Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 1972
A hard-throwing lefthander, Byrne pitched and played outfield and first base for the Deacons, batting .452 as a sophomore and .593 as a junior to lead the "Big Five" in average and doubles. He was also undefeated his freshman year as a pitcher.
After turning professional in 1940, Byrne became a pitcher exclusively and made his Major League debut in 1943. He appeared in at least four Major League games in every year from 1946 until his retirement in 1957. His best seasons came in 1949 when he compiled a 15-7 record and in 1955 when he led the American League in winning percentage with a 16-5 record. He helped the Yankees to World Series titles in 1949 and 1956 and was an All-Star in 1950.
Byrne was also an excellent hitter by pitcher standards. He remains one of only 35 pitchers to hit 14 or more home runs in a career.
Byrne finished his career with an 85-69 record and a 4.11 ERA. He was an American League All-Star in 1950.
Byrne, mayor of Wake Forest, N.C., from 1973-87, was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 1976. He was elected to the Wake Forest University Sports Hall of Fame in 1972.
Byrne was born Dec. 31, 1919 and died on December 20, 2007 in Wake Forest, N.C., at the age of 87.
