ASU's 50 Best Professional Athletes No. 44: Baseball's Lary Gura

Arizona State has had its fair share of success in baseball (obviously). Not only while the players are at Arizona State, but also developing them and turning them into stars at the professional level.

You will see many more baseball players on our countdown of the 50 best professional athletes to attend ASU, but not many careers had the longevity of Larry Gura.

The Joliet, Ill., native was drafted in the second round of the 1969 MLB Draft and debuted with the Chicago Cubs in 1970 at the age of 22. From 1970-1973, he made 54 appearances, including 20 starts for the Cubs before being traded to the the New York Yankees.

Gura spent just two seasons in pinstripes before being traded to the Kansas City Royals in May of 1976. He spent the better part of 10 seasons in Kansas City, being named to the AL All-Star Team in 1980 while also finishing sixth in the Cy Young voting that season. Gura also finished seventh in Cy Young voting in 1978 and ninth in 1981.

He started at least 25 games for the Royals every year from 1978-1984 and started at least 30 games three times during that stretch. In 1982, Gura started 37 games and threw 248 innings for Kansas City.

In May of 1985, Gura signed as a free agent with the Chicago Cubs, the team that drafted him 16 seasons prior. He was released by the Cubs in August of that year.

For his career, Gura tossed 2,047 innings, compiled a career record of 126-97 and an ERA of 3.76.

Check back tomorrow to find out who comes in at No. 43 in our countdown of the 50 best professional athletes to attend ASU.