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Former
Pirates pitcher Earl Francis dies
.c The Associated
Press
07/04/02 15:54 EDT
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Earl Francis, the Pittsburgh Pirates'
opening day starter in 1963 and a rookie pitcher on their 1960 World
Series championship team, died Wednesday following a long
illness. Francis, who was 66, died in the intensive care unit of UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, where he was being treated for diabetes. A native of Slab Fork, W.Va., Francis was 16-23 with a 3.77 ERA in 52 games and six major league seasons, all but one with the Pirates. He pitched two games for St. Louis in 1965. The right-hander was 1-0 in seven games in 1960, but did not pitch in the World Series. His best season was 1962, when he was 9-8 with a 3.07 ERA. After leaving baseball, Francis lived in Shaler Township in suburban Pittsburgh and worked for the Giant Eagle grocery store chain. Funeral services will be held Monday at St. Benedict Catholic Church in Pittsburgh. Francis is survived by his wife, Marie Stotts-Francis, of Shaler; daughters Lydia Francis, of Pittsburgh, and Shawn Ellen Francis, of Bellevue, Pa.; and sons Earl C. Francis Jr. of Dallas; Michael D. Francis of Dale City, Va.; and Shannon R. Francis of Pittsburgh; and his mother, Cordie B. Francis of Beckley, W.Va. |
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