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Bob Purkey, a '50s and '60s All-Star.
Bob Purkey had a very nice career in the majors over 13 years, from 1954 through 1966. He broke in with the Pirates, but he had his best years after coming to Cincinnati in a trade in '57.
He made the 1958, '61 & '62 NL All-Star teams, with his only 20-win season helping to lead the 1961 Cincy Reds to the World Series. That '61 season, with Purkey going 18 games over .500 at 23-5, and with an ERA of just 2.81, was a monster season. Take away that season and he's under .500 lifetime at 106-110, but that big season put him comfortably over the.500 hump at
129-115. He was an oldfashioned pitcher who some years struck out only half the number of batters as his Innings Pitched total. He put the ball in play, got a lot of grounders, and let his infielders do the work.
A good and valuable pitcher. I had a lot of his baseball cards while growing up. He died a little bit short of his 79th birthday (1929-2008).
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