Former New York Yankees pitcher Fritz Peterson, who swapped wives and families with a teammate, has died at the age of 82.
The 1970 All-Star and teammate Mike Kekich changed their lives outside the stadium when they exchanged romantic partners.
The story was so crazy that Hollywood duo Ben Affleck and Matt Damon wanted to turn it into a blockbuster movie.
The change occurred in 1973, almost 12 months later. Peterson and his wife Marilyn attended a party with Kekich and his wife, Susanne.
“We did it and we had so much fun together, Susanne and I and Mike and Marilyn, that we decided, ‘Hey, this is fun, let’s do it again,'” he told the Palm Beach Post in 2013.
‘We did it the next night. We went to the Steak and Ale in Fort Lee. Mike and Marilyn left early and Susanne and I stayed, had drinks and ate.
Former Yankees pitcher Fritz Peterson, who swapped wives with a teammate, dies at 82
Peterson with his ex-wife Marilyn Peterson (left) and his new love Susanne Kekich (right) in 1972
‘It was really fun to be able to talk to someone. All of us feel the same. We continued from there and eventually he fell in love with my wife and I fell in love with his.
When they announced the news to the American media at spring training, Peterson, then 31, told reporters, “Don’t do anything sleazy with this.”
Kekich, then 27, added: “Don’t say this was a wife swap, because it wasn’t.” We don’t exchange wives, we exchange lives.
It seems that it was not unhappy marriages that inspired the exchange. As Kekich later admitted, “by American standards, I had a good marriage. But I wanted a great marriage. I guess I was idealistic.
According to various versions of events, Peterson was attracted to the bubbly Susanne, a former cheerleader, while the quieter Kekich became close to Marilyn, who is said to have echoed his personality.
But although the new arrangement proved successful for Peterson and Kekich, who had four children and remained together until his death, the romance between Kekich and Peterson fizzled out after only a couple of months.
Years later, in an interview, Kekich recalled: ‘Marilyn and I thought we were perfect, as did Fritz and Susanne. Marilyn was all for the change at first, but then she backed out.
‘The four of us had agreed at the beginning that if anyone was unhappy, the event would be cancelled. But when Marilyn and I decided to call it off, the other couple had already left.
Peterson, who once battled prostate cancer, helped the Yankees to 109 victories during his time in the Bronx.
Peterson with his wife Marilyn and sons Eric and Greg before changing partners.
New York Yankees’ Mike Kekich and Susanne pose with their daughters before a game
Peterson with Hall of Fame baseball player Joe DiMaggio in the Yankees locker room in 1967.
He was later traded to the Cleveland Guardians after nine seasons in New York. The last time he pitched for the Texas Rangers was in the 1976 season.
A statement from the Yankees said: “The Yankees are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Fritz Peterson, who was a formidable pitcher and affable presence during his nine years in pinstripes.
‘Along with teammate Mel Stottlemyre, Peterson was part of a devastating one-two combination at the top of the Yankees’ rotation.
“A well-known and well-liked prankster among his teammates and coaches, Peterson had an outgoing personality and inquisitive nature that regularly brought joy to the clubhouse and belied his prowess on the mound, especially his impeccable control, which was among the best in the Majors.
“Peterson will be greatly missed by the Yankees and we offer our deepest condolences to his wife, Susanne, and the entire Peterson family.”