Bob Friend

Positions:
Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 72 Weight: 190
Born: Monday, November 24, 1930 in Lafayette, IN USA
Died: in ,
Debut: 4/28/1951
Last Game: 9/24/1966
Full Name: Robert Bartmess Friend

Sort bySearch Days, Events, Players Title (A - Z)Date (Newest)

August 26, 1951

Pirates roar back with 8 runs in 7th to split a twin bill

April 18, 1952

Bob Friend shuts out the Reds in Buc’s home opener

September 12, 1952

Pirates become the first team to use protective headgear, a precursor to the batting helmet

May 24, 1955

After losing 11 straight games‚ the Pirates rout the Dodgers, 15 – 1‚ their highest score in 172 games. Tomorrow, they will sink to the cellar. Bob Friend‚ who pitches the last 4 1/3 innings in relief of starter Vern Law‚ is the winner. Preston Ward has a single‚ triple and home run to pace the Corsairs.

July 19, 1955

Pirate hurler Vern Law pitches 18 innings against the Braves

July 10, 1956

1956 All-Star Game

April 16, 1957

Andre Rodgers becomes the first Bahamian to play in the major leagues when he grounds into a 6-4 force play facing Bob Friend in the top of the second inning of the Giants’ 9-2 loss in Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field. The 22 year-old shortstop’s roommate and fellow Caribbean, Valmy Thomas, entering the game in the sixth to replace catcher Wes Westrum, also becomes the first native of the Virgin Islands to play in big league game.

May 16, 1957

Roberto Clemente’s 4th-inning blast aborts Juan Pizarro’s embryonic no-hitter and puts Pittsburgh ahead of Milwaukee, 1 – 0. “Clemente collected the first hit and it went for everything off Pizarro in the 4th,” reports Jack Hernon of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Clemente gave Bob Friend a lead when he sent his third home run of the season sailing into the few bleacherites in right field.” Although the Bucs never relinquish this lead, Dick Groat’s infield single, a walk to Hank Foiles and Gene Baker’s RBI single in the 7th will be much appreciated when, leading off the bottom of the 9th, Eddie Mathews manages to get one just beyond the grasp of centerfielder Bill Virdon and over the right centerfield fence. Immediately thereafter, Friend’s gratitude is tempered somewhat when Baker boots Joe Adcock’s grounder, putting the tying run aboard with no one out. Having barely grasped the goat horns, Baker is bailed out by Milwaukee’s Chuck Tanner, who misses a bunt sign and bounces into a 4-6-3 double play.

September 10, 1958

Dick Stuart clouts a 10th-inning homer to give Bob Friend his 20th win of the year as the Pirates beat the Giants, 6 – 4.

April 14, 1960

Andre Rodgers becomes the first Bahamian to play in the major leagues when he grounds into a 6-4 force play facing Bob Friend in the top of the second inning of the Giants’ 9-2 loss in Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field. The 22 year-old shortstop’s roommate and fellow Caribbean, Valmy Thomas, entering the game in the sixth to replace catcher Wes Westrum, also becomes the first native of the Virgin Islands to play in a big league game.

July 11, 1960

In the first of this year’s two All-Star Games, Pittsburgh’s Bob Friend notches his second win

July 25, 1960

The Bucs return to first place as Bob Friend defeats the Cardinals, 4 – 2, in St. Louis. As UPI tells it: “Bob Skinner’s home run in the 8th inning broke a 2-all tie and Roberto Clemente iced it with a tremendous blast into the bleachers for the Pirates’ final run in the 9th.” Pittsburgh will remain atop the National League for the rest of the season. Clemente’s long home run – actually off the scoreboard behind Busch Stadium’s left-centerfield bleachers, according to The Sporting News’s Les Biederman – breaks a 73-game home run drought, dating back to a similarly prodigious shot launched at Candlestick Park on May 6.

September 5, 1960

1960 – The first-place Pirates split with the Braves, winning, 9 – 7, before losing, 7 – 1. The Bucs rout Warren Spahn in the opener scoring seven runs in the 4th after the Braves have knocked out starter Bob Friend. Bob Buhl is the winner in the nitecap, scattering seven hits. Chuck Cottier has three doubles and three RBIs to back Buhl. Harvey Haddix is the loser and gives way to Diomedes Olivo, who makes his major league debut in relief. At age 41, or thereabouts, Olivo is the oldest rookie in major league history except for Satchel Paige. The International League MVP pitches two runless innings.

October 13, 1960

Bill Mazeroski hits Walk off World Series Homerun for Pittsburgh Pirates

March 28, 1961

1961 – In their first meeting since Pittsburgh’s dramatic World Series win over New York, the Bucs, behind would-be World Series goat Bob Friend, beat up the banged-up Bombers, 9 – 2. The game’s first run comes in the bottom of the 2nd on Roberto Clemente’s bases-empty bomb over the left-field fence. Pittsburgh goes up 3 – 0 in the 3rd on Dick Stuart’s two-run shot, likewise to left field. By the 7th, the Bucs have built their lead to 8 – 0 before New York can push across its initial tally. Today’s win boosts the Bucs’ Grapefruit League-leading record to 13-5, while miring New York ever more deeply in the preseason cellar.

July 13, 1962

1962 – Colt .45s ground into five double plays, still a franchise record, during a 4-0 meltdown in Pittsburgh. Shortstop Dick Groat starts three of them. Bob Friend defeats hard-luck Dick Farrell, who is wearing number “13” on Friday the 13th. It’s the 16th loss in the past 18 games for the sinking Colts.

September 26, 1962

Pittsburgh’s Earl Francis (9-8) gives up two hits in 10 innings in beating the Reds, 1 – 0. Jim Maloney matches him for nine innings. Bob Friend pitches the 11th to earn his first save of the year after Bill Mazeroski and Willie Stargell double home the winning run. Bucs vet Bill Virdon steals his 5th base to go along with his 13 caught stealings, tying him for National League high with Maury Wills.

April 13, 1963

Pete Rose hits first triple

July 10, 1963

Jimmy Wynn collects his first hit

December 10, 1965

1965 – The Pirates trade long-time Buc P Bob Friend to the Yankees for P Pete Mikkelsen and cash.

August 30, 1966

Sandy Koufax, in his final decision facing the Mets, lasts only two innings, losing to Bob Friend at Shea Stadium, 10-4. The Dodgers Hall of Fame southpaw has compiled a 17-2 record against the lowly expansion team since their inception in 1962.