On Thursday, Bruce Sutter, a Hall of Fame closer who formerly owned the National League

career saves record and helped the Cardinals win the 1982 World Series, passed away. He was 69.

“I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Bruce Sutter, whose career was an incredible baseball success story,” 

Rob Manfred, the commissioner, stated in a statement. "By inventing the split-fingered fastball, 

Bruce rose from a non-drafted free agent to the pinnacles of baseball

In addition to getting him into the Major Leagues, the pitch helped the Cubs win the Cy Young Award and the 1982 Cardinals win the World Series.

One of the main individuals who anticipated how the use of relievers would develop was Bruce, 

the first pitcher to be elected to the Hall of Fame without ever having made a start in a game.

Sutter was signed by the Cubs in 1971, but an elbow injury cut short his 1972 campaign.