---

Larry French enjoyed an outstanding 14-year MLB career that ended prematurely due to the Second World War. The southpaw workhorse broke in with the Pirates in 1929, making 13 starts and 17 relief appearances.

Over the next 11 seasons he averaged 43 games and 15 wins per season. Starting and working out of the ‘pen, French made at least 10 starts and 6 relief appearances in each of his big league campaigns. Playing for the Pirates, Cubs, and Dodgers, the durable left hander pitched at least 200 frames in 12 of his 14 campaigns and averaged 225 innings per year.

In his age-34 season of 1942 he went 15-4 with a career-low 1.88 ERA. With 197 wins, 198 complete games and 40 shutouts, French had a strong resumé. A few more productive season might put him in the Cooperstown conversation.

Though he posted an ERA+ of 180 in ’42, French left baseball to join the war effort. He never returned to a big league mound. Among hurlers with at least 75 innings pitched in their final season, French’s ERA+ is surpassed only by Sandy Koufax.

According to BaseballReference.com, five 200-game winners and two Cooperstown men are among the 10 pitchers most similar to French. The site lists 201-game winner and Hall of Famer Rube Marquard as the man most akin to French.

Others seen in the top-10 are 200-game winners Charlie Root, George Uhle, Wilbur Cooper, and Jesse Haines who also has a Cooperstown plaque.

After leaving the game, French served on the USS New York in the battle of Okinawa, the largest Pacific Theater amphibious assault of the war. He remained active through the Korean War and beyond. A Legion of Merit honoree, French reached the rank of captain before retiring in 1969.

In the collection is this letter written by collector George Hipp to French on September 17, 1956 asking for the pitcher’s autograph. At the bottom of the correspondence French supplies the signature in a handwritten response.

“Your letter and enclosure received, signed, and duly mailed.

“I am a Cmrd. in the Navy recalled from my automobile dealership in Jan. 1951.

“We have only returned from a tour of duty in Lisbon, Portugal. This may have made us a little difficult to locate.”

French then signs his name at the bottom.

Similar letters to autograph hound Hipp can be found on the pages of George Uhle and Lon Warneke.

---

Larry French was one of the National League’s most durable and effective pitchers of his era. Armed with a screwball and great command, he won 15 or more games 9 times in his 14 seasons.

Forgotten today, French was under-appreciated in his own time as well. From 1930 through 1936 he averaged 268 innings and more than 16 wins per season. The majors’ only hurler with more innings during that run was Cooperstown’s Carl Hubbell. Only Hubbell and fellow Hall of Famer Dizzy Dean won more games. Despite his success, French was selected to just one All Star team.

Shown here is a 1933 Goudey baseball card signed by Hubbell. The year of the card’s production Hubbell led the NL in wins (23), shutouts (10), ERA (1.66), and WAR (9.0). His efforts earned him the Most Valuable Player Award.

---

One of Larry French’s most memorable moments came in unlikely fashion. On July 12, 1933 French watched from the bullpen as his Pirates roughed up the Braves for 8 runs through the first six innings. Buccos starter Heinie Meine quieted Boston bats with eight scoreless innings.

With the game seemingly in hand in the top of the 9th, French left the ‘pen to hit the showers.

Meanwhile the Braves mounted an epic comeback, sending nine men to the plate, seven of whom scored. Pittsburgh skipper George Gibson called for French to put out the fire. The still-sudsy pitcher hurried out of the shower, lathered up with soap, water dripping down his back.

With one out and Rabbit Maranville 90 feet away representing the tying run, French entered the game. Batting for the second time in the inning, pinch hitter Joe Mowry lifted a fly ball to centerfielder Freddie Lindstrom who caught it for the second out. Maranville tagged up and scored the game’s tying run.

Rules of the day credited Mowry for an RBI but also an at bat because the sacrifice fly rule had changed. French then retired Billy Urbanski for the final out of the inning.

The Pirates sent five men to the plate in the bottom of the 9th but couldn’t score. French returned to the hill for the 10th and retired the Braves in order.

In the bottom half of the inning Paul Waner singled with one out. Pie Traynor reached first on a fielder’s choice groundout that erased Waner. Arky Vaughan then tripled to right to drive in Traynor and end the game.

Vaughan’s hit made a winner out of the freshly-showered French.

Shown here are the autographs of Waner, Satchel Paige, Dolph Camilli, Wally Berger, and Tuck Stainback. They come on a page listing the lineup from a contest played on October 31, 1935 at LA’s Wrigley Field. Click here for the box score.

The game featured Dizzy Dean’s All Stars playing the Philadelphia Royal Giants, a squad of Negro League stars. The lineup of the Royal Giants that day includes Hall of Famers Turkey Stearnes, Mule Suttles, and Biz Mackey.

Paige got the start and pitched four innings before being relieved by Chet Brewer who took the loss in the 5-4 contest.

Playing for Dizzy Dean’s team Vaughan hit third in the lineup, directly in front of Berger and Camilli. PCL legend Jigger Statz hit leadoff and played centerfield. Dean started on the hill and pitched 7 innings in his team’s 5-4 victory.

Vaughan went 0-for-4 on the day.