Manufacturer: Topps
Set: 1952 Topps Baseball ➡️
Player Name: Robert Bartmess Friend
Position/Team: Pitcher for Pirates
Card #: 233
Card Size: 2-5/8” x 3-3/4”
Card Values: See Pricing Table Below
Robert “Bob” Bartmess Friend (1930-2019) was a prominent right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, primarily known for his long and impactful career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played in MLB from 1951 to 1966, spending 15 of those seasons with the Pirates before brief stints with the New York Yankees and New York Mets in his final year.
Friend became a true workhorse, leading the National League in starts for several seasons and consistently pitching over 200 innings. In 1955, he achieved the remarkable feat of leading the National League with a 2.83 ERA, despite pitching for a last-place Pirates team. He was the first pitcher in MLB history to accomplish this. His career-best year came in 1958 when he tied for the National League lead with 22 wins. Friend was selected to the National League All-Star team four times (1956, 1958, and twice in 1960).
Bob Friend was an integral part of the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates team that famously defeated the New York Yankees in the World Series. Friend pitched in Games 2 and 6 of that series.
After retiring from baseball, Friend remained active in the Pittsburgh area. He served as the controller of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, from 1967 to 1975, and later worked in the insurance industry.
Friend is remembered as one of the most significant pitchers in Pittsburgh Pirates history, a true professional who consistently delivered for his team despite often playing for clubs that struggled.
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Pricing Data For This Rookie Card
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