Wood vs. Wood #252

Last time it was 1987 by an 8-3 margin. Will 1962 fare better here?

Earl Shibe is looking over his shoulder, past the cameraman. I believe the stadium with the red seats is Shibe Park in Philadelphia. Francis came up with the Pirates at the end of the 1960 season, and was a part of their starting rotation the next three seasons. His best season was 1962, going 9-8 with a 3.07 ERA, and he was the team's Opening Day starter in '63. However, arm troubles curtailed his career, pitching in just two games in 1964 and two more in 1965 for the Cardinals. Overall in 103 games (52 starts) he went 16-23 with a 3.77 ERA. After his playing days he had a long career as a meatcutter in a supermarket. He died of diabetes in 2002.

Dennis Martinez (whom I believe only Topps called "Denny") fires a pitch at Shea Stadium. The photo actually looks very static except for the big dirt cloud at his foot. After a decade with the Orioles, Martinez had been traded to the Expos in June of 1986. This would have been June 25, his second game in the National League. Martinez pitched two scoreless innings of relief in a 5-2 Expos loss. The Mets went ahead for good on an RBI single by pitcher Sid Fernandez in the fourth inning. Martinez came up with the Orioles in 1976 and had several up-and-down seasons. A high point was 1981, leading the AL with 14 wins in the strike-shortened season. A low point was being left off the postseason roster in 1983 due in part to his alcoholism. Martinez got sober after that season and was traded to the Expos in 1986, where he got himself together and became a star at age 33. His best season was 1991, when he led the NL with a 2.39 ERA, 9 complete games and 5 shutouts, including a perfect game. He signed with the Indians after the 1994 season, and at age 41 in 1995 he went 12-5 with a 3.08 ERA to help Cleveland win the pennant. He retired after the 1998 season at the age o f 44. Overall in 692 games he went 245-193 with a 3.70 ERA. After his playing career Martinez did some coaching at the major and minor league level, and managed Nicaragua in the 2013 WBC. Martinez's nickname "El Presidente" came from his popularity in his native country. Nicaragua's President since 2007 is dictator Daniel Ortega. In 2022 Ortega had Martinez's name removed from the stadium named for the pitcher in 1998 after Martinez criticized the president.