Former New York Yankees left-hander Fritz Peterson has died, the team announced Friday. He was 82 years old.
Peterson pitched for nine seasons with the Yankees from 1966 to 1974, winning 20 games in 1970 and being named to the American League All-Star team. He also pitched for Cleveland and the Texas Rangers during his career. Overall, Peterson pitched over 2,200 innings and compiled a 133-131 record with a 3.30 ERA.
Peterson's greatest characteristic as a pitcher was his control. His career walk rate was 1.7 per nine innings, and for five seasons from 1968 to 1972, he averaged the fewest walks per nine innings in the American League.
But Peterson is perhaps best known for an even more infamous reason. During spring training in 1973, he and teammate Mike Kekich revealed that they had swapped houses with his family. Kekich's wife and two daughters moved into Peterson's home, and Peterson's wife and his two sons lived with Kekich.
“It wasn't a wife swap; it was a life swap,” Kekich said in an interview. new york times. “We're not saying we're right and everyone else who thinks we're wrong is wrong. It's just what we feel.”
Peterson and Suzanne Kekich married in 1974 and lived together until his death. However, Mike Kekich and Marilyn Peterson ended their relationship shortly after the deal became public. Kekic was traded to Cleveland later that season.
In 2010, actors Ben Affleck and Matt Damon wanted to develop their wife-swap story into a feature film. Director Jay Roach (meet parents) was adopted for the project. As of 2015, the film was still in production, but Kekic threatened to sue if it went ahead. However, the project seems to have fallen through due to scheduling conflicts that prevented Affleck and Damon from appearing in the film.
“The Yankees are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Fritz Peterson, a formidable pitcher and approachable presence who wore pinstripes for nine years,” the Yankees said in a statement.
“Known for his mischief and well-liked by his teammates and coaches, Peterson regularly brought a cheerful atmosphere to the clubhouse with his outgoing and inquisitive nature, and his prowess on the mound. The most notable thing was his perfect control, the best in the majors.