Bucky Brandon

{{short description|American baseball player (born 1940)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{BLP sources|date=July 2022}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Bucky Brandon

| image = Darrell Brandon.jpg

| alt =

| caption =

| position = Pitcher

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1940|07|08}}

| birth_place = Nacogdoches, Texas, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| bats = Right

| throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = April 19

| debutyear = 1966

| debutteam = Boston Red Sox

|finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = September 30

| finalyear = 1973

| finalteam = Philadelphia Phillies

|statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Win–loss record

| stat1value = 28–37

| stat2label = Earned run average

| stat2value = 4.04

| stat3label = Strikeouts

| stat3value = 354

| awards =

| teams =

• Boston Red Sox ({{mlby|1966}}–{{mlby|1968}})
• Seattle Pilots ({{mlby|1969}})
• Minnesota Twins ({{mlby|1969}})
• Philadelphia Phillies ({{mlby|1971}}–{{mlby|1973}})

}}

Darrell G "Bucky" Brandon (born July 8, 1940), is an American former professional baseball right-handed pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox, Seattle Pilots, Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies. During a seven-year MLB career, Brandon compiled 28 wins, 354 strikeouts, and a 4.04 earned run average (ERA).

Brandon attended Nacogdoches High School in Texas and was signed as a free agent in 1959 by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Once a heralded pitching prospect, Brandon was an undistinguished reliever throughout most of his career. In {{baseball year|1966}}, his rookie season, he made 40 appearances (17 starts) for Boston and finished 8–8 with a 3.31 ERA, a career-high 101 strikeouts, five complete games and two shutouts.{{Cite web |title=Darrell Brandon Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brandbu01.shtml |access-date=February 6, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} On July 20, 1966, Brandon tossed a complete game, allowing one earned run on just two hits in a win over the California Angels.{{Cite web |title=California Angels vs Boston Red Sox Box Score: July 20, 1966 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS196607201.shtml |access-date=February 6, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} However, Brandon developed arm problems at this early stage of his career and slumped to a 5–11 record in {{baseball year|1967}}, then pitched only {{frac|12|2|3}} innings in {{baseball year|1968}}. A year later, he divided his playing time between the expansion Seattle Pilots and Minnesota, and then spent the entire {{baseball year|1970}} season with the Triple-A Tucson Toros, in the Chicago White Sox farm system. From {{baseball year|1971}} to {{baseball year|1973}}, Brandon collected 15 wins and eight saves for the Phillies, as a reliever and spot starter.