Pat Zachry was the National League’s Rookie of the Year in 1976, winning a World Series with the Cincinnati Reds that same year before being traded for future Hall of Famer Tom Seaver.
- Died: April 4, 2024 (Who else died on April 4?)
- Details of death: Died in Austin, Texas after a long illness at the age of 71.
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Pat Zachry’s legacy
Texas-born Zachry spent six seasons in the Cincinnati Reds’ farm system before roaring into the majors in 1976. That year, he went 14-7, had a 2.74 ERA, and led the team with 143 strikeouts on his way to winning the National League’s Rookie of the Year award (which he co-won with Butch Metzger). That same year, he went to and won the World Series with the Reds, earning the first and only ring of his career.
Zachry got caught up in a history-making trade when the New York Mets got rid of future Hall of Famer Tom Seaver (1944– 2020) in exchange for Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson, Dan Norman, and Zachry. The trade was widely panned and the four newcomers took heat in the New York press for it, though Zachry performed well, including an all-star season in 1978 in which he had a 3.33 ERA.
He played with the Mets through 1982, then retired after short stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies. After retirement, he spent time in the Dodgers organization as a coach.
Tributes to Pat Zachry
Full obituary: ESPN
