Earl Francis, baseball player, 1960-1965

Earl Francis

Born: 7/14/1935 in Slab Fork, WV, USA

Died: 7/3/2002 in Pittsburgh, PA, USA

MLB Debut: 1960-06-30 | Final Game: 1965-09-27

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 210 lbs

Full name: Earl Coleman Francis

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Biography

Earl Francis was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1960 to 1965. Born in 1935, Francis built a reputation for his solid pitching skills during a time when the game was evolving, moving away from the deadball era and embracing more offensive play. Over the course of his career, he recorded a win-loss record of 16-23 and maintained an earned run average (ERA) of 3.77. His ability to strike out hitters was notable, as he accumulated 263 strikeouts throughout his time in the league, showcasing his effectiveness on the mound. Francis's playing career unfolded in an era marked by the emergence of more specialized roles in baseball, yet he did not register any saves, indicating that he primarily served as a starting pitcher or a long reliever. While he may not have achieved the stardom of some of his contemporaries, his contributions to his teams and the game itself reflected the dedication and skill of many players who helped shape modern baseball. After retiring in 1965, Francis left a legacy as a hardworking pitcher who navigated the competitive landscape of Major League Baseball during a transformative period for the sport.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
16 23 103 52 5 1 0 405.7 398 170 21 181 263 3.77 0

Career ERA 3.77 vs. league average 3.71 across their career seasons — near league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
1960 PIT NL 1 0 7 0 0 0 0 18.0 14 4 4 8 2.00 3.82 (+48%) 607.9
1961 PIT NL 2 8 23 15 0 0 0 102.7 110 48 47 53 4.21 4.03 (-4%) 1509.0
1962 PIT NL 9 8 36 23 5 1 0 176.0 153 60 83 121 3.07 3.96 (+22%) 3069.8
1963 PIT NL 4 6 33 13 0 0 0 97.3 107 49 43 72 4.53 3.46 (-31%) 519.7
1964 PIT NL 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 6.3 7 6 1 6 8.53 — 0.0
1965 STL NL 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 5.3 7 3 3 3 5.06 — -

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
104 122 5 21 6 0 1 10 1 3 56 0.172 0.198 0.246 0.444 -416.2

Career AVG .172 vs. league average .252 across their career seasons — 31.7% below league average.

Career OBP .198 vs. league average .318 across their career seasons — 37.6% below league average.

Career SLG .246 vs. league average .383 across their career seasons — 35.8% below league average.

Career OPS 0.444 vs. league average 0.701 across their career seasons — 36.6% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1960 PIT NL 7 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1961 PIT NL 23 28 0 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 17 0.107 — — — — 0.0
1962 PIT NL 36 61 4 10 3 0 1 7 0 1 23 0.164 .257 (-36%) .326 (-46%) .393 (-33%) .719 (-39%) -416.2
1963 PIT NL 34 26 1 8 3 0 0 3 0 0 12 0.308 — — — — 0.0
1964 PIT NL 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1965 STL NL 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.000 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 103 52 25 74 7 8

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1960 PIT P 7 0 1 2 0 1
1961 PIT P 23 15 8 20 1 1
1962 PIT P 36 23 12 33 1 3
1963 PIT P 33 13 4 19 4 3
1964 PIT P 2 1 0 0 0 0
1965 SLN P 2 0 0 0 1 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 103