Pitcher Al Worthington, the Minnesota Twins\u2019 closer during their first World Series season in 1965 who earlier walked away from the game two times because he objected when two of his teams were stealing signs, has died, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame announced on Thursday. He was 97.<\/p>\n
The Hall, which inducted Worthington in 2011<\/a>, did not provide a cause of death or give an exact date.<\/p>\n Worthington, a native of Birmingham, Alabama, and a star pitcher at the University of Alabama, played 14 seasons<\/a> in the majors. According to the Baseball Almanac<\/a>, he was the fourth-oldest living MLB player at the time of his death.<\/p>\n He was also one of five living players<\/a> who had seen action with the Giants franchise in New York before the team moved west to San Francisco before the 1958 season.<\/p>\n The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame mourns the passing of 2011 Inductee Al Worthington. Worthington played baseball at the University of Alabama where he finished his pitching career with a 14-3 record. pic.twitter.com\/PDQQth6Ywx<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Alabama Sports Hall of Fame (@ASHOF) June 18, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n The Society for American Baseball Research<\/a> noted in its profile of Worthington that the right-hander played for both Chicago MLB teams, both Sox teams (Red Sox and White Sox) and both the New York and San Francisco Giants.<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps fittingly, given all those pairings, he finished his career with the Twins, pitching six seasons for Minnesota,\u201d Worthington\u2019s SABR biography states<\/a>.<\/p>\n In 1965, Worthington appeared in 62 games for the Twins, saving 21 games with a 2.13 ERA. His bullpen work was instrumental in leading Minnesota to its first American League pennant.<\/p>\n During his six seasons in the Twin Cities, Worthington had 88 of his career 111 saves and had a 37-31 record.<\/p>\n Worthington spent his first six seasons with the Giants, beginning in 1953. He appeared in 10 games when the Giants won their last World Series in New York in 1954.<\/p>\n In September 1959, Worthington confronted manager Bill Rigney after hearing that the Giants were using a spy using binoculars in the stands to steal signs, SABR<\/a> wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cI told Bill that I had been talking to church groups, telling people you don\u2019t have to lie or cheat in this world if you trust Jesus Christ,\u201d he said. \u201cHow could I go on saying those things if I was winning games because my team was cheating?\u201d<\/p>\n Worthington would be traded in 1960 to the Red Sox, and on Aug. 29 he was dealt to the White Sox.<\/p>\n According to SABR, Worthington left the team on Sept. 8, stating that \u201cI\u2019m home and I\u2019d rather leave why I\u2019m here a personal matter.\u201d<\/p>\n It was later determined that Worthington left the team because he believed the White Sox had been stealing signs. White Sox manager Al Lopez neither confirmed nor denied the rumors, and Worthington told general manager Hank Greenberg that \u201cI can\u2019t play for a team that\u2019s cheating,\u201d SABR<\/a> wrote.<\/p>\n After retiring as an active player, Worthington became the head baseball coach at Lynchburg Baptist College (now Liberty University). He had a 343-189-1 record<\/a> from 1973 to 1986 and served as athletic director from 1983 to 1986.<\/p>\n He was inducted into the Liberty University Hall of Fame<\/a> in 2010.<\/p>\n Latest noteworthy deaths:<\/p>\n Tom Dreesen, standup comic, character actor, dies at 86<\/a>Daveigh Chase, \u2018Lilo & Stitch,\u2019 \u2018The Ring\u2019 voice actress, dies at 35<\/a>Walter Parazaider, saxophonist and founding member of Chicago, dies at 81<\/a>James Barker, \u2018Love Island USA\u2019 executive producer, dies at 40<\/a>William Smithers, \u2018Dallas,\u2019 \u2018Papillon\u2019 actor, dies at 98<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a92026 Cox Media Group<\/p>\n