Woodie Fryman

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Woodie Fryman

|image=Woody Fryman - Pittsburgh Pirates - 1966.jpg

|caption=Fryman in 1966

|position=Pitcher

|bats=Right

|throws=Left

|birth_date={{Birth date|1940|4|12}}

|birth_place=Ewing, Kentucky, U.S.

|death_date={{death date and age|2011|2|4|1940|4|12}}

|death_place=Ewing, Kentucky, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=April 15

|debutyear=1966

|debutteam=Pittsburgh Pirates

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=July 28

|finalyear=1983

|finalteam=Montreal Expos

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Win–loss record

|stat1value=141–155

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=3.77

|stat3label=Strikeouts

|stat3value=1,587

|teams=

Pittsburgh Pirates ({{mlby|1966}}–{{mlby|1967}})
Philadelphia Phillies ({{mlby|1968}}–{{mlby|1972}})
Detroit Tigers ({{mlby|1972}}–{{mlby|1974}})
Montreal Expos ({{mlby|1975}}–{{mlby|1976}})
Cincinnati Reds ({{mlby|1977}})
Chicago Cubs ({{mlby|1978}})
Montreal Expos ({{mlby|1978}}–{{mlby|1983}})

|highlights=

2× All-Star (1968, 1976)
Montreal Expos Hall of Fame

}}

Woodrow Thompson Fryman (April 12, 1940 – February 4, 2011) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for six teams, across 18 seasons ({{by|1966}}–{{by|1983}}). A two-time National League (NL) All-Star, he helped the Detroit Tigers reach the 1972 American League Championship Series and the Montreal Expos reach the 1981 National League Championship Series.

Early life

Fryman was born on April 12, 1940, in Ewing, Kentucky.{{Cite web |title=Woodie Fryman Trades and Transactions by Baseball Almanac |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/trades.php?p=frymawo01 |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=www.baseball-almanac.com}} He did not attend high school or college.{{Cite news |last=MacKinnon |first=John |date=February 6, 2011 |title=Former Expos lefty starter / reliever Woodie Fryman, dies at 70 |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/sports/former-expos-lefty-starter-reliever-woodie-fryman-dies-at-70 |work=Edmonton Journal}} The son of Woodrow and Almedia Fryman, he and his brother worked on the 520 acre family farm. His father played and managed sandlot baseball, and once had a tryout with the Cincinnati Reds.{{Cite web |last=Skelton |first=David E. |title=Woody Fryman, Society for American Baseball Research |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/woodie-fryman/ |website=SABR.org}}

Fryman played amateur baseball in Kentucky. In 1960, the Pittsburgh Pirates offered him a contract and $5,000 bonus, but he wanted $20,000, in light of the money he would otherwise make on the farm. The Pirates declined and it would be another five years before he contacted the Pirates about pitching for them.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Fryman was 25 years old when he signed with the Pirates in {{mlby|1965}}. In 1965, he played one year of minor league baseball for the Triple-A Columbus Jets and Single-A Batavia Pirates. His combined record was 3–4, with a 2.81 earned run average (ERA), with 74 strikeouts in 64 innings pitched.{{Cite web |title=Woodie Fryman Minor Leagues Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=fryman001woo |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

He debuted out of the bullpen for the Pirates in {{mlby|1966}},{{Cite web |title=St. Louis Cardinals vs Pittsburgh Pirates Box Score: April 15, 1966 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT196604150.shtml |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} however, he made more appearances as a starter that year (28 out of 36 appearances). Fryman was used pretty evenly in both roles throughout his career (322 starts in 625 appearances).{{Cite web |title=Woodie Fryman Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/frymawo01.shtml |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} He went 12–9 with a 3.81 earned run average his rookie season, including three shutouts in a row against the Philadelphia Phillies,{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI196606260.shtml|title=Pittsburgh Pirates 2, Philadelphia Phillies 0|date=June 26, 1966|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} New York Mets{{Cite web |title=Pittsburgh Pirates vs New York Mets Box Score: July 1, 1966 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN196607010.shtml |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} and Chicago Cubs,{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN196607050.shtml|title=Pittsburgh Pirates 6, Chicago Cubs 0|date=July 5, 1966|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} respectively. His shutout against the Mets was nearly a perfect game, as Ron Hunt led off the Mets' half of the first inning with a single, and was immediately caught trying to steal second. Fryman retired the next 26 batters he faced without allowing another baserunner all game.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN196607010.shtml|title=Pittsburgh Pirates 12, New York Mets 0|date=July 1, 1966|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}{{Cite web |last=Merrick |first=Thomas E. |title=July 1, 1966: Pirates rookie Woodie Fryman faces only 27 batters in 1-hit shutout of Mets |url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/july-1-1966-pirates-rookie-woodie-fryman-faces-only-27-batters-in-1-hit-shutout-of-mets/ |website=SABR.org}} Fryman had three other one-hitters in his career.{{Cite web |date=2011-02-07 |title=Former Phillies pitcher Fryman dies of Alzheimer's |url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/sports/phillies/20110207_Former_Phillies_pitcher_Fryman_dies_of_Alzheimer_s.html |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=www.inquirer.com |language=en}}

