Ted Wade Abernathy was a Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He batted and threw right-handed. Abernathy appeared in 681 games and picked up 148 saves during a 14?season career between 1955 and 1972, playing for the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals. He compiled a 63?69 record with 765 strikeouts and a 3.46 ERA in 1147.2 innings. A native of Stanley, North Carolina, Abernathy was born on March 6, 1933 to Wade and Genora Abernathy. He graduated from Stanley High School and signed as an amateur free agent with the Senators in 1952. In 1953 he married Margie Clemmer. He changed his pitching motion from an overhead delivery to a three-quarter delivery after tearing two muscles in his shoulder making a throw from the outfield during his freshman year of high school. After shoulder surgery in 1959 left his career in doubt, he switched from the three-quarter delivery and become an effective sidearmer who developed a submarine pitch. He spent two years in the minor leagues before being called up by the Senators in April 1955. 

March 6th, 1933 in Stanley  /  Died:   Dec 16th, 2004