Ken McBride
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Kenneth Faye McBride (born August 12, 1935 in Huntsville, Alabama) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. The 6'0", 195 lb. right-hander was signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent before the 1954 season. He played for the Chicago White Sox (1959-1960), Los Angeles Angels (1961-1964), and California Angels (1965).
On August 1, 1959 McBride was purchased by the White Sox from the Red Sox, and he made his major league debut three days later, starting against the Baltimore Orioles at Memorial Stadium. In 7.1 innings he gave up three runs (one earned) and was the losing pitcher in the 3-2 game. He gave up five hits, struck out three, and walked seven.
He pitched in eleven games for Chicago in 1959, five more in 1960, then was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels from the White Sox in the 1960 expansion draft. This turned out to be a big break for McBride.
His first three seasons with the Angels were the best of his career. From 1961 to 1963 he made 95 starts, had a 36-32 record, 7 shutouts, a 3.46 earned run average, and was on the American League All-Star team each year. During this span he finished in the league's TOP TEN twice for games started, complete games, and innings pitched, and once for winning percentage, strikeouts, shutouts, and WHIP.
McBride struggled in 1964 and 1965, and had a combined record of 4-16 in 37 games, 25 of which were starts. His last major league appearance was on August 15, 1965.
Career totals for 160 games (151 as a pitcher) include a 40-50 record, 122 games started, 28 complete games, 7 shutouts, 15 games finished, and 3 saves. He allowed 340 earned runs in 807.2 innings pitched for an ERA of 3.79.
[edit] Trivia
- McBride gave up Roger Maris's 50th home run of 1961, but still won the game, 4-3. (see box score at [1])
- McBride led the American league twice in hit batsmen, with 14 in 1963 and 16 in 1964.
- He hit 49 batters in his career, an average of almost one per every 16.2 innings pitched.
- held All-Stars Don Blasingame, Rocky Colavito, Frank Malzone, Roger Maris, Minnie Minoso, Johnny Romano, Al Smith, and Leon Wagner to a .151 collective batting average (29-for-192).
- held Hall of Famers Harmon Killebrew, Mickey Mantle, and Carl Yastrzemski to a .222 collective batting average (20-for-90).
