Earl Francis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Earl Francis |
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Francis in 1965
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: July 14, 1935 Slab Fork, West Virginia |
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| Died: July 3, 2002 (aged 66) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
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| debut | |||
| June 30, 1960, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 27, 1965, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 16–23 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.77 | ||
| Strikeouts | 263 | ||
| Innings pitched | 4052⁄3 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Earl Coleman Francis (born July 14, 1935 – died July 3, 2002) was an American professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1960 to 1965. Francis played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals. He was born in Slab Fork, West Virginia, and stood 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall, weighing 210 pounds (95 kg). During his career, he played in 103 games, starting 52 of them.
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Starting His Baseball Journey
Earl Francis signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1954. After playing one season in a lower league (Class D), he took a break from baseball. He served for four years in the United States Air Force.
Returning to the Field
In 1959, Francis returned to the Pirates' baseball system. He spent parts of three years playing in Triple-A, which is a high level of minor league baseball. He then made his way to the major leagues.
First Taste of the Majors
In 1960, Earl Francis got his first chance to play in the MLB. He joined the Pittsburgh Pirates for a short time during the middle of the season. This was a special year for the Pirates, as they went on to become world champions.
Earl Francis's MLB Career
Earl Francis started the 1961 season in Triple-A again. However, in June, he was called back up to Pittsburgh. This began a two-and-a-half-year period where he played regularly in the big leagues.
His Best Season: 1962
The year 1962 was Earl Francis's most successful season. He played in 36 games, which was his personal best. He also won nine games, had an impressive earned run average (ERA) of 3.07, and completed five games.
A Memorable Game
On August 25, 1962, Francis pitched his only MLB shutout. He allowed only three hits against the St. Louis Cardinals, showing how well he could pitch.
Later Years with the Pirates
In 1963, Francis was the Pittsburgh Pirates' starting pitcher for their Opening Day game. This traditional game took place in Cincinnati on April 8. However, Francis lost that game 5–2. During the rest of the year, his ERA went up to 4.53, and he won only two games while losing six as a starter.
Moving On
Earl Francis spent most of the 1964 season in Triple-A. After that season, he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. In 1965, the Cardinals mostly kept him in the minor leagues. He made only two appearances in the MLB late in the season as a relief pitcher. He played one more season in Triple-A in 1966 before he stopped playing professional baseball.
Career Highlights and Life After Baseball
In his Major League Baseball career, Earl Francis won 16 games and lost 23. He pitched a total of 405 and two-thirds innings pitched. During his time on the mound, he allowed 398 hits and gave up 181 walks. He also managed to strike out 263 batters.
After he retired from playing baseball, Earl Francis lived and worked in Pittsburgh. He passed away at the age of 66.
Images for kids
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Francis in 1965
