him. On August 18, 1959, he started as pitcher in the 14th annual Hearst’s Sandlot Baseball Classic at Yankee Stadium.

Despite interest from all 16 major league teams at the time, Bearnarth decided to focus on his education first. He went to St. John’s University in Queens, New York, where he studied English literature.

Under coach Jack Kaiser—who later joined the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame—Bearnarth put together a stunning 32-2 won-lost record from 1960-62. He helped take St. John’s to the College World Series in 1960, staying undefeated that season.

Early Interest in Baseball

Bearnarth sometimes played first base and catcher, but his natural sinker made him a force on the mound. People first started to notice his pitching during his high school years at St. Peter’s.

His performance in the 1959 Hearst’s Sandlot Baseball Classic brought scouts from every major league team. Around 14,000 fans showed up at Yankee Stadium, giving Bearnarth his first taste of the big leagues.

During his senior year at St. John’s in 1962, he posted a fantastic 1.30 ERA in 76 innings pitched. His teammates started calling him “Bear,” a nickname that stuck with him for the rest of his career.

Bearnarth could also handle the bat as a right-handed hitter. The Boston Red Sox even considered signing him as an outfielder instead of a pitcher, which says a lot about his skills.

Major League Baseball Career Overview

Larry Bearnarth pitched in Major League Baseball for five seasons between 1963 and 1971, finishing with a 13-21 record and a 4.13 ERA in 173 games. He spent most of his time as a relief pitcher for the New York Mets, with a short stint at the Milwaukee Brewers.

Debut with the New York Mets

Bearnarth made his Major League debut on April 16, 1963, with the New York Mets at age 22. He broke into the majors during the Mets’ second season.

He stood 6’2″, weighed 203 pounds, and came out of St. John’s University before making it to pro baseball.

In his rookie season in 1963, Bearnarth appeared in 58 games for the Mets. That ended up being his busiest season in terms of appearances.

Pitching Role and Performance

Bearnarth mostly worked as a relief pitcher, appearing in 173 games with just 7 starts. He picked up 8 saves with the Mets from 1963 to 1966.

Here’s a quick look at his career stats:

• 173 games pitched
• 13 wins, 21 losses
• 4.13 ERA
• 322.2 innings pitched
• 124 strikeouts

He threw and batted right-handed. He finished 84 games as the last pitcher during his four years with New York.

Key Seasons and Career Highlights

Bearnarth’s best season was 1963, when he posted a 3.42 ERA in 58 appearances. That was both his lowest ERA and highest number of games in a season.

In 1963, he went 3-8 with 4 saves and pitched 126.1 innings. He struck out 48 and walked 47 that year.

After four seasons with the Mets, Bearnarth came back to the majors in 1971 with the Milwaukee Brewers. His final season was short, just 2 games with an 18.00 ERA before he retired.

He made his last appearance on May 30, 1971, against the Detroit Tigers. After retiring, he joined the Montreal Expos as a minor league pitching coach.

Statistics and Career Achievements

Larry Bearnarth put together a 13-21 record and a 4.13 ERA over five big league seasons, mostly as a relief pitcher for the Mets and Brewers. His stats really show the challenges of pitching during the hitter-friendly 1960s, with his best years coming early with the Mets.

Win-Loss Record and ERA

Bearnarth finished his MLB career with 13 wins and 21 losses, a .382 winning percentage. His best year came in 1964, when he went 5-5 with the Mets, his only season at .500 or better.

His career ERA of 4.13 was a bit above league average for that era. In 1963, his rookie year, he had his lowest ERA at 3.42 over 58 games.

He really struggled in his last seasons, especially in 1971 with Milwaukee. He put up an 18.00 ERA in just two games before calling it quits. His ERA climbed from 3.42 in 1963 to 4.60 by 1965.

WHIP and Key Metrics

Bearnarth’s career WHIP of 1.503 points to some control issues. WHIP, which tracks walks and hits per inning, was higher than you’d want for a reliable pitcher.

His strikeout-to-walk ratio was 0.92, showing more walks than strikeouts—he walked 135 and struck out 124 over his career.

He allowed 9.8 hits per nine innings. His best WHIP was 1.377 in 1963, right in line with his best season. By 1965, it had ballooned to 1.698, which really hurt his effectiveness.

Saves and Game Appearances

Bearnarth had 8 saves in his career, all with the Mets from 1963 to 1966. As a relief specialist, he appeared in 173 games and started just 7 times.

He pitched in a career-high 58 games as a rookie in 1963, logging 126.1 innings, mostly out of the bullpen.

He picked up 4 saves in 1963, which was half of his career total. After 1964, his role shrank, and he collected 3 saves in 44 games that year. His last MLB appearance came on May 30, 1971, with the Brewers.

Final Season and Retirement in 1971

Larry Bearnarth’s baseball career wrapped up in 1971 with the Milwaukee Brewers, marking a return to the majors after five years away. His final season was tough, and he made a strategic move to lock in his pension eligibility.

Stint with the Milwaukee Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers signed Bearnarth as a free agent in 1971, giving him another shot at the big leagues. He’d spent the previous four years in Triple-A with the Jacksonville Suns and Tidewater Tides.

Bearnarth wore number 29 for the Brewers during his short return. At age 30, he got one last chance to prove he could still pitch at the top level.

