| Pete Burnside | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: July 2, 1930 Evanston, Illinois, U.S. | |
| Died: August 26, 2022 (aged 92) Wilmette, Illinois, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 20, 1955, for the New York Giants | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 27, 1963, for the Washington Senators | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 19–36 |
| Earned run average | 4.81 |
| Strikeouts | 303 |
| Teams | |
Peter Willits Burnside (July 2, 1930 – August 26, 2022) was an American professional baseball player and left-handed pitcher who appeared in 196 Major League Baseball games in 1955 and from 1957 to 1963 for the New York / San Francisco Giants, Detroit Tigers, Washington Senators and Baltimore Orioles. He was listed as 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and 180 pounds (82 kg).
Burnside grew up in Evanston, Illinois, rooting for the Chicago Cubs. He signed with the New York Giants out of high school, under the agreement that he could earn his degree at Dartmouth College while pitching in their minor league system. After a stint in the United States Army, Burnside made his major league debut in 1955, picking up his first win the same year and impressing Carl Hubbell, Giants' Hall of Fame pitcher and farm director. Injuries prevented Burnside's return to the big leagues until 1957, and he only won one of the 16 games he pitched for the Giants in 1957 and 1958. Acquired by the Detroit Tigers for 1959, Burnside spent the whole season in their bullpen that year. Getting a chance to start with the team in 1960, he had a career-high seven wins before being selected by the Washington Senators in the expansion draft.
In 1961, the Senators used Burnside as a starter at the beginning of the year. He lost his rotation spot due to ineffective pitching, altered his delivery, and rejoined the starting rotation in September, throwing two shutouts. He started 1962 in their rotation again but lost his spot; though he set a career high with 20 starts, he also lost a career-high 11 games. He was traded to the Baltimore Orioles after the season, started 1963 in their bullpen, and was reacquired by the Senators following his release in May; however, he had a 6.15 earned run average for Washington. He went to Japan following the season, pitching two years with the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball before returning to Illinois to become a teacher and coach at New Trier High School, his alma mater.