[Brad K]

July 10 1961

The Pirates placed three players on the NL All Star team including C Smokey Burgess (.285 5 HRS) as the starter. Selected as reserves were SP Bob Friend (7-5 3.48 ERA) and 3B Don Hoak (.321 9 HR). Its a strange situation for a 38-42 5th place team. I have the influence of player popularity in the voting set to moderate rather than the default of high.

Attempts to extend Burgess have not been successful. He's 34 years old and started at $200k x 4. He's dropped all of $2k a year and is getting angry. He has a few star caliber years left and is extremely popular with fans and there's nothing on the farm so an agreement is almost imperative.

The man who looked like he won the World Series for the Bucs last year with a three run homer (until the Yankees later tied) C Hal Smith is back on the 25 man after Orlando McFarland failed to hit.

Interestingly there were to MLB players named Hal Smith who played late 50s and early 60s and both were catchers.


Bob Friend, Hal Smith