Buster Narum

Buster Narum (November 16, 1940 - May 17, 2004), born Leslie Ferdinand Narum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher who played for the Baltimore Orioles (1963) and Washington Senators (1964-67).

Narum debuted with the Orioles in the 1963 season, finishing with a 0-0 record in 9 innings. The next year, he was sent to the Senators in the same trade that brought Lou Piniella to Baltimore.

In his 96-games career Narum compiled a 14-27 record, with 220 strikeouts, a 4.45 ERA, two shutouts, and nine complete games in 396 innings pitched. After retiring, he worked as a freight salesman in the trucking industry.

Buster Narum died in Clearwater, Florida at the age of 63.

Fact

• May 3, 1963: In his 1st and only at bat as an Oriole, pitcher Les "Buster" Narum homers against Detroit's Don Mossi. Six days later, Narum is optioned to Rochester but will return to the majors next year with Washington where he'll hit two more. Narum is the first pitcher to have more homers than wins in a season, but he'll be matched on September 2nd by Ed Hobaugh, and in 1992 by Dave Eiland. - From the Baseball Chronology, at Baseball Library

External link

• Complete career statistics at Baseball Reference