Pete Ward

Peter Thomas Ward

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 200 lb.
• School Lewis & Clark College
• High School Jefferson High School (Portland)
• Debut September 21, 1962
• Final Game September 25, 1970
• Born July 26, 1937 in Montreal, QC CAN
• Died March 16, 2022 in Lake Oswego, OR USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Known for his unorthodox batting stance, Pete Ward played nine seasons in the majors and was the Chicago White Sox's starting third baseman for much of the 1960s.

The son of Jim Ward, who played in the NHL for eleven seasons, Pete grew up in Portland, Oregon, after his father moved there following World War II to coach hockey. He was born in Montreal, QC, but his date of birth is in dispute; it may have been 1935. After attending Lewis & Clark College, he was signed by the Baltimore Orioles organization in 1958. In 1960, he hit .345 for the Fox Cities Foxes to lead the Three-I League, and with the Rochester Red Wings two years later, he paced the International League with 34 doubles before earning a late season call-up with the Orioles in 1962.

Prior to the 1963 season, Ward was traded to the White Sox as part of the deal that sent Luis Aparicio to the O's. He was the Opening Day third baseman for the Sox and went on to put together an 18-game hitting streak in June, before ending the year with a .295 average, 22 home runs, and 84 RBIs. He was runner-up to teammate Gary Peters for the 1963 American League Rookie of the Year Award and won The Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award that season.

In his second season with the Sox, Ward hit 23 homers (including 3 grand slams) and finished sixth in American League Most Valuable Player voting. However, in 1965, he suffered a neck injury in a car accident, and the following year, he struggled with a back injury. He returned with 18 home runs in 1967 but had lost his regular position and was moved around between first base, third base, and the outfield. Following the 1969 season, he was traded to the New York Yankees for pitcher Mickey Scott, and he ended his big league career after playing the 1970 season in New York.

Following his playing days, Ward managed in the minors and was a coach for the Atlanta Braves in 1978.

As of 2006, Ward is one of only two major league players to play come out of Lewis & Clark College (Justin Baughman is the other).

Year-by-Year Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Organization	Playoffs	Notes
1972	Fort Lauderdale Yankees	Florida State League	64-65	7th	New York Yankees
1973	Fort Lauderdale Yankees	Florida State League	67-72	7th	New York Yankees
1974	Fort Lauderdale Yankees	Florida State League	82-49	1st	New York Yankees	Lost League Finals
1975	West Haven Yankees	Eastern League	66-71	4th	New York Yankees
1976	West Haven Yankees	Eastern League	80-59	2nd	New York Yankees	League Champs
1977	Syracuse Chiefs	International League	70-70	5th	New York Yankees
1980	Iowa Oaks	American Association	32-42	--	Chicago White Sox	--	replaced by Sam Ewing (27-35) on June 30
1981	Portland Beavers	Pacific Coast League	72-65	3rd (t)	Pittsburgh Pirates

Notable Achievements

• 1963 Topps All-Star Rookie Team
• 20-Home Run Seasons: 2 (1963 & 1964)