Duren dies at 81

Ryne Duren, an All-Star pitcher known for a 100-mph fastball, occasional wildness and Coke-bottle glasses that created a most intimidating presence on the mound, has died at his winter home in Lake Wales, Fla. He was 81. Duren (pictured right) died Thursday, stepson Mark Jackson said Friday. An All-Star in three seasons, Duren helped the New York Yankees reach the World Series in 1958 and 1960. Duren’s unique first name lives on in baseball history. Cubs’ Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg’s plaque in Cooperstown includes this note: “Named after former Yankees pitcher Ryne Duren.”

– Associated Press