Frank Lary
Encyclopedia
Frank Strong Lary is a former Major League Baseball
pitcher
for the Detroit Tigers
(-), New York Mets
(1964), Milwaukee Braves
(1964), and Chicago White Sox
(1965). He led the American League
with 21 wins in 1956 and ranked second in the same category with 23 wins in 1961. Lary was selected to the American League All-Star team
in 1960 and 1961 and won the Gold Glove Award in 1961. He was known variously as "Taters," "Mule," and the "Yankee Killer." The latter nickname was won due to his 27-10 record against the New York Yankees
from 1955 to 1961.
, in April 1930. He was raised with six brothers on his family's farm near Northport. His father, J. Milton "Mitt" Lary, was a semipro spitball pitcher, and five of the Lary brothers went on to play baseball for the University of Alabama
. His older brother Al Lary
was briefly a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs
, but spent most of his baseball career in the minor leagues. Lary followed his older brothers to the University of Alabama, where he had a 10-1 record in 1950 and won two more games in the College World Series
. Lary dropped out of Alabama after two years to play professional baseball.
' American Association farm club. He began his minor league career playing at Thomasville, Georgia
, in the Georgia-Florida League
. After winning four consecutive games in Thomasville, he moved to Jamestown, New York
, in the PONY League, where he compiled a 5-2 record. Lary missed the 1951 and 1952 seasons due to service in the U.S. Army. He was considered a leading prospect with the Buffalo Bisons
of the International League
in and . During the 1953 season, he compiled a 17-11 record and threw a no-hitter against Ottawa. In 1954, he compiled a 15-11 record and won 10 of his last 12 games.
late in the 1954 season, making his Major League debut on September 14, 1954. He played in parts of 11 seasons for the Tigers, and his 123 wins ranks 10th in team history.
In he stepped into the Tigers' rotation as a starter and compiled a record of 14-15 in 36 games.
In , Lary compiled a 21-13 record and became the Tigers' first 20-game winner since Hal Newhouser
won 21 games in 1948. His record was 17-3 after July 1, 1956. He also led the American League in multiple statistical categories in 1956, including wins (21), games started (38), innings pitched (294), hits allowed (289), hit batsmen (12), and batters faced (1,269), and finished 17th in the voting for Most Valuable Player in the American League. His total of 1,269 batters faced was the highest total by a pitcher in the American League during the 1950s.
During his years with the Tigers, Larry became known as "The Yankee Killer." He had a 27-10 record against the New York Yankees
from 1955 to 1961, years during which the Yankees won six American League penants. In 1956, he compiled a record of 5-1 against a Yankees team that had an overall record of 97-57. In , he was 7-1 against a Yankees team that had an overall record of 92-62. He became the first pitcher to win seven games in one year against the Yankees since Ed Cicotte accomplished the feat in 1916. In The Sporting News, Joe Falls
wrote: "As far as Frank Lary is concerned, the war between the states never did end. There merely was an 89-year interlude between Lee's surrender at Appomattox in 1865 and Lary's arrival in the major leagues in 1954. The objective has remained the same: rout the Yankees." He was also 5-1 against the Yankees in . Yankees manager Casey Stengel
once delayed the appearance of his star pitcher, Whitey Ford
, by one day so Ford wouldn't have to face Lary. Stengel explained to reporters, "If Lary is going to beat us anyway, why should I waste my best pitcher?"
Lary also was known by the nickname "Taters" after a teammate noticed him write "Taters" for potatoes on a dining car order during a 1955 road trip. "He has been 'Taters' around the clubhouse and in the dugout ever since." In a 1961 profile of Lary, Sports Illustrated
wrote:
In , Lary was selected for the first time as an All-Star
. He led the American League that year in games started (36), complete games (15), innings pitched (279.1) and hit batsmen (19).
