Ken Raffensberger, 85; Twice Led National League in Shutouts

Ken Raffensberger, 85, a pitcher who twice led the National League in shutouts during a 15-year career in the major leagues, died Sunday in York, Pa. The cause of death was not announced.

A native of York, Raffensberger made his major league debut with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1939. He saw his first significant action the next season with the Chicago Cubs -- pitching in 43 games, mostly as a reliever -- posting a 7-9 record.

In 1944, the left-hander was the winning pitcher in the All Star Game. It was one of the few bright spots for Raffensberger that year as he led with 20 losses while playing for Philadelphia.

Raffensberger had his best seasons after he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in 1947. He led the league in shutouts in 1949 with five and recorded an 18-17 record. In 1952, he was 17-13 with a 2.81 earned run average and led the league with six shutouts.