Pete Burnside – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Pete Burnside pitched left-handed and flashed real promise during his eight years in the majors, hanging up his cleats in 1963. Scouts and teammates called him a “boy wonder” and a “strikeout sensation,” and you could see why—he threw a blazing fastball and racked up strikeouts for five teams, including the New York/San Francisco Giants, Detroit Tigers, Washington Senators, and Baltimore Orioles.

But Burnside’s career often felt like a struggle with control issues. He appeared in 196 games and finished with 19 wins and 36 losses, which is a tough record for anyone to swallow.

Born in Evanston, Illinois, on July 2, 1930, Burnside graduated from Dartmouth College and first caught the eye of major league scouts back in high school. He stood 6’2″ and weighed around 180 pounds, and veteran players said his natural ability was just off the charts.

Some longtime baseball folks compared his fastball to those of Walter Johnson and Bob Feller, which is pretty high praise.

Burnside’s career really tells the story of unfulfilled potential. He fought through injuries and control problems that kept him from reaching the heights so many expected.

He found success in winter leagues and the minors, where he often overpowered hitters. But at the highest level, things never quite clicked. His story says a lot about the challenges that talented athletes face when they can’t quite harness their gifts on the biggest stage.

Early Life and Background

Pete Burnside grew up in a well-established family in Evanston, Illinois, and fell in love with baseball while attending New Trier High School. He kept up his academic work at Dartmouth College, where he also honed his baseball skills.

Family and Childhood in Evanston

Peter Willits Burnside was born July 2, 1930, in Evanston, a suburb just outside Chicago. He was the younger of two boys, the sons of Robert Snowden Burnside and Helen Baxter Willits Burnside.

The Burnside family’s roots ran deep in America. Pete’s ancestors, William and Margaret Hogg Burnside, came over from Ireland in the early 1800s.

His father Robert worked in sales after coming back to the Midwest in his twenties. In 1924, Robert married Helen Willits, a Chicagoan whose father, Ward Willits, once commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to design a prairie-style house in Highland Park.

Things weren’t always easy at home. Robert and Helen’s marriage ended in divorce just a few years after Pete was born, and that definitely shaped his early years.

Still, Pete found comfort in sports, especially baseball. He’d hop on the elevated train to Wrigley Field, about 12 miles away, to watch Cubs All-Star pitcher Larry French—a fellow lefty—do his thing.

Education and High School Baseball at New Trier

Pete went to New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, a school with a reputation for producing accomplished alumni. Charlton Heston, Rock Hudson, and Hall of Fame lineman Bruce Matthews all walked those halls.

At New Trier, Pete didn’t just play one sport—he was a standout in basketball, too. He was known for his free throw shooting and, as a tall, thin guard, helped the team finish his senior year with a 13-3 record.

But baseball was where he really made his mark. His pitching became legendary at school. He tossed 19 straight scoreless innings, which landed him on the citywide prep school All-Star team.

He also dominated in American Legion baseball, adding to his reputation as a top young pitcher.

The Chicago Cubs invited him for a tryout at Wrigley Field. But after graduating in 1948, Pete decided to head to college instead of going pro right away.

College Years at Dartmouth College

Pete picked Dartmouth for college, where he studied history and sociology. That choice paid off—Dartmouth’s alumni network opened up future baseball opportunities for him.

His Dartmouth connection proved important for his baseball career. New York Giants vice-president Chub Feeney was a Dartmouth alum, and he supported Pete’s wish to finish college while also developing as a pitcher.

Scout Tom Sheehan, a former big league pitcher, first spotted Pete in Chicago. Sheehan got a leg up on other teams thanks to Feeney’s willingness to work with Pete’s academic plans.

In December 1948, Pete needed cartilage surgery on both knees. Even so, the Giants stayed interested.

Six months after surgery, Pete spent the summer playing semi-pro ball in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He signed with the Giants organization soon after. The deal included an unusual clause—he wouldn’t pitch professionally until finishing his spring semesters at Dartmouth.

Pete graduated in spring 1952, juggling his studies with his growing baseball career in the Giants’ minor league system.

Professional Baseball Career Overview

Pete Burnside pitched in the big leagues from 1955 to 1963, suiting up for five teams in both leagues. Over eight seasons, he went 19-36 and struck out 303 batters in 196 games.

Debut and Initial Years with the New York Giants

Burnside made his MLB debut on September 20, 1955, for the New York Giants at age 25. He picked up his first big league win in a 5-2 game against the Phillies and Robin Roberts, who was chasing his 24th victory that year.

He earned the call-up after a standout season with the Dallas Eagles, where he went 18-11 and led the Texas League with 235 strikeouts.

Burnside signed as an amateur free agent with the Giants before the 1949 season. He spent years developing in their farm system, including stints with the Minneapolis Millers and Nashville Volunteers.

He also served in the military during the Korean War in 1953, which interrupted his baseball progress but showed his sense of duty.

