The St. Louis Cardinals would not have won the 1982 World Championship without the split-finger fastball of Bruce Sutter. His 36 saves in 1982, not only helped propell the Cardinals into the postseason, but had the series clinching save in game seven of the World Series.
Many Cardinal fans will remember, including yours truly, his strikeout of the Milwaukee Brewer’s Gorman Thomas to end game seven and catcher Darrell Porter‘s leap into Sutter’s arms. Sutter’s postseason performance in 1982 included two wins, three saves, seven strikeouts in six games and 12 innings.