Dave McNally dies from lung cancer at the age of 60

On December 1, 2002, former major league pitching star Dave McNally dies from lung cancer at the age of 60. A four-time 20-game winner over the span of four consecutive seasons, McNally helped anchor a Baltimore Orioles pitching staff that featured Hall of Famer Jim Palmer and standout left-hander Mike Cuellar. In 1966, McNally won Game Four of the World Series, cementing Baltimore’s sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 1970, the stylish left-hander won Game Three of the World Series, as the Orioles defeated the Cincinnati Reds in five games. At the end of his career, McNally helped change baseball’s basic financial structure. After playing the 1975 season without a signed contract, McNally was declared a free agent by arbitrator Peter Seitz. The decision paved the way for the advent of the free agent system.