One of the first great players in Orioles history to help usher in a new era of baseball in Baltimore in the 1950s, Gus Triandos has passed away at age 82.
According to The Sun, the four-time All-Star catcher died in his sleep and had dealt with congestive heart failure for the last 10 years. Triandos played with five teams in his 13-year major league career but gained fame handling the Baltimore pitching staff in the late 1950s.
In his eight seasons with the Orioles, Triandos clubbed 142 home runs and was behind the plate in 1958 when pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm threw the first no-hitter in club history. He began his career with the New York Yankees but came to Baltimore in 1955 as part of a lucrative 16-player deal between the clubs.
All four of Triandos’ All-Star appearances came during his time with the Orioles and his 30 home runs in 1958, tying Hall of Fame backstop Yogi Berra’s American League record for home runs by a catcher.
So popular in Baltimore, a street in Timonium was renamed Triandos Drive when he moved his family into the neighborhood. The Orioles traded the slugging catcher to the Detroit Tigers following the 1962 season.
Triandos was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1981 and is regarded by many as the best catcher in franchise history.
