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Former Yankees pitcher Fritz Peterson appeared at the Yogi Berra Museum and Education Center in Little Falls, NJ last night to discuss his auto-biography, Mickey Mantle is Going to Heaven.
The ex-big-leaguer, who made headlines back in 1973 when he and teammate Mike Kekich traded families, is facing serious health issues, which he said prompted him to tell his story.
Peterson, 67, pitched for 11 seasons, primarily for the Yankees, but also with the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers before retiring in 1976. He finished with a career record of 133-131, an earned run average of 3.30, and holds the record for lowest ERA at Yankee Stadium at 2.52.
Peterson with veteran sportswriter Maury Allen at the Yogi Berra Museum
The evening consisted of the usual questions: Who was the toughest batter you faced (Frank Howard, Al Kaline, Harmon Killebrew), what was it like winning your 20th game (he hid in manager Ralph Houk’s office, under a desk, with towels around his ears to block out the noise), and what kind of teammate was Mantle (the best). There was little discussion, however, about the family swap, which I found surprisingly deferential.
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