Born in Gordon, Kansas, he was signed by the Yankees as an amateur free agent out of Capitol Hill High School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in May, 1948. He started his professional career in the minor leagues. In 1952, he was 3-3 with a 3.56 ERA for Beaumont in the Texas League. In ‘53, he was 10-7 with a 3.76 ERA for Birmingham of the Eastern League. In ‘54, he was 8-9 with a 3.57 ERA, 133 strikeouts and just 59 walks in 169 innings for Kansas City of the American Association.\n', '

Sturdivant made his major league debut the following year, working exclusively out of the bullpen during the regular season and the third and fourth games of the 1955 World Series. He was a sixteen-game winner in each of the next two campaigns, starting a World Series game in each year, and pitching a complete game to defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers 6-2 in Game 4 of the 1956 World Series (the game before Don Larsen\'s perfect game). In 1957, his 16-6 record led the American League in won-lost percentage (.727), and his 2.54 ERA was second in the league.\n', '

A rotator cuff injury in 1958 greatly limited his effectiveness for the remainder of his baseball career. On May 26, 1959, he, along with Johnny Kucks and Jerry Lumpe, was sent to Kansas City for Héctor López and Ralph Terry. Sturdivant wore uniform number 32 for the A\'s that year.\n', '

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