Curt Raydon

{{Short description|American baseball player (1933–2018)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2018}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Curt Raydon

|image=Curt Raydon 1957 Hollywood Stars.jpg

|caption=Raydon with the Hollywood Stars {{circa}} 1957

|position=Pitcher

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{birth date|1933|11|18}}

|birth_place=Bloomington, Illinois, U.S.

|death_date={{death date and age|2018|3|3|1933|11|18}}

|death_place=Sam Rayburn, Texas, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=April 15

|debutyear=1958

|debutteam=Pittsburgh Pirates

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=September 14

|finalyear=1958

|finalteam=Pittsburgh Pirates

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Win–loss record

|stat1value=8–4

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=3.62

|stat3label=Strikeouts

|stat3value=85

|teams=

• Pittsburgh Pirates ({{baseball year|1958}})

}}

Curtis Lowell Raydon (November 18, 1933 – March 3, 2018) was an American professional baseball player, a right-handed pitcher whose career extended from 1953 through 1961. In {{mlby|1958}}, he was a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/raydocu01.shtml|title=Curt Raydon Stats|website=baseball-reference.com|publisher=sports-reference.com|access-date=February 18, 2011}} and had a strong rookie campaign, only to be sidetracked by injury; 1958 would be his only big-league season. Raydon was listed as {{convert|6|ft|4|in}} tall and {{convert|190|lb}}.

Born in Bloomington, Illinois, and a graduate of Bloomington High School, Raydon originally signed with the Milwaukee Braves before the 1953 season. After a successful pro debut in the Class A Sally League, he was included in a six-for-one trade to the Pirates on December 26, 1953, that netted the Braves second baseman Danny O'Connell. Raydon then spent four full years in the Pirates' farm system before making Pittsburgh's 1958 roster out of spring training.

Beginning the year in the bullpen, he notched a save in his first MLB appearance on April 15 against the Braves (the defending 1957 World Series champions) in Milwaukee. On May 25, he received his first starting assignment and took a regular turn in the Pirates' rotation from mid-June through mid-September. On June 12, he threw a two-hit, complete game 2–1 victory against the San Francisco Giants at Seals Stadium.{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1958/B06120SFN1958.htm|title=Pittsburgh Pirates 2, San Francisco Giants 1|website=retrosheet.org|date=June 12, 1958|accessdate=November 28, 2017}} Then, on July 25, he fired his second complete game, a four-hit shutout against the Giants, winning the 10–0 contest at Forbes Field.{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1958/B07250PIT1958.htm|title=Pittsburgh Pirates 10, San Francisco Giants 0|website=retrosheet.org|date=July 25, 1958|accessdate=November 28, 2017}}

Raydon finished the year with an 8–4 win–loss record, working in 31 games pitched, 20 as a starter. In 134{{fraction|1|3}} innings pitched, he allowed 118 hits and 61 bases on balls. He struck out 85. His April 15 save and July 25 shutout were the only ones of his career. Both of his complete games came against the Giants.

The 1958 season would be Raydon's only season in the big leagues, however. A cyst on his finger and a sore arm{{cite book|last=Finoli|first=David|title=Pirates by the Numbers|year=2016|publisher=Skyhorse Publishing|location=New York|isbn=978-1-61321-923-2}} forced his return to the minor leagues, where he pitched for three more seasons before leaving the game.

Raydon died March 3, 2018.{{cite web|url=http://www.stringerandgriffin.com/obituary/curt-raydon|title=Curt Raydon Obituary|website=stringerandgriffin.com|date=|access-date=March 17, 2018}}