Owen Friend

Born: 3/21/1927 in Granite City, IL, USA

Died: 10/14/2007 in Wichita, KS, USA

MLB Debut: 1949-10-02 | Final Game: 1956-05-16

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: Owen Lacey Friend

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Biography

Owen Friend was a professional baseball player who made his mark in the Major Leagues between 1949 and 1956. Born in 1927, Friend played primarily as a position player and appeared in a total of 208 games during his career. He recorded 136 hits, which included 13 home runs, and he drove in 76 runs while maintaining a batting average of .227. Known for his versatility on the field, Friend contributed to his teams not only with his offensive capabilities but also with his presence as a reliable fielder. Friend's career unfolded in the post-World War II era, a time when baseball was experiencing a resurgence in popularity and the integration of players began to reshape the game. As a player, he demonstrated a competitive spirit and an ability to perform under pressure, which was essential during a period marked by significant changes in the sport. Although his statistics may not have placed him among the elite players of his time, Owen Friend's contributions to the teams he played for and his role in the evolving landscape of Major League Baseball remain noteworthy. He retired from the game on May 16, 1956, leaving behind a legacy as a dedicated athlete who embraced the challenges of his era.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
208	598	69	136	24	2	13	76	2	55	109	0.227	0.295	0.339	0.634	-1467.0

Career AVG .227 vs. league average .262 across their career seasons — 13.2% below league average.

Career OBP .295 vs. league average .338 across their career seasons — 12.8% below league average.

Career SLG .339 vs. league average .395 across their career seasons — 14.0% below league average.

Career OPS 0.634 vs. league average 0.733 across their career seasons — 13.5% 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
1949	SLA	AL	2	8	1	3	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0.375	—	—	—	—	0.0
1950	SLA	AL	119	372	48	88	15	2	8	50	2	40	68	0.237	.265 (-11%)	.346 (-10%)	.401 (-12%)	.747 (-11%)	-866.9
1953	DET	AL	31	96	10	17	4	0	3	10	0	6	9	0.177	.264 (-33%)	.335 (-31%)	.397 (-21%)	.733 (-26%)	-444.7
1953	CLE	AL	34	68	7	16	2	0	2	13	0	5	16	0.235	.264 (-11%)	.335 (-14%)	.397 (-11%)	.733 (-13%)	-444.7
1955	BOS	AL	14	42	3	11	3	0	0	2	0	4	11	0.262	—	—	—	—	0.0
1955	CHC	NL	6	10	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0.100	—	—	—	—	0.0
1956	CHC	NL	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0.000	—	—	—	—	0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
2B	141	0	354	421	30	99
3B	27	2	26	34	7	4
SS	26	14	30	59	4	9

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1949	SLA	2B	2	0	4	8	0	1
1950	SLA	2B	93	0	244	302	22	62
1950	SLA	3B	24	0	24	32	7	4
1950	SLA	SS	3	0	3	6	1	2
1953	DET	2B	26	0	74	69	8	22
1953	CLE	2B	19	0	32	42	0	14
1953	CLE	3B	1	0	0	0	0	0
1953	CLE	SS	8	0	6	15	0	2
1955	BOS	2B	1	0	0	0	0	0
1955	BOS	SS	14	14	20	38	3	5
1955	CHN	3B	2	2	2	2	0	0
1955	CHN	SS	1	0	1	0	0	0