Earl Francis, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetEarl Francis
American baseball player
Date of Birth: 14-Jul-1935
Place of Birth: Slab Fork, West Virginia, United States
Date of Death: 03-Jul-2002
Profession: baseball player
Nationality: United States
Zodiac Sign: Cancer 
About Earl Francis
- Earl Coleman Francis (July 14, 1935 – July 3, 2002) was an American professional baseball player.
- A right-handed pitcher, he appeared in 103 games, 52 of them as a starter, in Major League Baseball between 1960 and 1965.
- The native of Slab Fork, West Virginia, stood 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and weighed 210 pounds (95 kg). Francis signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1954, and after one season in Class D, he did a four-year hitch in the United States Air Force before returning to the Pirates' system in 1959.
- He pitched all or parts of three years in Triple-A, coming to the majors in 1960 for a seven-game mid-season trial for the eventual world champions.
- He started 1961 in Triple-A, then was recalled to Pittsburgh in June to begin a 2?1/2-year run in the big leagues. His most productive season was 1962.
- Francis set personal bests in games pitched (36), games won (nine), earned run average (3.07) and complete games (five).
- He also threw his only MLB shutout, a three-hitter August 25 against the St.
- Louis Cardinals.
- He was the Pirates' Opening Day starting pitcher in 1963 in the traditional National League inaugural at Cincinnati on April 8.
- But Francis dropped that contest, 5–2.
- During the course of the year, he saw his ERA climb to 4.53 and was only 2–6 in starting roles.
- He spent most of 1964 in Triple-A, then was traded to the Cardinals during the off-season.
- In 1965, the Redbirds kept Francis in the minors except for two late-season appearances in relief.
- He toiled one more season at the Triple-A level in 1966 before leaving baseball. In the majors, Francis won 16 of 39 decisions (.410) in 103 games and 405?2/3 innings pitched.
- He allowed 398 hits and 181 bases on balls, striking out 263.
- After retiring from the field, he lived and worked in Pittsburgh until his death at age 66.
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