San Francisco Giants and Team Transition

When the Giants moved to San Francisco in 1958, Burnside joined them for their first year on the West Coast. He spent most of that season with the Phoenix Giants in the Pacific Coast League.

With Phoenix, Burnside helped the team win a Pacific Coast League pennant by picking up 11 wins. That strong minor league season set him up for more major league chances.

The move to San Francisco was a huge change for the franchise. Burnside was there through both the last days at New York’s Polo Grounds and the early years at Candlestick Park.

American League Tenure: Detroit Tigers, Washington Senators, and Baltimore Orioles

Burnside switched to the American League in 1959, starting with the Detroit Tigers. He played there through 1960, then moved to the Washington Senators.

His most memorable feat came in 1961 with the expansion Senators—he became the only lefty to surrender three home runs to Roger Maris during Maris’s historic 61-homer season.

Key AL Statistics:

• Teams: Detroit Tigers, Washington Senators, Baltimore Orioles
• Years: 1959-1963
• Notable: Only southpaw to give up 3 HRs to Roger Maris in 1961

The Senators years made up a big chunk of his career. In 1963, he pitched alongside another Dartmouth grad, Art Quirk.

Burnside wrapped up his AL days with the Baltimore Orioles. He bounced around a bit, but teams valued his experience as a lefty arm.

Final MLB Season and Retirement in 1963

Burnside played his last major league game on September 27, 1963, for the Baltimore Orioles against the Chicago White Sox. He was 33 when he walked away from MLB.

His stats that year showed the tough road of his later career. That final game in Chicago closed out his eight-year journey in the majors.

Career Totals:

• Record: 19-36
• ERA: 4.81
• Strikeouts: 303
• Games: 196

After leaving MLB, Burnside kept pitching—he went to Japan and played two seasons for the Hanshin Tigers in Nippon Professional Baseball. There, he posted a 10-22 record with a 3.10 ERA.

Statistical Highlights and Performance

Over nine MLB seasons, Burnside finished with a 19-36 record and a 4.81 ERA in 196 games, pitching 567.1 innings. He struck out 303 batters and worked both as a starter and a reliever, showing some real flexibility.

Career Win-Loss Record and ERA

Burnside’s numbers reflect the challenge of pitching for struggling teams during baseball’s expansion years. He won 19 games and lost 36, for a .345 winning percentage, and his 4.81 ERA was higher than the league average at the time.

Career Pitching Statistics:

• Games: 196 (64 starts, 132 relief appearances)
• Innings Pitched: 567.1
• WHIP: 1.48
• Saves: 7

His best season came in 1962 with the Senators, when he went 5-11 with a 4.45 ERA in 40 games (20 starts). That year, he threw six complete games and logged 149.2 innings, his highest single-season total.

Burnside’s rookie year with the Giants in 1955 showed promise, too—he posted a 2.84 ERA in two starts as a 24-year-old.

Key Contributions in WAR and Strikeouts

Burnside notched 303 strikeouts in his career, averaging 4.8 per nine innings. His strikeout numbers peaked during his time with the Tigers and Senators, where he worked as both a starter and reliever.

His best strikeout year came in 1962, with 74 Ks in 149.2 innings. That ability to miss bats made him useful even when his ERA crept up.

Notable Strikeout Seasons:

• 1962: 74 strikeouts in 149.2 IP
• 1960: 71 strikeouts in 113.2 IP
• 1961: 56 strikeouts in 113.1 IP

Burnside’s WAR stats aren’t widely documented, but he generally filled a replacement-level role, eating up innings during baseball’s expansion.

Notable Games and Milestones

Burnside’s career included some memorable games, like complete game wins and key relief outings. He threw two shutouts in 1961 with the Senators, showing he could dominate on the right day.

He made his final MLB appearance on September 27, 1963, for the Senators against the White Sox. He gave up three earned runs without recording an out, and that was his last big league moment.

Career Milestones:

• MLB debut: September 20, 1955 (New York Giants)
• First win: 1955 vs. unknown opponent
• Career-high 6 complete games (1962)
• Selected in 1960 MLB Expansion Draft (#8 overall)

Burnside’s 132 relief outings, compared to 64 starts, showed his flexibility. That willingness to pitch in any role helped him stick around during a time of big changes in baseball.

International and Minor League Baseball

Before making it to the majors, Pete Burnside spent plenty of time sharpening his game in the minors. After MLB, he kept playing professionally in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league.

Early Minor League Development

Burnside started his pro career in 1949 when he signed with the New York Giants as a 19-year-old amateur. He began with the Class C St. Cloud Rox while still attending Dartmouth.

He worked his way through the Giants’ farm system through 1952, balancing baseball with college. He graduated in 1952, then served in the United States Military during the Korean War in 1953.

When he got back, Burnside pitched for the Minneapolis Millers and Nashville Volunteers in 1954. His big breakthrough came in 1955 with the Dallas Eagles, where he posted an 18-11 record.

He led the Texas League with 235 strikeouts that season, which earned him a late-season call-up to the Giants.

