Ken McBride

Kenneth Faye McBride (born August 12, 1935) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. The right-handed pitcher worked in 151 games, 122 as a starter, in Major League Baseball for the Chicago White Sox (1959–1960) and Los Angeles Angels (1961–1965). Born in Huntsville, Alabama, but raised in Cleveland, Ohio, McBride was listed as tall and .
McBride was signed by the [[Boston Red Sox]] after he graduated from [[West High School (Cleveland)|West High School]]. In 1954, his first pro season, he won 18 of 26 [[decision (baseball)|decisions]] in the Class D [[Appalachian League]], and was named to the loop's All-Star team. He moved up through the Red Sox organization but got no further than the [[Double-A (baseball)|Double-A]] level. Finally, in , the White Sox purchased his contract. On August 4, 1959, McBride made his major league debut, starting against the [[Baltimore Orioles]] at [[Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)|Memorial Stadium]]. In 7 [[innings pitched]], he gave up three [[run (baseball)|runs]] (one [[earned run|earned]]) and was the losing pitcher in the 3–2 game. He gave up five [[hit (baseball)|hits]], [[strikeouts|struck out]] three, and [[base on balls|walked]] seven. Overall, he appeared in 16 games for Chicago during trials in both 1959 and , but was winless in two decisions and then left exposed in the [[1960 Major League Baseball expansion draft]] in mid-December. He was the Angels' seventh selection (13th overall) in the lottery.
[[Expansion team|Expansion]] proved to be a huge boon for McBride's career. He became a mainstay of the Angels' starting pitching staff from through , reaching double figures in [[win (baseball)|games won]] in all three years, throwing 28 [[complete game]]s, and exceeding 240 innings pitched in both 1961 and 1963. During those three years, he made 95 starts, had a 36–32 record, seven [[shutouts]], and a 3.46 [[earned run average]]. He finished in the league's top ten twice for [[games started]], [[complete game]]s, and [[innings pitched]], and once for [[winning percentage]], [[strikeouts]], shutouts, and [[Walks plus hits per inning pitched|WHIP]]. He gave up [[Roger Maris]]' 50th [[home run]] of 1961, but still won the game, 4–3.
McBride was named to the 1961, and 1963 [[American League]] [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star teams]], and was the starting pitcher for the Junior Circuit in the [[1963 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1963 midsummer classic]], played in his home city of Cleveland. He went three [[inning (baseball)|innings]] and allowed three earned runs on four hits, but exited with the game tied at three. Allowed to bat in the second inning of the contest, McBride delivered an [[runs batted in|RBI]] [[single (baseball)|single]] to score Angel teammate [[Leon Wagner]] and tie the game, 1–1. The [[National League]] went on to defeat McBride's squad 5–3, with future [[United States Senator]] [[Jim Bunning]], then a pitcher for the [[Detroit Tigers]], taking the loss in [[relief pitcher|relief]].
McBride began in the Angel rotation, but injured his arm in his second starting assignment. The injury proved disastrous. He appeared in 37 games for the Angels in 1964–1965, but posted a poor 4–16 [[win–loss record (pitching)|record]] with an [[earned run average]] of 5.40, and his career came to an abrupt end. However, he remained in the game as a minor and major league pitching coach. He served as the mound tutor on [[Del Crandall]]'s [[Milwaukee Brewers]] coaching staff for part of and all of .
During his seven-year MLB pitching career, McBride compiled a ledger that included 40 [[win (baseball)|wins]], 50 [[loss (baseball)|losses]], 503 [[strikeout]]s, and an [[earned run average]] of 3.79. In 807 innings pitched, he allowed 717 hits and 363 walks. Twice in his career he led the American League in hit batsmen (14 in 1963 and 16 in 1964). He hit 49 batters in his career, an average of almost one per every 16 innings pitched.
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[[Category:1935 births]]
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[[Category:Baseball players from Alabama]]
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