In , Lary had the best season of his career. With a record of 23-9, he was the top pitcher on a 1961 Detroit Tigers team
that compiled a record of 101-61. Lary's 23 wins were a career-high and second in the American League behind Whitey Ford
. Lary also threw a career-high and league-leading 22 complete games in 1961. Lary was also selected for the American League All-Star team and won the Gold Glove Award in 1961. He finished third in the 1961 Cy Young Award
behind Ford and Warren Spahn
.
Lary was a workhorse for the Tigers from 1955 to 1961. During that seven-year span, Lary led the American League in wins (117), complete games (115), innings pitched (1,799-2/3), games started (242), and batters faced (7,569). He started more than 30 games in each of those seven season and led the American League in complete games three times in four years from 1958 to 1961.
In , the workload caught up with Lary, as he began having shoulder problems. He began the season with a 2-6 record and had only 2 complete games in 13 starts. He was placed on the disabled list in August 1962. Lary started the 1963 season in the minor leagues, and compiled a record of 4-9 after being recalled to the Tigers. He began the 1963 season with an 0-2 record for Detroit, giving him a record of 6-17 in his final three seasons in Detroit.
purchased Larry from the Tigers. Lary compiled a 2-3 record for the Mets, and threw a two-hit shutout in his last game for the team during the 1964 season. In August 1964, the Mets traded Lary to the Milwaukee Braves in exchange for Dennis Ribant
and $25,000. He was reacquired by the Mets in March 1965. Lary had a 1-3 record for the Mets in 1965. In July 1965, the Mets traded Larry to the Chicago White Sox
for a player to be named later. Larry appeared in 14 games for the White Sox and compiled a 1-0 record.
, where he began a construction business. In 1986, he was living in Northport and working for a company that and paved roads.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(-), New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
(1964), Milwaukee Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
(1964), and Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
(1965). He led the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
with 21 wins in 1956 and ranked second in the same category with 23 wins in 1961. Lary was selected to the American League All-Star team
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
in 1960 and 1961 and won the Gold Glove Award in 1961. He was known variously as "Taters," "Mule," and the "Yankee Killer." The latter nickname was won due to his 27-10 record against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
from 1955 to 1961.
Early years
Lary was born in Northport, AlabamaNorthport, Alabama
Northport is a city in Tuscaloosa County in the west central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. Located on the Black Warrior River across from downtown Tuscaloosa, it is currently the 24th largest city in Alabama with an estimated population of 23,442 in 2009...
, in April 1930. He was raised with six brothers on his family's farm near Northport. His father, J. Milton "Mitt" Lary, was a semipro spitball pitcher, and five of the Lary brothers went on to play baseball for the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
. His older brother Al Lary
Al Lary
Alfred Allen Lary was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He had an outstanding college football career at the University of Alabama, but signed with the Chicago Cubs as an amateur free agent before the 1951 season...
was briefly a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, but spent most of his baseball career in the minor leagues. Lary followed his older brothers to the University of Alabama, where he had a 10-1 record in 1950 and won two more games in the College World Series
College World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
. Lary dropped out of Alabama after two years to play professional baseball.
Minor leagues
After his performance in the 1950 College World Series, Lary signed a $6,000 contract with the Toledo Mudhens, the Detroit TigersDetroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
' American Association farm club. He began his minor league career playing at Thomasville, Georgia
Thomasville, Georgia
Thomasville is the county seat of Thomas County, Georgia, United States. The city is the second largest in Southwest Georgia after Albany.The city deems itself the City of Roses and holds an annual Rose Festival. The town features plantations open to the public, a historic downtown, a large...
, in the Georgia-Florida League
Georgia-Florida League
The Georgia-Florida League was a minor baseball league that existed from 1935 through 1958 and in 1962–1963...
. After winning four consecutive games in Thomasville, he moved to Jamestown, New York
Jamestown, New York
Jamestown is a city in Chautauqua County, New York in the United States. The population was 31,146 at the 2010 census.The City of Jamestown is adjacent to Town of Ellicott and is at the southern tip of Chautauqua Lake...
