Al Worthington, a durable right-hander whose major league career spanned parts of 14 seasons and whose best years came as a relief pitcher for the Minnesota Twins, died June 16. He was 97.

Worthington was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on Feb. 5, 1929, one of 10 children in a baseball-loving family. After two seasons with the minor league Nashville Volunteers of the Southern Association, Worthington made his major league debut in 1953 with the New York Giants. A year later, the Giants delivered Worthington his first and only World Series championship.

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Worthington's career took him through a turbulent decade, including military service during the Korean War and the Giants’ move from New York to San Francisco. But the most turbulence in Worthington's career arose from something that happened on the field.

In 1959, he confronted Giants general manager Bill Rigney about allegations his team was stealing signs.

“I told Bill that I had been talking to church groups, telling people you don’t have to lie or cheat in this world if you trust Jesus Christ," Worthington told the Saturday Evening Post. "How could I go on saying those things if I was winning games because my team was cheating?”

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Worthington was traded twice in the next year: in March 1960 to the Boston Red Sox and in August 1960 to the Chicago White Sox. In Chicago, he confronted White Sox general manager Hank Greenberg when sign-stealing allegations surfaced against them.

“We tried to sell him,” Greenberg admitted to the Post, “but the word was out that he was some sort of cuckoo.”

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By the time Worthington reached his mid-30s, an age when many pitchers were finished, he found the role that defined his career. Acquired by the Twins in 1964, he became one of the American League’s most reliable relievers. Worthington posted a 1.37 ERA after joining Minnesota that season, then helped the Twins win the 1965 pennant.

In 1965, Worthington recorded a career-high 21 saves and remained a key part of Minnesota’s bullpen through 1969.

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Worthington retired after the 1968 season but returned when manager Billy Martin persuaded him to come back for one more year. He pitched in 46 games for the 1969 Twins, who won another division title before losing to the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Championship Series.

Worthington finished his MLB career with a 75-82 record, a 3.39 ERA and 111 saves.

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After baseball, Worthington became a respected elder statesman of the game. He remained active in interviews and reunions well into his 90s, often speaking about the differences between baseball in his era and the modern game.

In the wake of the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal, he was among the former players who criticized the use of technology to gain an unfair advantage, reflecting a belief that competition should be decided between the lines rather than through electronic assistance.

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