Weekly Photo Challenge…Friend

After just getting back from a trip to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, I’m sort of in a baseball state of mind right now (not unusual for me from March thru October) 🙂  This week’s challenge, “friend” matched up with a picture I saw hanging in the Hall of Fame of a popular Bucco pitcher…Bob Friend, pictured above (left).

While he was not quite a Hall of Fame caliber pitcher, he was the Bucs number one starter for many years on some bad Pirate teams during the fifties and sixties. He was the first pitcher to lead the league in ERA while pitching for a last place team and had several good seasons during his career where he made the National League All Star roster.

After retiring from baseball, Friend ran for and was elected to Allegheny County Controller in Pittsburgh in the mid 1960’s.  It was during that run that he popped into my grandmother’s house to say hi and probably try to garner a few votes. I think my uncle who was very involved in local politics grabbed him to come in and meet family members.  I remember it being pretty cool actually meeting and getting an autograph picture of a Pirate ballplayer away from the ballpark.  Also remember my dad who was a big baseball fan getting a kick out of it too.  I think he may have gotten a few votes out of that visit…lol.

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For more takes on this week’s challenge, click here.