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Ronald Ames Guidry (born August 28, 1950 in Lafayette, Louisiana) is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played fourteen seasons for the New York Yankees between 1975 and 1988.
Guidry began his career pitching briefly in the 1975 and 1976 seasons. In 1977, he began as a relief pitcher but was moved into the starting rotation. He helped lead the New York Yankees to a World Series championship.
In 1978, he had, arguably, the greatest season a starting pitcher has ever recorded. On June 17, he struck out a Yankee record 18 batters in a single game against the California Angels. He went 25-3, with 9 shutouts, 248 strikeouts, and a sparkling 1.74 ERA, guaranteeing himself the American League Cy Young Award. The Yankees again won the World Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Over the next seven seasons he amassed a stellar 113-57 win-loss record. Guidry also won the Gold Glove Award five straight times (1982-86). However, arm problems that began in 1981 finally began dramatically affecting his performance. He retired from baseball on July 12, 1989, after shoulder surgery did not improve his performance.
His number 49 was retired on 'Ron Guidry Day', August 23, 2003.
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