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Gary Sutherland began his 45-year baseball career in 1965 as a 20-year-old minor leaguer. The next year, he reached the majors.

He spent his first three seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies. Sutherland played 77 games at shortstop, 32 in the outfield, 17 at second base, and 10 at third. He also pinch-hit 58 times and pinch-ran in six games. His versatility made him a valuable utility player.

In October 1968, the Montreal Expos selected Sutherland eighth overall pick in the expansion draft. He made franchise history immediately. He scored Montreal’s first-ever run and recorded the first regular-season putout in Canada.

The Expos traded Sutherland to Houston in June 1972. Though previously a regular, he struggled for playing time. He appeared in just 21 games for the Astros and spent time in the minors.

On December 3, 1973, Detroit acquired him. Sutherland started at second base in 1974 and posted career highs across the board. He stayed with the Tigers until a 1976 midseason trade sent him to Milwaukee.

The Brewers released him at season’s end. Gary wrapped up his playing career with short stints in San Diego and St. Louis. He played in more than 1,000 big league games.

In 1974, the MLBPA asked players to list endorsements. Sutherland filled out the form on May 23 that year. He had none. Unlike today’s stars, most players then earned little outside baseball.

After retiring, Sutherland stayed in the game and built a long, successful career as a scout and front-office executive.

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The Montreal Expos opened their inaugural season at New York’s Shea Stadium. With Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver on hill, not much was expected of the new franchise.

After Montreal leadoff man Maury Wills stuck out looking, Gary Sutherland reached on an error by Mets second baseman Ken Boswell. Mack Jones followed a Rusty Staub pop out with a walk that put runners on first and second with two out.

Expos first baseman Bob Bailey then smashed a first-pitch fastball from Seaver into the gap in right-center. The two-base hit gave Bailey the team’s first RBI and Sutherland the first run. Montreal tagged Seaver with four runs in five innings in a back-and-forth affair won by the Expos 11-10.

In the handwritten letter above, Seaver writes about his admiration of his college coach, Rod Dedeaux.

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Gary Sutherland was the starting second baseman for the 1969 expansion Montreal Expos in both their season and home openers. In Major League Baseball’s first game in Canada, Sutherland etched his name into franchise lore.

On April 14th, Hall of Fame outfielder Lou Brock became the first man to see a regular-season big league pitch in Canada. Facing Larry Jaster the left-hand hitting Brock hit a line shot that was snared by Sutherland at second. With the catch, Sutherland recorded baseball’s first putout in Canada.

Shown here is a 1968 Topps baseball card commemorating Brock’s four-hit performance in  Game 1 of the 1967 World Series. His signature appears boldly across the offering.

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Gary Sutherland played more than 1,000 big league games from 1966-1978. Notably he scored the first run in Montreal Expos franchise history. He also recorded the first putout in a regular-season game played in Canada.

Upon his retirement, Sutherland became a scout for the Padres and Dodgers and later an assistant to the general manager with the Angels. Here he writes about an exchange with future Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn.

It’s a long road from college to the Major Leagues. Tony Gwynn’s started after the Padres drafted him in the 3rd round of the 1981 draft. Present the whole way was San Diego scout Gary Sutherland.

Here “Sudsy” recounts the earliest days of Gwynn’s road the greatness. In this letter the scout writes about contentious contract negotiations with Gwynn and his father.

When asked what he felt was a fair signing bonus for his son the older Gwynn suggested $40,000. The Padres countered with $12,500. Sutherland goes on to reveal that the 15-time All Star eventually signed for $25,000.

Sudsy was among Gwynn’s first professional coaches, guiding the young buck at Walla Walla, Washington. Sutherland writes of Gwynn thanking him more than a dozen years later.

Sutherland himself spent 13 years in the big leagues as a player before embarking on a career as a scout and front office executive.

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After the contract negotiations with Tony Gwynn and his father, young Tony reported to Walla Walla, Washington. As an instructor there, the universally liked and respected Gary Sutherland looked after the 21-year old. The two quickly hit it off.

Throughout the rest of his career, the two remained friendly. Whenever Tony saw Gary he thanked the elder statesman for the care he showed in Gwynn’s early years.

Shown here is his Topps rookie card adorned with a strong Tony Gwynn autograph.

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After retiring as a player, Gary Sutherland served the game for decades as a scout. It was in that capacity with the Dodgers that Sutherland wrote this report about a 20-year old pitcher named Pedro Martinez.

Dated four months before Pedro’s debut, the report gives him a prospect key rank of 5, “ML starter or quality reliever”.

Foreshadowing Martinez’ swashbuckling style, Sutherland writes, “Spots FB well & will come inside — has a very effective change up and will throw it at any time”. Notice Pedro’s signature at the top right of Sutherland’s report.

Martinez made it to the big leagues in 1992 with the Dodgers. He pitched two seasons in Los Angeles before being traded for Expos second baseman Delino DeShields. It was one of the worst trades in Dodger history.

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The Dodgers sent scout Gary Sutherland to watch Mike Piazza and assess his readiness for the Major Leagues. Sutherland writes what he saw in this scouting report.

“Making great progress – will develop into a good ML hitter w/above average power”.

Sutherland praises the catcher but ends his report with, “Part of another season at 3A would probably help him.”

Piazza began the next season not at Triple-A, but in the Major Leagues. He ended the year as the unanimous Rookie of the Year after posting a .318 average, 32 homers, and 112 RBI.

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Gary Sutherland foresaw Mike Piazza’s greatness before the catcher even played a big league game. Piazza’s career was elite. Only nine other MLB players hit 400 home runs with a .300 lifetime average while never strikeout out more than 110 times in a season.

Mike Piazza’s name is on that list next to the likes of Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Lou Gehrig, Mel Ott, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Vladimir Guerrero, Albert Pujols, and Chipper Jones.

Sutherland began his career in pro baseball as a 20-year old in 1965. He played until 1978, then moved to the front office as a scout and executive. Sutherland spent nearly a half-century in the game.