, in the PONY League, where he compiled a 5-2 record. Lary missed the 1951 and 1952 seasons due to service in the U.S. Army. He was considered a leading prospect with the Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
in and . During the 1953 season, he compiled a 17-11 record and threw a no-hitter against Ottawa. In 1954, he compiled a 15-11 record and won 10 of his last 12 games.
Detroit Tigers
Lary was called up to the Detroit TigersDetroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
late in the 1954 season, making his Major League debut on September 14, 1954. He played in parts of 11 seasons for the Tigers, and his 123 wins ranks 10th in team history.
In he stepped into the Tigers' rotation as a starter and compiled a record of 14-15 in 36 games.
In , Lary compiled a 21-13 record and became the Tigers' first 20-game winner since Hal Newhouser
Hal Newhouser
Harold "Prince Hal" Newhouser was an American pitcher for Major League Baseball who played 17 seasons from 1939 to 1955, mostly with the Detroit Tigers of the American League...
won 21 games in 1948. His record was 17-3 after July 1, 1956. He also led the American League in multiple statistical categories in 1956, including wins (21), games started (38), innings pitched (294), hits allowed (289), hit batsmen (12), and batters faced (1,269), and finished 17th in the voting for Most Valuable Player in the American League. His total of 1,269 batters faced was the highest total by a pitcher in the American League during the 1950s.
During his years with the Tigers, Larry became known as "The Yankee Killer." He had a 27-10 record against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
from 1955 to 1961, years during which the Yankees won six American League penants. In 1956, he compiled a record of 5-1 against a Yankees team that had an overall record of 97-57. In , he was 7-1 against a Yankees team that had an overall record of 92-62. He became the first pitcher to win seven games in one year against the Yankees since Ed Cicotte accomplished the feat in 1916. In The Sporting News, Joe Falls
Joe Falls
Joseph Francis Falls was an American journalist. He began his career in his native New York City. At the age of 17 in 1945, he took a job as a copyboy for the Associated Press. After an apprenticeship of eight years, Falls moved to the Detroit bureau of the AP.In Detroit, Falls flourished...
wrote: "As far as Frank Lary is concerned, the war between the states never did end. There merely was an 89-year interlude between Lee's surrender at Appomattox in 1865 and Lary's arrival in the major leagues in 1954. The objective has remained the same: rout the Yankees." He was also 5-1 against the Yankees in . Yankees manager Casey Stengel
Casey Stengel
Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel , nicknamed "The Old Perfessor", was an American Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in ....
once delayed the appearance of his star pitcher, Whitey Ford
Whitey Ford
Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who spent his entire 18-year career with the New York Yankees. He was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.-Early life and career:...
, by one day so Ford wouldn't have to face Lary. Stengel explained to reporters, "If Lary is going to beat us anyway, why should I waste my best pitcher?"
Lary also was known by the nickname "Taters" after a teammate noticed him write "Taters" for potatoes on a dining car order during a 1955 road trip. "He has been 'Taters' around the clubhouse and in the dugout ever since." In a 1961 profile of Lary, Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
wrote:
"Frank Lary is a classic kind of ballplayer—the type, alas, you don't see much of these days. He is a throwback to the Cardinals of the 30'sGashouse GangThe Gashouse Gang was a nickname applied to the St. Louis Cardinals Major League Baseball team of .The Cardinals, by most accounts, earned this nickname from the team's generally very shabby appearance and rough-and-tumble tactics...
, a cotton pickin', gee-tar strummin', red clay Alabama farm boy, unspoiled by a little college or a lot of success. He is mean on the mound and a joker off it. To strangers he is quiet, but to the Tigers he is the Jonathan WintersJonathan Winters-Early life:Winters was born in Bellbrook, Ohio, the son of Alice Kilgore , a radio personality, and Jonathan Harshman Winters II, an investment broker. He is a descendant of Valentine Winters, founder of the Winters National Bank in Dayton, Ohio...
of the dugout, keeping them loose and laughing. Sometimes he is a Casey StengelCasey StengelCharles Dillon "Casey" Stengel , nicknamed "The Old Perfessor", was an American Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in ....