In 1958, Burnside helped the Phoenix Giants win a Pacific Coast League pennant, adding 11 wins that year.

Playing in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB)

After his MLB career ended in 1963, Peter Willits Burnside took his talents to Japan and kept playing professionally. He joined the Hanshin Tigers in Nippon Professional Baseball and spent two seasons with the team.

Burnside’s time in Japan brought mixed results compared to what he did in the majors. He finished with a record of 10-22 for the Tigers, so clearly, he had a tough time adjusting to the different style of play.

Still, his 3.10 ERA in NPB beat his 4.81 ERA from his major league days. That kind of improvement hinted that, even though he struggled to rack up wins, Burnside actually got better at keeping runs off the board in Japan.

His stint in Japan let him keep playing longer after leaving MLB in 1963. Once he wrapped up his time with the Hanshin Tigers, he headed back to Illinois and started focusing on education and coaching.

Post-Baseball Career and Personal Life

After retiring from professional baseball in 1963, Pete Burnside switched gears. He became a teacher and coach at New Trier High School, sticking with it for 25 years.

He married Suzette Herbuveaux in January 1964, and together they raised three kids who ended up following in his coaching footsteps.

Teaching and Coaching at New Trier High School

After his baseball career, Pete Burnside earned a master’s degree in education from Northwestern University. He went back to his alma mater, New Trier High School in Winnetka, where he taught and coached for a quarter century.

At New Trier, Burnside coached several sports:

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Cross country

His coaching always put kids first. “The bottom line we keep central is the idea of kids first. It’s about them, it’s about who they are,” his son Jim Burnside said, explaining his dad’s approach.

Burnside kept making an impact long after he retired in 1994. Two of his kids, Jim and John, became coaches for the Trevians too. They credited their dad’s teaching style as the foundation for their own coaching.

Students and former players remembered him as invested, caring, and just a genuinely kind person. After he passed away in 2022, the wave of condolences really showed how much he meant to young athletes during his years at the school.

Later Years and Family Legacy

In January 1964, Pete married Suzette Herbuveaux, who was the niece of a family friend, Jules Herbuveaux. They settled down in Wilmette and raised three children: Beth, Jim, and John.

Pete bought a cabin in Wisconsin’s northwoods back in the late 1950s. After he retired from teaching in 1994, he spent more time up there, finishing projects and soaking in the quiet with his eight grandkids.

His son Jim once called the northwoods place “his fourth kid” and described Pete as “an introvert, just the calmest individual. He liked it that way.”

Family Details:

• Wife: Suzette Burnside
• Children: Beth (Patrick), Jim (Annie), John (Kimbra)
• Grandchildren: Aidenn, Piper, Olivia, Peter, Jack, Emmett, Paden, and James

Pete stayed active with his family throughout his retirement. He got his kids involved in his hobbies and took part in theirs, whether it was fishing at local lagoons or, a little hesitantly, playing Atari just to be together.

In 2021, Pete moved back to the Wilmette area so he could be closer to family for care. He passed away on August 26, 2022, at age 92. His legacy stretched far beyond baseball into education and family life.

Legacy and Impact on Baseball

Pete Burnside’s baseball career left its mark, not just through what he did on the field, but also by how teammates and coaches recognized him. His influence kept going through his years teaching and coaching at New Trier High School.

Recognition and Reflections from Peers

Pete Burnside earned a lot of praise from baseball legends while he played. Giants Farm Director Carl Hubbell, a Hall of Famer himself, called Burnside “the most promising pitcher in the chain.”

Veteran outfielder Dusty Rhodes once said, “He sure can hum that seed!” That kind of compliment meant a lot coming from guys who knew what big-league talent looked like.

Sportswriter Dick Gordon noticed Burnside’s natural pitching ability, saying he “appears to have everything needed in the way of natural hurling ability.” Some folks even thought his fastball had more life than those of Walter Johnson and Bob Feller.

Players respected how hard he worked and how seriously he took conditioning. National sportswriters called him the “hardest worker in camp” and “likeliest to improve” during spring training with Detroit.

Manager Red Davis backed Burnside up and gave him chances to pitch. Davis said, “He has confidence in me and lets me pitch,” and that trust helped Burnside find success in the minors.

Enduring Influence on Players and Community

After he retired from professional baseball in 1963, Burnside took a job as a teacher and baseball coach at New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois. He led the school’s baseball team through the 1970s and 1980s.

In this role, he got to share his major league experience with young players. He taught at the same high school where he’d once starred as a student athlete back in the late 1940s.

Burnside’s connection to New Trier High School really brought things full circle. The school had already turned out some notable alumni, like actors Charlton Heston and Rock Hudson, plus Hall of Fame football player Bruce Matthews.

He spent far more years teaching than he ever did playing in the majors. That gave him a chance to shape baseball in a different way, long after his eight seasons from 1955 to 1963.

Burnside’s post-baseball work in education showed how much he cared about developing future talent. Through his classroom and coaching, he reached a huge number of students and players—probably more than he ever imagined when his career started.