Books and articles about Frank Lary

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Frank Lary and older brother Al, a Cubs pitcher, both debuted in 1954. Al's major league career was short, but in 1956, the fireballing Frank emerged as the ace of a strong Tiger staff, leading the American League with 21 wins. He was especially tough on the perennial pennant-winning Yankees, going 5-1 against them in 1956 and 7-0 in 1958 - the first time since 1916 that New York had been beaten seven times in one season by one pitcher. Lary defeated them five times in a row in 1959, making it 13 wins in 14 decisions. Lifetime against the Yankees, Lary was 27-13. His best season was 1961, when he was 23-9, threw a one-hitter, and led the league with 22 complete games. In his three All-Star appearances, he didn't allow an earned run. He developed a sore arm in 1962 and changed teams four times during 1964 and 1965. As late as the 1970s, while coaching and scouting for various organizations, he was trying to convince teams he could pitch again. (MC)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » August 3, 1955: Frank Lary of the Tigers beats Washington 3-0 on a 2-hitter. » August 7, 1955: After a 12-17 record in July, the Yankees are in a 4-team race. Tiger Frank Lary beats New York 4-2 in game one, and New York then earns a critical 3-2 10th-inning win on a Mickey Mantle homer off Babe Birrer. The Yanks finish the day in a virtual tie with Chicago, a 1/2 game ahead of Cleveland, and 11Ž2 games ahead of Boston. » May 2, 1956: Yankee killer Frank Lary tames New York 8–1 at the Stadium. Mickey Mantle's 9th inning home run is New York's only score, as they drop into 2nd place behind the White Sox. » August 26, 1957: Yankee-killer Frank Lary stops New York as Detroit wins 5-2. The New York lead is now down to 31Ž2 games, as they start a crucial series in Chicago. They will win all three games with the Sox. » June 15, 1958: At New York, Yankee killers Jim Bunning and Frank Lary sweep New York 2–0 and 3–0 in a Detroit twin bill. Lary gives up four hits and Bunning 3. » June 21, 1958: Frank Lary pitches his 3rd straight shutout, beating the Yankees Duke Maas, 1–0. Al Kaline throws out Maas at the plate and hits his 7th home run to extend his hitting streak to 18 games. » September 16, 1958: Yankee killer Frank Lary is the 3rd pitcher to beat them seven times in the same season, as the Tiger star defeats them, 4–2. Ed Walsh (9-1 in 1908) and Ed Cicotte (7-1 in 1916) were the others. » May 20, 1959: The Yankees sink to last place, the first time since May 25, 1940, as Detroit drubs them 13–6. Fittingly, it is Yankee Killer Frank Lary who wins it, improving his lifetime record against New York to 18–5. » June 3, 1959: At Detroit, Mickey Mantle homers off Ray Narleski in the 9th to give the Yankees a 6–5 win. New York chases nemesis Frank Lary with five runs in the 3rd. » April 19, 1960: Opening Day in Cleveland takes on added drama as Rocky Colavito makes his debut with the Tigers. He is hitless in six ABs and strikes out four times. Detroit's Frank Lary and Cleveland's Gary Bell each pitch 10 shutout innings. The Tigers score twice in the 11th, but Jim Piersall's 2-run single off Jim Bunning ties the game. In the 15th, as the major-league record for the longest Opening Day game is tied, Al Kaline's 2-run single gives Detroit a 4–2 win. » June 12, 1960: The Tigers and Senators combine for 11 homers in their DH split, with the Nats hitting eight roundtrippers. Jim Lemon hits three homers, one in game 1, an 8–2 win, and a pair in the nitecap loss, 12–5. Colavito has a pair in the nitecap for Detroit and winning pitcher Frank Lary also goes deep. » June 21, 1960: Whitey Ford outduels Yankee Killer Frank Lary to give New York a 6–0 win in Detroit. Mickey Mantle is 3-for-5 with two homers off Lary. » May 12, 1961: In the 8th inning at Yankee Stadium, Tiger OF Rocky Colavito goes into the stands behind 3B after a drunken fan who has been heckling Rocky's wife and father. Colavito is ejected, but the Tigers win in the 9th on P Frank Lary's home run. For Lary, it is his 25th win over the Yankees against just eight losses. » July 9, 1961: The Tigers take over 1st place with a doubleheader sweep of the Angels. Frank Lary's 13th victory in the opener, a 1–0 three-hitter, is followed by Jim Bunning's 6–3 win in the nitecap. » July 24, 1961: At Kansas City, Detroit P Frank Lary collides with rookie 3B Steve Boros, and both players leave the game with injuries. Lary does not miss a start but Boros' collarbone is broken and he will not return. He has 53 RBIs to date. » September 2, 1961: Against Detroit's Frank Lary, Roger Maris doubles and takes 3B on a misplay. Mickey Mantle, hurting from a pulled muscle in his forearm, lays down a perfect drag bunt to score Roger. Maris then blasts homers his next two trips to the plate, and Elston Howard adds a three-run homer, for a 7–2 win. » September 16, 1961: At Detroit, Roger Maris connects for #57, off Frank Lary, to stay a game ahead of Ruth's 1927 pace. But Lary wins his 21st, 10–4, over Ralph Terry, with help from Norm Cash, who belts a homer, his 37th, and a triple. Al Kaline adds four hits and a sac fly. » April 13, 1962: In a 5–3 win against the Yankees, Tigers P Frank Lary pulls a muscle while running out a triple in the 7th and is forced to leave the game. The injury will subsequently create arm problems that will end his career. Lary will win just two games this after notching 23 wins in 1961. » June 14, 1965: No-hit pitching and 18 strikeouts, tying the National League extra-inning record, net Cincinnati's Jim Maloney a 0–0 tie with the last-place Mets through 10 innings. Johnny Lewis's 11th-inning lead off home run gives New York and Larry Bearnarth, in relief of Frank Lary, a 1–0 win and a heartbreaking loss for Maloney. Maloney allows one other hit and is the 10th pitcher to lose a no-hitter in extra innings; Harvey Haddix was the last, in 1959. Maloney walks one to go with his 18 strikeouts.