FoundSF

Historical Essay

by Matt Sieger

Gary Lavelle

Photo courtesy of San Francisco Giants

Left-handed reliever Gary Lavelle pitched 13 seasons in the Major Leagues, the first 11 with the San Francisco Giants, from 1974-1984. He has pitched in more games (647) than anyone in the history of the Giants, including Christy Mathewson. He is also first for the franchise in games finished (369) and fourth in saves, with 126. He was selected to the National League All-Star team in 1977 and 1983. After retiring from MLB, he became a highly successful high school and college baseball coach in Virginia. This article is based on my interview with him in 1983.

The Fellowship of Christian Athletes gathering had ended and a young woman stopped to chat with guest speaker Gary Lavelle.

"For the first 20 minutes I thought you were a pastor, but when you kept talking about baseball I realized you were a player!" she exclaimed.

At 6-1, 200 pounds it's easy to see why the big lefthander has been mowing them down for nine major league seasons. But the San Francisco Giants ace reliever knows the Bible as well as he does the league's opposing hitters. As the charter member of the Giant's "God Squad" teams of the late 1970s, Gary's helped lead several of his teammates to a personal relationship with Christ.

The youngest of five boys, he was raised on a diet of baseball, football and basketball in Bethlehem, Pa., "but baseball was always my first love." As a high school sophomore Gary tossed his first no-hitter. His senior year he hurled another no-hitter, a bunch of one- and two-hitters, and got a phone call from the Giants. Assigned to their Salt Lake City farm club, Gary began a long climb to the majors. In September 1974, after eight seasons in the minors, he was called up to the parent club. Gary had married in 1972and he and wife Regina had their first child, daughter Jana, in 1975.

"I'd fulfilled a dream. I had success, money, a beautiful wife, our first child . . . but there was something missing," he said.

At the end of the '75 season Lavelle went to Venezuela to play winter ball and met former Minnesota Twins pitcher Tom Johnson, who shared about knowing God in a personal way and "answered a lot of questions I had." Gary gave his life to the Lord soon after.

"The hardest thing was coming home,” he said. “I didn't want to go into bars anymore." Reporters found the new Lavelle even harder to figure. They were accustomed to the old Lavelle who'd angrily vent his frustration after a poor performance.

"I asked the Lord for strength in both the good times and bad and before long the press began to report on my new-found composure," he said.

His teammates also saw the change and when opportunities surfaced Gary witnessed to them. "I don't preach. I just share what the Bible has to say about life," he stated.

By 1978 the press had dubbed the Giants the "God Squad" because of the number of professing Christians on the team.

Gary's performance speaks as loudly as his words. Last season his 10-7 mark and 2.67 ERA helped keep the Giants in the pennant race until the next-to-last day of the season. Coming out of the bullpen in the late innings of a tight game is Gary's specialty, but his biggest challenge came in 1980.

"I'd gotten off to a terrible start and lost my job as the number one reliever. I kept asking the Lord, 'Is this the end of my career?' he recalled. "He gave me the desire to work harder, to go the extra mile."

Gary began a weight training program the next year and by 1982 his arm had returned to form.

"I learned to persevere when the odds are against you but it also made me realize base­ ball will end someday and I'll need to go on," he said.

A family man, Gary looks forward to playing ball with his young son Timothy. He relishes family picnics and outings and has recently revived his interest in hunting. When his playing days are over he may go back to school to prepare for a career in business.

"The Lord will guide my path after baseball. I have peace about that."

So do a lot of other players who've met Gary.

This article first appeared in Sharing the Victory, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, July-August 1983.

Matt Sieger, now retired, is a former sports reporter and columnist for The Vacaville Reporter. He is the author of The God Squad: The Born-Again San Francisco Giants of 1978.