A resounding mound master, Woodrow Fryman came from a tobacco farming family out of the Ewing, Kentucky area. Noted for his ability to throw a mid-90s fastball among the local community he didn’t start pitching professionally in the minors until age 25 and then worked just 12 games, striking out 74 in 64 innings, prior to joining the majors with Pittsburgh in 1966. He immediately caught the attention of fans and media by beginning his rookie season by hurling three straight shutouts, and for the year went 12-9 with a 3.81 ERA. On December 16 1967 Pittsburgh traded Woodie Fryman, and pitchers Harold Clem and Bill Laxton along with shortstop Don Money to the Philadelphia Phillies for future Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Bunning. Woodie Fryman pitched 18 seasons, rang up at least 10 victories in six seasons and worked over 140 innings eight times, including three times pitching over 200 innings. Woodie Fryman started his career as a flame thrower and later adjusted his pitching arsenal to include a great change up and a curve and if his pitches were elevated or his trajectory was flat, he knew how to fix it because he was pitching smart. |