LaMarr Hoyt, Former White Sox Player and Cy Young Winner, Dead at 66

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LaMarr Hoyt, former Chicago White Sox player and 1983 American League Cy Young Award winner has died. He was 66.

His family announced that the former athlete died Monday morning in his hometown, Colombia, South Carolina, following a battle with cancer.

"My dad passed away from cancer with me by his side early in the morning of the 29th," Hoyt's eldest son, Mathew, told the MLB. "He genuinely loved being a part of the White Sox organization, and I can say without a doubt those were the best years of his life. All he talked about in his final days was baseball, the White Sox and all of his former teammates."

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Born Dewey LaMarr Hoyt Jr. on January 1, 1955, the baseball player was drafted to the New York Yankees in 1973 before being traded in 1977 to the White Sox, where he spent eight seasons, per the MLB.

With the Sox, the pitcher led the American League with 19 wins in 1982 and 24 wins in 1983 — the season which earned him the Cy Young Award, given annually to the league's best pitchers. Hoyt was later traded to the San Diego Padres and in 1984 and a year later was the winning pitcher and MVP for the All-Star Game.

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Following the news of his death the White Sox released a statement on Twitter, sending condolences to Hoyt's family.

"The White Sox send our thoughts and condolences to the family and friends of LaMarr Hoyt, who passed away on Monday in Columbia, S.C. following a lengthy illness," the organization wrote. The 1983 A.L. Cy Young Award winner was 66."

The Padres also wrote: "The Padres mourn the loss of former AL Cy Young winner and NL All-Star LaMarr Hoyt. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time."

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Former White Sox assistant general manager Dan Evans called Hoyt the "best pitcher" on Twitter, raving that the late star was "always a good guy to me." Richard Dotson, who played alongside Hoyt for the White Sox, told the organization that he was also a "great teammate."

"LaMarr was a great pitcher and a great teammate. We would sit around and talk pitching for hours," Dotson said. "He really knew how to pitch. His stuff was never great, but he had a great sinker and exceptional command. LaMarr, Britt Burns, Harold Baines and I all came up to the big leagues around the same time and grew up together, which eventually led to that memorable 1983 season. We are all going to miss him."