LARNED – Ralph Willard Terry, 86, passed away peacefully on March 16, 2022 at Country Living of Larned with Tanya, his wife of 60 years by his side.

He was born January 9, 1936 in Big Cabin, Oklahoma the son of Frank and Erma Adams Terry Dawes.

A longtime area resident, he was of the Christian faith. Ralph was a 1953 graduate of Chelsea High School in Chelsea, Oklahoma, where he was a three-sport athlete. His career as a professional athlete began in 1954 in Binghamton, New York as a class A affiliate for the Yankees. His rookie career took him to AAA in Denver, back to Binghamton, and then to Kansas City. At the age of 21, Ralph was the youngest pitcher to join the Yankee’s staff. He is the only pitcher to throw the final pitch in two World Series Game Sevens; in 1960 and in 1962 when he was named the World Series MVP. While much of his career was spent with the Yankees, he also played for the Kansas City Athletics, New York Mets and the Cleveland Indians.

Ralph followed a successful baseball career with a new sport: golf. He competed as a professional golfer in 106 PGA events and was a cofounder of the Celebrity Players Golf Tour. He was a member of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Hall of Fame, and the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. Ralph teamed with Gary Meserve of Larned to win the 1979 Kansas State Doubles Bowling title.

More comprehensive information on Ralph can be found here: “https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/ralph-terry/ ” and in the book: “Right Down The Middle: The Ralph Terry Story” with John Wooley.

On November 12, 1960 he married Tanya Cecilia Simmons in Kansas City, Kansas. She survives.

Other survivors include; two sons, Raif Terry and Gabe Terry, both of Larned; two grandchildren, Olivia (Drew) Brown, Wichita, Corbin Terry, Oklahoma City, OK; two great grandchildren, Elena and Noah Brown, and three half siblings, Sue Dawes Call, Oklahoma, Bill Dawes and Mike (Dorinne) Dawes, both of Florida.

He was preceded in death by; his parents and a brother, John Terry.

Private family services will be held.  

Memorials may be given to the Larned Recreation Commission in care of Beckwith Mortuary, P.O. Box 477, Larned, KS 67550.  Personal condolences may be left at www.beckwithmortuary.com.

Funeral arrangements provided by

Beckwith Mortuary

P.O. Box 477

Larned, KS 67550

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 18, 2022