Andy Pettitte has been a part of six American League pennant-winning teams and four word championship teams. He was also a part of one National League pennant winning team. He is tied with John Smoltz of the Atlanta Braves with 13 playoff wins.
He is the only major league pitcher since 1930 to win at least twelve games in each of his first nine seasons. Andy Pettitte has won more than 20 games twice, both times with a 21-8 record, in 1996 and 2003. He was a runnerup to Pat Hentegen in 1996 for the American League Cy Young Award, after leading the league in wins. Pettitte was named the MVP of the American League Championship Series in 2001, as he won the first and last game of the series. He played on the American League team in the All Star game in 1996 and 2001.
All of American League pennants and the four world championships came with the New York Yankees, for whom he played from 1995 until 2003. On December 11, 2003, he signed a 3-year $31.5 with the Houston Astros. Former Yankees teammate Roger Clemens joined him a few weeks later, postponing a planned retirement.
Pettitte’s 2004 season was cut short by injury. In 2005, however, his ERA was second best in the National League. Only teammate Clemens had a better ERA. He was an important factor in the Astros contending for the Wild Card playoff berth. When he started two games in the 2005 World Series, he tied Christy Mathewson and Waite Hoyt with appearances in 11 Fall Classics. Whitey Ford started in 22 World Series games. He has played in seven different World Series, six with the Yankees, one with the Astros, and has been the winning end of 18 different postseason series-both tops among active players. The Astros lost the 2005 Series.
Andy Pettitte is the only major league starting pitcher ever to pitch in ten or more consecutive seasons and have a winning record in every one of those seasons. Babe Ruth accomplished a similar feat, but not in consecutive seasons.
Prior to the 2005 season, Pettitte’s record was 155-82, with a 3.94 ERA, and 1,354 strikeouts.
Andy Pettitte has won awards not only for his baseball talents, such as the 2003 Warren Spahn Award, but also for his off the field accomplishments, such as the 1996 Good Guy Award. In 2005 he was the Houston Astros’ nominee for that year’s Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes the player who best typifies baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement, and an individual’s contribution to his team.
He began his own involvement with the San Jacinto College Foundation, when it was formed in July 1996. The foundation is non-profit and is operated separately from the college. The foundation receives grants, donations, and bequests, and manages the funds.
The foundation attempts to enhance student achievement and excellence at the college.
Andy Pettitte served as a guest host for the first golf fundraising tournament for the foundation in October 1996. He has continued serving the tournament for nine years. He is the official host and host for the fundraiser.
Pettitte also devotes his weekends to attending dinners, a live auction, playing in the tournament, and hosting a ceremony for the recipients of the Andy Pettitte Scholarship Endowment Fund.
He also contributes mot of the items for the auction, such as baseball memorabilia and autographed items from himself and his baseball friends. The foundation has raised more than $550,000 and hosted more than 2,100 golfers.
Andy Pettitte received an honorary degree from the college for his service.
Pettitte has served people in many other ways. He visited injured soldiers at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. He also hosted a barbecue for injured soldiers and their families.
Andy Pettitte also participated in a Tee Ball game with mentally or physically disabled teams from the Little League Challenger Division at the White House. Each player who was at bat was assisted by the baseball star, who also attended a picnic on the front lawn of the White House for the players and their families.
Pettitte and three other Houston Astros players participated in the 2005 Astros Winter Caravan, which features hospital and community visits and free autograph signing sessions for fans throughout the greater Houston and Central Texas area. He has also participated in other autograph signing sessions.
Every Sunday one can see Andy Pettitte at the Deer Park Central Baptist Church in Houston. His father-in-law is the pastor of the church. Pettitte and fellow Astros, Lance Berkman and Adam Everett have been involved with youth activities at the church. Drew Garner, the pastor of the church, is also the father of Astros’ manager Phil Garner.
I want to live my life for the Lord,” Pettitte said.
On the website, www.thegoal.com, Andy Pettitte discusses how his personal faith is more important to him than his World Series championships. He called his trusting Jesus Christ as Savior at age 11 “the most exciting” event in his life and discussed his personal faith in Christ’s death on the cross for mankind’s sin.
Andy Pettitte has been a success as a baseball player, personally, and has played for four World Series champions. He has also found fulfillment in his personal Christian faith and in serving others.
