Don Drysdale (see his card with Sandy Koufax, previous listing)
Friend’s teammates on 1960 Pirates: https://youtu.be/yG2vd3O9ttI
Robert Bartmess “Bob” Friend (Born in Lafayette, IN on November 24, 1930 – February 3, 2019) was the first pitcher to ever lead the league in ERA (2.48) while pitching for a last place team as his Pittsburgh Pirates went 60-94 in 1955. During his 15-year career, Bob had nine seasons with 10 or more wins including a league leading 22 victories in 1958. However, he also led the National league in losses twice in 1959 and 1961 with 19. Friend was a very durable starter, averaging 32 starts and 11 complete games in Pittsburgh for 15 years (1951-1965) before finishing his career in New York with the Yankees and the Mets (1966). He led the National League three times in starts, twice in innings pitched, losses and batters faced and once in ERA, wins, shutouts and earned runs. Bob’s best year came in 1958 when he led the league in wins (22), starts (38), hits allowed (299) and earned runs (112) while striking out 135 and posting a 3.68 ERA earning Cy young and MVP consideration. He was also three-time National League All-Star. Bob went 0-2 in his only postseason, but won the World Series with the underdog Pittsburgh Pirates in 1960 over the New York Yankees. Bob Friend ended his career with a 197-230 record, 163 complete games, 36 shutouts, 11 saves, 1,734 strikeouts and a 3.58 career ERA in 602 games. Friend is the only pitcher in Major League history to lose more than 200 games (230), while winning less than 200 games (197).
Michael Francis “Mike” McCormick (Born in Peoria, IL on September 29, 1938-) is a retired left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who played 16 seasons, and captured the 1967 National League Cy Young Award. He also holds the distinction of having surrendered Hank Aaron’s 500th home run in 1968. The New York Giants signed McCormick in 1956 as a “bonus baby,” ushering straight into the big leagues that season, at the age of 17. In 11 total seasons with the club (1956-1962, 1967-1970), including following them to San Francisco, McCormick was 107-96. A trade to the Baltimore Orioles (1963-1964) left Mike with a 6-10 record and ended with a trade to the Washington Senators, where he managed a slightly better 19-22 record over two years. His return to the Giants in 1967 proved to revitalize the pitcher, and saw him lead the league in wins while going 22-10 with a 2.85 ERA. He also held the distinction of having defeated every NL team (other than the Giants) that year. That season, Mike became the first pitcher in Giants’ franchise history to win the Cy Young Award. In the middle of the 1970 season, McCormick was traded to the New York Yankees, who released him before the start of the next season. He then signed with the Kansas City Royals, with whom he played only four games in 1971 before retiring. With a 134-128 lifetime record, he also had a 3.73 ERA in 484 games.
Stanley Wilson Williams (Born in Enfield, NH on September 14, 1936- ) was a right-handed pitcher who spent time as a starter and reliever. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1958-1962), New York Yankees (1963-1964), Cleveland Indians (1965-1969), Minnesota Twins (1970-1971), St. Louis Cardinals (1971) and Boston Red Sox (1972). At 6’5″ and 230 lbs, Williams was a power pitcher who earned the nicknames “Big Daddy” and “The Big Hurt.” He was a significant contributor to the Dodgers World Series team in 1959 and earned his lone All-Star appearance in 1960. Williams retired after the 1972 season with a 109-94 record and 3.48 ERA. He went into coaching after his playing days ended and won a World Series title with the Cicninnati Reds in 1990.
High Quality Baseball Cards 