At the time of his death, Worthington was the fourth oldest former living player. Only Bill Greason, Bobby Shantz and Bob Ross (not the one you're thinking of) who are 101, 100 and 97, respectively, ranked higher in longevity.
Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, he pitched at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. After a stint pitching with Nashville in the Southern Association, he would be signed by the New York Giants in 1953.
Later that year, he made a spectacular debut with the Giants throwing back-to-back complete game shutouts against the Philadelphia Phillies and the Brooklyn Dodgers, respectively. But then Worthington came back down to Earth losing eight consecutive decisions before earning back-to-back wins in consecutive starts against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Worthington spent most of the 1954 season in the minors with their Triple-AAA affiliate in Minneapolis but did make 10 appearances for a Giants club that would win its first World Series title since 1933. Alas, Worthington would spend all of 1955 pitching in Minneapolis before returning to the starting rotation in 1956.
In 1957, Worthington transitioned into a relief pitcher although he would toss his third and final big-league shutout against the Phillies. Worthington would follow the Giants from the Polo Grounds to Candlestick Park. However, Worthington would have a falling out with the Giants over stealing signs. Worthington would pitch for both the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox in 1960 leaving the Chisox over issues concerning sign stealing once more. He objected to sign stealing on religious grounds and briefly walked away from baseball.
However, his retirement was short-lived and Worthington would remain with the White Sox organization but pitched in Triple-AAA in both 1961 and 1962. He would return to the big leagues in 1963 when the Cincinnati Reds purchased his contract via the Rule 5 Draft. Worthington would post 10 saves with the Reds in 1963 but struggled early in the 1964 season with the Reds sold him to the Minnesota Twins.
When Worthington put on a Twins uniform, he was 35 years old. But Worthington would embark upon his most successful period as a major league pitcher. In 1965, Worthington went 10-7 with a 2.13 ERA recording a career high 21 saves for a Twins team that would win the AL pennant. Worthington would make appearances in Game 4 and in Game 7 as the Twins fell short against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
His tenure with the Twins would last the rest of the decade as he would lead the AL in saves with 18 in 1968 and would pitch on the 1969 Twins team that was the inaugural winner of the AL West Division. Worthington would pitch in Game 3 of the ALCS against the Baltimore Orioles but would be knocked out of the game on a RBI single by future Hall of Famer Frank Robinson as the O's swept the Twins to win the AL pennant.
As it turned out, it was the last pitch Worthington would throw in the big leagues. Over 14 seasons, Worthington made 602 appearances (533 out of the bullpen) and had a record of 75-82 with a 3.39 ERA along with 111 career saves. Of those 111 career saves. 88 of them came in a Twins uniform.
Worthington would return to the Twins in 1972 as the team's pitching coach serving in that role for two seasons first under Bill Rigney (for whom he had pitched under while with the Giants) and later Frank Quilici. Following the 1973 season, Worthington would leave the Twins to become the baseball coach at Liberty University (then known as Lynchburg Baptist College), a role he would serve in for the next 12 seasons before being succeeded by another former big leaguer, Bobby Richardson. Worthington also served as the school's athletic director for several years before retiring in 1989.
In 2011, Worthington was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. Worthington practiced what he preached. R.I.P.
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