Former Atlanta Braves All-Star pitcher Lee “Buzz” Capra has died at the age of 78, leaving baseball fans mourning one of the franchise’s most unforgettable one-season wonders.
Capra passed away Monday, according to an announcement from his alma mater, Illinois State University. A cause of death has not been revealed.
The Chicago native may not have had the longest MLB career, but Braves fans will never forget the magical run he put together in 1974.
After beginning his professional career with the New York Mets, Capra was shipped to the Atlanta Braves ahead of the 1974 season — and instantly became one of baseball’s biggest surprises.
In his very first year with Atlanta, Capra exploded onto the scene with a stunning 16-8 record and led the entire National League with a microscopic 2.28 ERA. His breakout season earned him a spot in the MLB All-Star Game and even landed him votes for both the Cy Young Award and National League MVP.
One of the most jaw-dropping stretches of Capra’s career came in June of that season, when he went a perfect 6-0 with a ridiculous 1.05 ERA. He tossed three shutouts during that run and set a Braves franchise record with nine straight wins.
But just as quickly as Capra rose to stardom, injuries cruelly derailed his career.
Arm problems began piling up after his All-Star campaign, and the dominant pitcher was never quite the same again. He made only 62 more appearances before the Braves released him in 1978, bringing his big-league career to an early and heartbreaking end.
Even after leaving the mound behind, Capra stayed deeply connected to the game he loved.
He later coached at Northeastern Illinois University and worked throughout professional baseball with organizations including the Braves, Mets, Expos, Phillies and White Sox.
Illinois State head baseball coach Steve Holm paid tribute to Capra in an emotional statement following his death.
“Buzz is a legend in our program and one of the best baseball players to ever wear a Redbird uniform,” Holm said. “He was a Hall of Famer, national champion, longtime MLB professional and coach and his legacy in the game of baseball will live on.”
Capra helped lead Illinois State to the 1969 National Baseball Championship before launching his professional career.
Visitation services are scheduled for Monday, May 18, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., and again Tuesday morning before his funeral service at Cumberland Chapels.
For many Braves fans, Buzz Capra will forever be remembered as the unlikely ace who caught lightning in a bottle — and gave Atlanta one unforgettable season.
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