His record dipped to 3–8 with a 4.05 ERA in {{mlby|1967}}. Following the season, he was dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies with Bill Laxton, Don Money and Harold Clem for Jim Bunning. Fryman was a lifelong Kentuckian, and Bunning would go on to become a United States Congressman and Senator from Kentucky,{{Cite web |last=Cohen |first=David |date=2017-05-27 |title=Jim Bunning, U.S. senator and baseball luminary, dies at 85 |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/27/jim-bunning-dies-121196 |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=POLITICO |language=en}} who was present to honor Fryman's 2005 induction into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame.

Philadelphia Phillies

After a complete-game victory against the San Francisco Giants on June 18, 1968,{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI196806182.shtml|title=Philadelphia Phillies 9, San Francisco Giants 1|date=June 18, 1968|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} Fryman's record stood at 10–5 with a 1.61 ERA, and he was named the Phillies' sole representative at the 1968 All-Star Game. He dropped his next five decisions, and ended the season with a 12–14 record and 2.78 ERA.

Fryman was used almost exclusively as a starter his first two seasons in Philadelphia, but began being used more and more in relief in {{mlby|1970}} and {{mlby|1971}}. In {{mlby|1972}}, Fryman was 4–10 with a 4.36 ERA for the 34–61 Phillies when the club placed him on waivers at the end of July. He was first diagnosed with an arthritic elbow while playing for the Phillies, a problem that would persist.

During Fryman's four full seasons with the Phillies, the team played poorly, with records of 76–86 (1968), 63–99 (1969), 73–88 (1970), and 67–95 (1971).{{Cite web |title=Philadelphia Phillies Team History & Encyclopedia |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/index.shtml |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} During those years, Fryman was 12–14, 12–15, 8–6, and 10–7. The fact that Fryman played for poor teams over his 18 seasons affected his total career win–loss record of 141–155 to his detriment, and is not indicative of how well he actually pitched.

Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers were battling the Boston Red Sox for first place in the American League East when they claimed Fryman off waivers on August 2, 1972. Fryman turned his season around with the Tigers. He was 9–3 with a 2.21 ERA when the Red Sox came to Detroit for a three-game set to end the season, a half game up on the Tigers.{{citation needed|date=December 2024}}

Detroit manager Billy Martin handed the ball to Mickey Lolich for the first game of the set. Lolich pitched a complete-game victory{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET197210020.shtml|title=Detroit Tigers 4, Boston Red Sox 1|date=October 2, 1972|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} to put the Tigers up a half game on the Red Sox as Fryman took the mound for the second game of the set.

The Red Sox scored an unearned run in the first, and held onto a 1–0 lead until the Tigers clawed out a run off Luis Tiant in the sixth. They followed that up with two more runs in the seventh. Fryman, meanwhile, only allowed two hits after the first inning. After giving up a lead-off single in the eighth, he retired the next two batters he faced before turning the game over to Chuck Seelbach. Seelbach struck out two of the four batters he faced as Detroit beat the Red Sox 3–1 to clinch the division.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET197210030.shtml|title=Detroit Tigers 3, Boston Red Sox 1|date=October 3, 1972|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

During the pennant drive to defeat the Red Sox for first place, Fryman won seven of his last eight decisions, with a 1.79 ERA, and was 10–3 with a 2.06 ERA down the stretch, making him an essential factor in the Tigers getting to the playoffs instead of ending in second place.

Fryman's .769 win percentage was tops in the American League in 1972, and his ERA+ of 154 is one of the highest in Detroit franchise history.{{citation needed|date=December 2024}}

=1972 ALCS=

The Tigers lost the first game of the ALCS with the Oakland Athletics 3–2 in 11 innings.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/OAK/OAK197210070.shtml|title=1972 American League Championship Series, Game One|date=October 7, 1972|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} Fryman did not have his best stuff as he made the start in game two of the ALCS. He left them in the fifth inning behind 1–0 and the bases loaded. The bullpen allowed all three inherited runners to score as the A's cruised to a 5–0 victory, and a 2–0 lead in the ALCS.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/OAK/OAK197210080.shtml|title=1972 American League Championship Series, Game Two|date=October 8, 1972|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

Detroit came back to win the following two games in Tiger Stadium to take the series to five games. Fryman took the mound for the deciding game, as did his opponent from game two, Blue Moon Odom. Fryman pitched well, allowing two runs and just four hits over eight innings. One run was scored on a steal of home by Reggie Jackson, and the other was an unearned run, the result of a Dick McAuliffe error in the fourth. However, Oakland's pitching was even better, as Odom and Vida Blue combined to allow just one unearned run to send the A's to the 1972 World Series.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET197210120.shtml|title=1972 American League Championship Series, Game Five|date=October 12, 1972|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

