Larry Christenson, a pitcher who won the World Series with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980, died unexpectedly on Friday at age 72, the team announced.
The Phillies’ statement did not reveal a cause of death, but the team said Christenson was on a fishing trip with family and friends in his native Washington state at the time of his passing.
“The club and its fans are forever grateful for his contributions and the legacy he leaves behind in Philadelphia,” the team said. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to Larry’s beloved daughters, Claire and Libby, his extended family and friends, and former teammates at this difficult time.”
The Phillies drafted Christenson in the first round (third overall) in 1972 out of Marysville High School in Washington. He made his MLB debut on April 13, 1973, at age 19, giving up one run on five hits and six walks in a complete game, 7-1 win against the New York Mets.
No other Phillies pitcher threw a complete game in his debut until Carlton Loewer did so 25 years later on June 14, 1998.
It was the only game Christenson won all season, finishing his first year with a 1-4 record and 6.55 ERA. That finish didn’t sour the Phillies on the right-hander, who spent all 11 seasons of his career in Philadelphia.
He appeared in 243 games (220 starts) from 1973-83, compiling a career record of 83-71 with a 3.79 ERA in the regular season.
He also was a decent hitter for a pitcher. On Sept. 27, 1977, he was the winning pitcher in a 15-9 game against the Chicago Cubs and also hit a grand slam and drove in five runs. For his career, he hit 11 homers, drove in 46 runs and had a .150 batting average.
Christenson played in four postseason series with the Phillies and was 1-2 with a 7.40 ERA.
The Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals in six games to win the 1980 World Series. He was part of the 1983 team that won the National League pennant and lost to the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series but did not pitch in the playofs. He missed much of the season due to elbow surgery and was not included on the postseason roster.
His Phillies teammates remembered him fondly on Friday.
“Larry was very special, the guy that kept in touch with all of us,” former teammate Mike Schmidt said in a statement. “He always had a smile on his face, he never forgot a moment he spent with you. His passing will leave a hole in all of our hearts. May he rest in peace.”