Bob Friend facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bob Friend |
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Bob Friend, circa 1953
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: November 24, 1930 Lafayette, Indiana, U.S. |
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| Died: February 3, 2019 (aged 88) O'Hara Township, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 28, 1951, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 24, 1966, for the New York Mets | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 197–230 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.58 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,734 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Robert "Bob" Bartmess Friend (born November 24, 1930 – died February 3, 2019) was an American professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). Bob played from 1951 to 1966. He is best known for his time with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Bob Friend was chosen for the All-Star team four times. He was a key player for the Pirates when they won the 1960 World Series. They beat the New York Yankees in that series. In his last season, 1966, he also played for the New York Yankees and New York Mets. Bob Friend still holds Pirates records for the most innings pitched and strikeouts in a career. He was also the first pitcher to lead the league in ERA while playing for a last-place team.
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Growing Up and School
Bob Friend was born in Lafayette, Indiana. He grew up in a nearby town called West Lafayette. His father was a leader of an orchestra. Bob studied piano seriously until he was about sixteen years old.
At West Lafayette High School, Bob was a great athlete. He was an all-state football halfback. He was also an all-state pitcher on the baseball team. He played basketball and golf too.
Bob dreamed of playing college football for Purdue University. Many of his family members had gone there. He also wanted to play professional baseball. However, a shoulder injury in high school made him focus more on baseball. He then signed a professional contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
He started attending Purdue in the fall of 1949. He went to Purdue during the baseball off-seasons for eight years. In 1957, he earned a bachelor's degree in economics. He was also a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.
Starting His Baseball Career
In 1950, Bob Friend joined the Pirates' minor league system. He pitched for the Waco Pirates team. He had a record of 12 wins and 9 losses. After that, he moved up to the Indianapolis Indians. This was a Triple-A team. He finished that year with 2 wins and 4 losses.
The general manager for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Branch Rickey, wanted young players to join the main team quickly. So, Bob Friend was moved to the major league roster at the start of 1951.
Major League Highlights
Bob Friend joined the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1951. He made his first appearance on June 28. He pitched two innings without giving up any runs. Later that season, on August 15, he pitched his first career shutout. A shutout means the other team scores no runs. He beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7–0. He finished his first season with 6 wins and 10 losses.
In 1952, Bob started the year with another shutout. He beat the Cincinnati Reds 3–0. He ended the season with 7 wins and 17 losses. The Pirates had a tough year, winning only 42 games.
Bob continued to improve his pitching. In 1953, he struck out more batters than he walked for the first time. On June 15, he pitched a complete game, which means he pitched the entire game. He helped his team win 3–2 against the Milwaukee Braves.
Leading the League in ERA
In 1955, Bob Friend had a great season. He won 14 games and lost 9. He led the National League (NL) with the best ERA of 2.83. This means he gave up fewer runs per game than other pitchers. Even though he pitched very well, the Pirates still finished in last place that year.
All-Star and Innings Leader
In 1956, Bob was chosen for his first All-Star team. He was the winning pitcher in the All-Star Game that year. He led the NL in starts, with 42 games. He also led the league in innings pitched, with 314.1 innings. He finished the season with 17 wins and 17 losses. He also had 166 strikeouts, which was third-best in the NL.
He led the NL in starts and innings pitched again in 1957. He had 14 wins and 18 losses. He also completed 17 games, which was second in the league.
20-Win Season and World Series Champion
In 1958, Bob Friend was selected for his second All-Star team. He had an amazing year, leading the league with 22 wins and 14 losses. He finished third in the voting for the Cy Young Award, which goes to the best pitcher. The Pirates finished second in the NL that year.
In 1960, Bob made the All-Star team for the third time. He won 18 games and lost 12. He had a great ERA of 3.00. He also pitched four shutouts. The Pirates won the NL pennant that year. They then went on to win the 1960 World Series against the New York Yankees. This was a huge win for the team.
Later Career
Bob continued to be a strong pitcher for the Pirates. In 1962, he won 18 games and led the league with five shutouts. He pitched a shutout on opening day against the Philadelphia Phillies. He also blanked the new New York Mets team later that year.
In 1963, Bob had his best career ERA of 2.34. He won 17 games and lost 16. He pitched very well, allowing few hits and walks.
1965 was Bob Friend's last season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He won 8 games and lost 12. The Pirates had a strong season, winning 90 games.
In 1966, Bob played his final major league season. He split his time between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets. He wore uniform number 19 for the Yankees.
Bob Friend played 15 full seasons with the Pirates. He was a very important part of the team, especially in 1960. He and Vern Law were considered one of the best pitching duos in baseball.
Life After Baseball
In 1957, Bob Friend married Patricia Koval, who was a nurse. They had two children. Their son, Bob Friend Jr., became a professional golfer. He played on the PGA Tour.
After his baseball career, Bob Friend worked in public service. He served as the controller for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, from 1967 to 1975. This job involves managing the county's money. In 1976, he started working for an insurance company. He eventually became a vice president there. He was also a delegate to the Republican National Convention three times. He was a Freemason.
Bob Friend passed away unexpectedly at his home in O'Hara Township, near Pittsburgh, on February 3, 2019. He was 88 years old.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders
