Frank Lary
Born: 4/10/1930 in Northport, AL, USA
Died: 12/14/2017 in Northport, AL, USA
MLB Debut: 1954-09-14 | Final Game: 1965-09-21
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 175 lbs
Full name: Frank Strong Lary
Biography
Frank Lary, born in 1930, was a prominent pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1954 until his retirement in 1965. Known for his competitive spirit and effective pitching style, Lary finished his career with a record of 128 wins and 116 losses, an earned run average (ERA) of 3.49, and a total of 1,099 strikeouts. He also recorded 11 saves throughout his tenure, showcasing his versatility on the mound. Lary's contributions to the game were recognized with three All-Star selections during his career, highlighting his status as one of the top pitchers of his era.
Lary played during a transformative time in baseball, characterized by the evolution of pitching strategies and player development. His ability to consistently perform in high-pressure situations made him a valuable asset to his teams, and he became known for his durability and competitiveness. His accomplishments not only solidified his place in baseball history but also inspired future generations of pitchers who admired his tenacity and skill on the field.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 128 | 116 | 350 | 292 | 126 | 21 | 11 | 2162.3 | 2123 | 838 | 197 | 616 | 1099 | 3.49 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | DET | AL | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.7 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2.45 | 0.0 |
| 1955 | DET | AL | 14 | 15 | 36 | 31 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 235.0 | 232 | 81 | 89 | 98 | 3.10 | 4312.4 |
| 1956 | DET | AL | 21 | 13 | 41 | 38 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 294.0 | 289 | 103 | 116 | 165 | 3.15 | 4121.0 |
| 1957 | DET | AL | 11 | 16 | 40 | 35 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 237.7 | 250 | 105 | 72 | 107 | 3.98 | -259.2 |
| 1958 | DET | AL | 16 | 15 | 39 | 34 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 260.3 | 249 | 84 | 68 | 131 | 2.90 | 3237.7 |
| 1959 | DET | AL | 17 | 10 | 32 | 32 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 223.0 | 225 | 88 | 46 | 137 | 3.55 | 2817.2 |
| 1960 | DET | AL | 15 | 15 | 38 | 36 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 274.3 | 262 | 107 | 62 | 149 | 3.51 | 2223.0 |
| 1961 | DET | AL | 23 | 9 | 36 | 36 | 22 | 4 | 0 | 275.3 | 252 | 99 | 66 | 146 | 3.24 | 4329.4 |
| 1962 | DET | AL | 2 | 6 | 17 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 80.0 | 98 | 51 | 21 | 41 | 5.74 | -2717.8 |
| 1963 | DET | AL | 4 | 9 | 16 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 107.3 | 90 | 39 | 26 | 46 | 3.27 | -2320.7 |
| 1964 | DET | AL | 0 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18.0 | 24 | 14 | 10 | 6 | 7.00 | -1215.5 |
| 1964 | ATL | NL | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12.3 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 4.38 | - |
| 1964 | NYN | NL | 2 | 3 | 13 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 57.3 | 62 | 29 | 14 | 27 | 4.55 | -887.0 |
| 1965 | CHW | AL | 1 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 26.7 | 23 | 12 | 7 | 14 | 4.05 | - |
| 1965 | NYN | NL | 1 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 57.3 | 48 | 19 | 16 | 23 | 2.98 | 639.5 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 362 | 734 | 68 | 130 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 54 | 0 | 39 | 211 | 0.177 | 0.219 | 0.234 | 0.453 | -4033.1 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | DET | AL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1955 | DET | AL | 36 | 82 | 4 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 29 | 0.195 | -528.4 |
| 1956 | DET | AL | 41 | 103 | 14 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 25 | 0.184 | -646.9 |
| 1957 | DET | AL | 40 | 73 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 22 | 0.123 | -729.9 |
| 1958 | DET | AL | 39 | 88 | 6 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 0.170 | -601.3 |
| 1959 | DET | AL | 32 | 80 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 26 | 0.125 | -668.5 |
| 1960 | DET | AL | 39 | 93 | 11 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 32 | 0.183 | -373.1 |
| 1961 | DET | AL | 42 | 108 | 13 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 27 | 0.231 | -485.0 |
| 1962 | DET | AL | 22 | 24 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 0.167 | 0.0 |
| 1963 | DET | AL | 16 | 35 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0.229 | 0.0 |
| 1964 | DET | AL | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1964 | ATL | NL | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1964 | NYN | NL | 13 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0.118 | 0.0 |
| 1965 | CHW | AL | 14 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 | 0.0 |
| 1965 | NYN | NL | 14 | 19 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.211 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 350 | 292 | 174 | 351 | 21 | 23 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | DET | P | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955 | DET | P | 36 | 31 | 14 | 46 | 3 | 4 |
| 1956 | DET | P | 41 | 38 | 15 | 45 | 3 | 3 |
| 1957 | DET | P | 40 | 35 | 14 | 43 | 1 | 4 |
| 1958 | DET | P | 39 | 34 | 20 | 39 | 1 | 1 |
| 1959 | DET | P | 32 | 32 | 15 | 34 | 3 | 1 |
| 1960 | DET | P | 38 | 36 | 14 | 37 | 4 | 2 |
| 1961 | DET | P | 36 | 36 | 32 | 55 | 1 | 5 |
| 1962 | DET | P | 17 | 14 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| 1963 | DET | P | 16 | 14 | 26 | 14 | 0 | 1 |
| 1964 | DET | P | 6 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1964 | ML1 | P | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 1964 | NYN | P | 13 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 1965 | CHA | P | 14 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1965 | NYN | P | 14 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 350 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Gold Glove | P |
| 1961 | TSN All-Star | P |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa | AL | 1949, 1950 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Cy Young Award | ML | 3rd | 2.0 | 18 | 2 |
| 1961 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 7th | 53.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1958 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 23th | 3.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1956 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 17th | 24.0 | 336 | 0 |