Pete Daley was from Grass Valley, California, and played all sports in high school. He was the catcher on American Legion team in addition to the Grass Valley High School team.

Pete was signed to a contract by the Red Sox in June 1948, and began his pro career that summer with the San Jose Red Sox in the Class C California League.

He was invited to spring training in 1949, and was sent to Roanoke of the Class B Piedmont League, and had a great season, earning him a selection to the league’s All-Star team.

Pete started the 1950 campaign with Scranton in the Class A Eastern League, and in mid-season was moved up to Triple A, Louisville. He performed well,and it appeared he was on the fast track up to Boston.

But then Pete was drafted and spent 1951 and 1952 in the Army. He resumed his baseball career with Louisville in 1953, remained with Louisville in 1954 and was named to the American Association All-Star team.

In 1955 Pete went to spring training with the Red Sox, had a good camp, and made the Opening Day roster. But backing up the durable Sammy White, he started behind the plate in just 10 games, seven of which were the back half of doubleheaders.

Pete caught in 57 games in 1956, his most productive year with the Sox, batting .267, with five homers, and 29 RBIs. A series of multi-hit games highlighted his season. In May, during a 12-5 win over the White Sox at Comiskey Park, he batted in five runs with a grand slam and a double. Those five RBIs were his career best, and the grand slam was the only one he hit in the big leagues.

In June, in a 9-7 home win over Cleveland, he was 3-for-3, with two singles, a home run, a walk, and two RBIs. Two days later, he had the first of two career four-hit games.

Yankee left hander Whitey Ford beat the Red Sox, 5-3, in September at Fenway Park, but Pete touched him for a home run, triple, and single. In the season finale in New York, he ended on a high note with a 3-for-4 day. Three of the five homers he hit in 1956 came off future Hall of Famers, Whitey Ford, Early Wynn, and Jim Bunning.

The 1957 race saw both the Sox catchers slump badly at the plate. The first week of September was the high mark in Pete's season. At Yankee Stadium in an 11-inning game, he was inserted as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning against Whitey Ford. He singled in two runs for a 5-3 Red Sox lead, but the Yankees tied the score in the bottom of the inning. Then, in the 11th, Pete's two-run homer gave the Sox a 7-5 victory.

Two days later, his walk-off double scored the winning tally in a 4-3 win over Baltimore at Fenway. The next day, the Orioles took a 2-0 lead into the seventh inning, when Pete homered with a man on, to tie the score in a game the Sox eventually won, 4-3.

Pete’s strong finish coupled with Sammy White’s subpar season looked like some increased playing time for the backup in 1958, but it didn’t happen. Pete started the first four games of the year, but had only one single in his first eight at-bats, when Sammy took over as the starter.

In May, the Sox traded for catcher, Lou Berberet from the Senators and was expected to add some punch to the Red Sox lineup. His acquisition relegated Daley to third-string status.

Pete’s only game action came in late-inning situations as a defensive replacement or as a pinch-hitter. In August, he started the first game of a doubleheader at Fenway Park and had a big day with three hits, three runs scored, and three RBIs in a 14-3 pummeling of the Kansas City Athletics. His offensive explosion included a triple, a home run, and four RBIs. Pete was 18-for-56 in just 27 games, with two homers and eight RBIs in 1958.

In 1959 he was used in 65 games. In May, Sammy White injured his back, and Pete started the next 13 games. He batted .235 (12-for-51) during that stretch and had three hits in an 8-3 loss to Washington. Two days later in New York he batted in four runs with two hits and a sacrifice fly in a 12-2 Red Sox drubbing of the Yankees.

Pete was busy in June when he started 17 of 24 games and hit .228 (13-for-57). In a game against the A's, Pete was 4-for-4 with a double and three singles, for the second time in his big-league career. Pete started only four more games and had just one hit in his next 10 at-bats. In December, he was traded to Kansas City Athletics.

Pete Daley played for five seasons with the Red Sox backing up Sammy White. In 233 games, he was charged with only four errors. Despite irregular playing time, he batted .245 (160-for-653), with 11 home runs and 78 RBIs.

After baseball Pete took over management of Sammy White's bowling alley and pro shop in Brighton, and remained in that position for three years.