He started with the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate, the Evansville Triplets. The club called him up to the majors in late April 1971.

That call-up came five years after his last big league game with the Mets in 1966. The long gap meant the pressure was really on.

Performance in 1971

Bearnarth’s return to the majors didn’t go well. In his first game back on April 28 against the Boston Red Sox, he gave up five runs in relief during the sixth inning.

After that outing, the Brewers quickly sent him back to Evansville. He didn’t fare much better in Triple-A, with a 5.21 ERA in 31 games for the Triplets.

Final Major League Stats for 1971:

• Games: 2
• Innings Pitched: 3.0
• ERA: 18.00
• Strikeouts: 1
• Walks: 1

His last MLB appearance came on May 30, 1971, against the Detroit Tigers. He entered in the ninth inning with two runners on and immediately surrendered a home run to Al Kaline.

That outing against Detroit pretty much ended his major league pitching days. He allowed three hits without recording an out before Dick Ellsworth took over.

Decision to Retire from Baseball

Bearnarth decided to retire at the end of the 1971 season, but not before reaching a personal milestone. He managed to get exactly five years of major league service time, which was the minimum needed for pension eligibility back then.

That pension requirement played a big part in his decision to keep playing in 1971. His earlier service with the Mets from 1963 to 1966 had left him just shy of five years.

After hanging up his cleats, Bearnarth quickly moved into coaching. He joined the Montreal Expos as a minor league pitching coach, starting a new phase in his baseball life.

His 1971 season showed he understood the business side of baseball. Securing his pension and moving into coaching showed some real foresight.

Life and Activities After Baseball

Larry Bearnarth moved on from playing to coaching and scouting, a path he followed for four decades. He stayed close to the sport and developed personal interests that reflected his education and commitment to his community.

Career Transitions

Bearnarth stepped away from active pitching after the 1971 season with the Milwaukee Brewers. Right after, he signed on with the Montreal Expos as a minor league pitching coach and kicked off a 20-year run with the organization.

His coaching career really took off in the decades that followed. Bearnarth managed minor-league teams and worked as an instructor, passing along his pitching know-how to younger players.

He later became the Colorado Rockies’ first pitching coach in 1993. He stuck with them through the franchise’s earliest seasons, helping shape the team’s pitching staff.

After his stint with the Rockies, Bearnarth moved into scouting. He worked as a major-league baseball scout for the Detroit Tigers, hitting the road to check out talent across the country.

That role let him stay close to the game, and he put his four decades of baseball experience to good use.

Personal Life and Interests

Bearnarth kept up his intellectual interests after baseball, leaning on his English literature degree from St. John’s University. That education opened doors for him beyond just the baseball field.

During his playing days, he already showed an interest in writing and education. He worked as a substitute teacher at a junior high and wrote a sports column for a Long Island weekly newspaper.

Those gigs highlighted his communication skills and his desire to stay involved with his community.

Charitable work mattered to Bearnarth all through his life. Back when he was playing, he joined other Mets in fundraising basketball games for charity.

In 1966, the Larry Bearnarth Fan Club donated 138 toys to children’s hospitals in New York City. That gesture really showed his connection to the community.

Bearnarth died of a heart attack on January 1, 2000, at St. Anthony’s Hospital. He was 59.

At the time, he lived in the Tampa Bay area and worked as a scout for the Detroit Tigers.

Legacy and Impact on the Game

Larry Bearnarth made his mark as a reliable relief pitcher during his short but memorable career with the New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers.

He contributed to baseball in ways that went beyond stats, building a reputation with teammates and helping develop young pitchers later on.

Reputation as a Pitcher

Bearnarth built a name for himself as a skilled relief pitcher who leaned on his natural sinker to get outs. In 1964, National League sportswriters picked him as the New York Mets’ top young pitcher.

His rookie season in 1963 set a club record with 58 appearances. That kind of workload showed just how durable he was.

Manager Casey Stengel liked Bearnarth’s calm in tough spots. Stengel once said, “Big names and big uniforms don’t frighten him. He throws those double-play sinkers to them all.” That kind of mental toughness really defined Bearnarth’s style.

His signature sinker ball made him effective on the mound. People noticed that, even though he didn’t have a big-league fastball, his sinker produced ground balls and double plays.

He found ways to succeed against some of the National League’s toughest hitters.

Recognition Among Peers

Teammates and opponents respected Bearnarth for his baseball smarts and professional attitude. He served as the Mets’ player representative from 1964 until he left, which says a lot about the trust his teammates had in him.

Fellow players listened to his thoughts on pitching mechanics and strategy. Bearnarth’s thoughtful approach made him a go-to guy for younger players hoping to get better.

His reputation for understanding the mental side of pitching only grew as his career went on.

Influence on Future Players

After he retired in 1971, Bearnarth jumped right into coaching and instruction.

He spent about 20 years as a minor league pitching instructor for the Montreal Expos. During that time, he worked with hundreds of young pitchers as they started their professional careers.

Bearnarth always stuck to the basics that made him a solid player. He really pushed the idea that location and movement matter more than just throwing hard.

A lot of pitchers picked up useful tips from his experience with different pitch types and real game situations.

He dealt with his own arm troubles, so he understood what young players were going through. That experience helped him teach injury prevention and proper mechanics, which turned out to be pretty valuable for player development.