Montreal Expos

Fryman spent two more seasons with the Tigers before being dealt to the Montreal Expos for Terry Humphrey and Tom Walker on December 4, {{mlby|1974}}. Along with Dave McNally from the Baltimore Orioles, he was the second left-handed pitcher acquired that day by the Expos, a team devoid of southpaws for all but three weeks of the 1974 campaign.[https://www.nytimes.com/1974/12/05/archives/orioles-sendmcnallytoexpos-allen-balks-at-trade-to-braves-singleton.html Durso, Joseph. "Orioles Send McNally to Expos; Allen Balks at Trade to Braves," The New York Times, Thursday, December 5, 1974.] Retrieved May 3, 2020

Fryman's record stood at 8–6 with a 3.74 ERA when he earned his second All-Star nod in 1976.{{Cite web |title=1976 MLB All-Star Game Roster - Major League Baseball - ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/allstargame/history/results/_/year/1976 |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=ESPN.com}} As with his first selection in {{mlby|1968}}, he was his team's lone representative, and he did not appear in the game.{{Cite web |title=1976 All-Star Game Box Score, July 13 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/allstar/1976-allstar-game.shtml |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} He was the Expos Player of the Year in 1976.

Cincinnati Reds

Fryman was traded with Dale Murray to the Cincinnati Reds for Tony Pérez and Will McEnaney on December 16, {{mlby|1976}}. He and Reds manager Sparky Anderson did not get along,{{citation needed|date=December 2024}} and Fryman's record stood at 5–5 with a 5.38 ERA when he announced his retirement midway through the 1977 season.{{cite magazine|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1092646/2/index.htm|title=The Week (july 10-16)|author=Jim Kaplan|date=July 25, 1977|magazine=Sports Illustrated|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628212657/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1092646/2/index.htm|archive-date=June 28, 2011}} Following the season, he was lured back out of retirement, and dealt with Bill Caudill to the Chicago Cubs for Bill Bonham.

Return to Montreal

Fryman made just 13 appearances and was 2–4 with a 5.17 ERA for the Cubs when he was dealt to the Montreal Expos for a player to be named later (Jerry White) on June 9 of the {{by|1978}} season. Turning 39 at the start of the {{by|1979}} season, Fryman was converted into a full-time relief pitcher by manager Dick Williams (all 44 of his games were in relief). He made the postseason for the second time in his career following the strike shortened 1981 season. In the 1981 National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, he pitched 1{{fract|1|3}} inning, and gave up one earned run.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI198110100.shtml|title=1981 National League Division Series, Game Four|date=October 10, 1981|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} In the 1981 National League Championship Series, he gave up four earned runs to the Los Angeles Dodgers in one inning pitched.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MON/MON198110170.shtml|title=1981 National League Championship Series, Game Four|date=October 17, 1981|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

Fryman was 24–17 with 46 saves and a 2.73 ERA as a full-time reliever for the Expos entering the {{mlby|1983}} season. Fryman felt these were the years of his best pitching, because of all the pitching knowledge he had gained. He made one appearance in April 1983 before going on the disabled list. Fryman recalled: "It was early in the 1983 season and my arm just popped and I couldn't even raise it."{{cite web|url=http://thinkexist.com/quotes/woodie_fryman/|title=Woodie Fryman quotes|first=ThinkExist.com|last=Quotations|website=thinkexist.com}} He returned to the club in July, but after going 0–3 with a 21.00 ERA, and blowing his only save opportunity, he retired. He was 43 at the time he retired.

Personal life

After his playing days, manager Ralph Houk offered Fryman a pitching coach job, but Fryman returned to his family and farm in Kentucky.{{Cite web |last=Markusen |first=Bruce |date=2011-02-06 |title=Remembering Woodie Fryman |url=https://tht.fangraphs.com/tht-live/remembering-woodie-fryman/ |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=The Hardball Times}} Fryman was inducted into the Montreal Expos' Hall of Fame in 1995, and the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.{{Cite web |last= |date=2005-09-29 |title=Woodie Fryman reminisces about his baseball journey |url=https://maysville-online.com/sports/12140/woodie-fryman-reminisces-about-his-baseball-journey |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=Ledger Independent – Maysville Online |language=en-US}}

Death

Fryman suffered from Alzheimer's disease and was cared for by his wife Phyllis (Delaney) Fryman. On February 4, 2011, Fryman died in his hometown of Ewing, Kentucky from a heart ailment.{{cite web |title=Former Expos, Tigers pitcher Fryman dies at 70 |url=http://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=6095284 |website=ESPN.com |publisher=ESPN |access-date=27 September 2018 |language=en |date=6 February 2011}}