Billy Pierce, star pitcher for the White Sox in the 1950s, died today, Friday:

“Generations of White Sox fans lost one of their heroes today,” said Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. “It was an absolute privilege to consider Billy a friend. He epitomized class, not just as a ballplayer on those great Go-Go White Sox teams of the 1950s, but as a gentleman and human being who devoted so much of his life to helping others.”

My thought go out to his family and friends.

Pierce owned a high strikeout rate for his day, leading the American League in 1953 and 1954 with 6.2 K per 9 IP and 7.1 K per 9 IP respectively. It 1955, he seemed to have had the Randy Johnson epiphany that cutting down on walks would make him even more effective. He lowered his walks per nine innings from 4.1 in 1954 to 2.8 in 1955 and won the ERA title with a 1.97 mark. He continued to improve on his walks for the rest of his career.