, his legs bowed, his pants rolled above his knees. Then he is the trainer, complete in white shirt, white trousers and with a Turkish towel wrapped around his head."
In , Lary was selected for the first time as an All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
. He led the American League that year in games started (36), complete games (15), innings pitched (279.1) and hit batsmen (19).
In , Lary had the best season of his career. With a record of 23-9, he was the top pitcher on a 1961 Detroit Tigers team
1961 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers won 101 games but finished in second place, eight games behind the Yankees. The team's 1961 record tied the 1934 Tigers team record of 101 wins, and only twice in team history have the Tigers won more games: 1968 and 1984 .- Offseason :On January 1, the Tigers' home park,...
that compiled a record of 101-61. Lary's 23 wins were a career-high and second in the American League behind Whitey Ford
Whitey Ford
Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who spent his entire 18-year career with the New York Yankees. He was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.-Early life and career:...
. Lary also threw a career-high and league-leading 22 complete games in 1961. Lary was also selected for the American League All-Star team and won the Gold Glove Award in 1961. He finished third in the 1961 Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
behind Ford and Warren Spahn
Warren Spahn
Warren Edward Spahn was an American Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career in the National League. He won 20 games each in 13 seasons, including a 23-7 record when he was age 42...
.
Lary was a workhorse for the Tigers from 1955 to 1961. During that seven-year span, Lary led the American League in wins (117), complete games (115), innings pitched (1,799-2/3), games started (242), and batters faced (7,569). He started more than 30 games in each of those seven season and led the American League in complete games three times in four years from 1958 to 1961.
In , the workload caught up with Lary, as he began having shoulder problems. He began the season with a 2-6 record and had only 2 complete games in 13 starts. He was placed on the disabled list in August 1962. Lary started the 1963 season in the minor leagues, and compiled a record of 4-9 after being recalled to the Tigers. He began the 1963 season with an 0-2 record for Detroit, giving him a record of 6-17 in his final three seasons in Detroit.
Mets, Braves and White Sox
In May 1964, the New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
purchased Larry from the Tigers. Lary compiled a 2-3 record for the Mets, and threw a two-hit shutout in his last game for the team during the 1964 season. In August 1964, the Mets traded Lary to the Milwaukee Braves in exchange for Dennis Ribant
Dennis Ribant
Dennis Joseph Ribant is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, and Cincinnati Reds.-References:...
and $25,000. He was reacquired by the Mets in March 1965. Lary had a 1-3 record for the Mets in 1965. In July 1965, the Mets traded Larry to the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
for a player to be named later. Larry appeared in 14 games for the White Sox and compiled a 1-0 record.
Later years
After finishing his pitching career, Lary went on to coach and scout for various teams. After retiring from baseball, Larry lived in Tuscaloosa, AlabamaTuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
, where he began a construction business. In 1986, he was living in Northport and working for a company that and paved roads.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball wins champions
- MLB All-Time Hit Batsmen ListMLB All-Time Hit Batsmen ListThis is a list of top 100 Major League Baseball pitchers who have the most hit batsmen of all time. There is an of hitters who have been hit by pitch the most times.Active players are denoted in bold text.-The List:* Bold denotes active player...
- 1961 Detroit Tigers season1961 Detroit Tigers seasonThe Detroit Tigers won 101 games but finished in second place, eight games behind the Yankees. The team's 1961 record tied the 1934 Tigers team record of 101 wins, and only twice in team history have the Tigers won more games: 1968 and 1984 .- Offseason :On January 1, the Tigers' home park,...
External links
- Retrosheet
- Frank Lary, by Jim Sargent, The Baseball Biography Project, SABR