Major League Baseball Player. The husky 6-foot-2 right-handed forkball specialist helped the New York Yankees win three successive American League pennants in 1941-43. He made his debut at age 27 with the Yankees in 1940, going 9-3 with a 1.90 earned run average and 10 complete games in 12 starts. The following season he was 9-6 with a 2.98 ERA. Bonham had a banner year in 1942, going 21-5 with a 2.27 ERA and an AL-high 22 complete games in 27 starts and six shutouts. He was 15-8 with a 2.27 ERA in 1943 and 12-9 with a 2.99 ERA in 1944. He pitched in three World Series. In 1941, he won Game 5 with a four-hit 3-1 victory that finished off the Brooklyn Dodgers. In 1941, the St. Louis Cardinals defeated him 4-3 in Game 2 and chased him with a six-run outburst in the fourth inning of Game 4, but he wasn't the loser as the Redbirds won 9-6 and eventually took the title in five games. The following year the Cardinals beat him again in Game 2, 4-3, but the Yankees were victorious in five games. Bonham also was named to the AL All-Star team in 1942 and 1943 but didn't pitch in either game. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Oct. 21, 1946 for pitcher Cookie Cuccurullo. He was 11-8 in 1947, 6-10 in 1948 and 7-4 in 1949 for the Pirates. He then had complications from an appendectomy late in the season and died just two weeks after pitching his last game. It was reported that his widow, Ruth, received the first benefits under the players' pension plan, $90 a month for 10 years.

Major League Baseball Player. The husky 6-foot-2 right-handed forkball specialist helped the New York Yankees win three successive American League pennants in 1941-43. He made his debut at age 27 with the Yankees in 1940, going 9-3 with a 1.90 earned run average and 10 complete games in 12 starts. The following season he was 9-6 with a 2.98 ERA. Bonham had a banner year in 1942, going 21-5 with a 2.27 ERA and an AL-high 22 complete games in 27 starts and six shutouts. He was 15-8 with a 2.27 ERA in 1943 and 12-9 with a 2.99 ERA in 1944. He pitched in three World Series. In 1941, he won Game 5 with a four-hit 3-1 victory that finished off the Brooklyn Dodgers. In 1941, the St. Louis Cardinals defeated him 4-3 in Game 2 and chased him with a six-run outburst in the fourth inning of Game 4, but he wasn't the loser as the Redbirds won 9-6 and eventually took the title in five games. The following year the Cardinals beat him again in Game 2, 4-3, but the Yankees were victorious in five games. Bonham also was named to the AL All-Star team in 1942 and 1943 but didn't pitch in either game. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Oct. 21, 1946 for pitcher Cookie Cuccurullo. He was 11-8 in 1947, 6-10 in 1948 and 7-4 in 1949 for the Pirates. He then had complications from an appendectomy late in the season and died just two weeks after pitching his last game. It was reported that his widow, Ruth, received the first benefits under the players' pension plan, $90 a month for 10 years.

Bio by: Ron Coons