Owen Friend Bought To Ensure His $50 Pension

Owen Friend played infield through the early fifties with a few teams, the Browns, Cubs, Tigers, Cleveland and Boston. He was traded and transacted a few times during that time period, but one heretofor undocumented one certainly is worth publishing.

His Baseball Reference major league page mentions his purchase by the Cubs from the Red Sox in 1955, and that he played for the Cubs in 1956. But it isn't that simple.

Friend was released by the Cubs in spring training, and signed with AAA Havana, in the Reds' system. This set up the deal mentioned in the May 25, 1956 Evening Sun from Hanover, Pennsylvania...

"Cubs Recall Winceniak, and Sell Friend To Havana  CHICAGO—Infielder Ed Winceniak has been recalled from Havana of the International League by the Chicago Cubs and Owen Friend has been sold outright to the same club. Winceniak had been optioned only two weeks ago by the Cubs. The recall completes a gesture of courtesy by the Cubs personnel director, Wid Matthews.... Friend had needed only a few more days service in the majors to qualify him for a $50 month pension at the age of 50."

And that was it for Friend in the majors. He went to Vancouver for a couple of seasons, and to independent Dallas after that, but soon, Phoenix came calling:

From the SpokaneDaily Chronicle of April 17, 1959...

"The Giants picked up additional infield help today when Owen Friend was sold to Phoenix by the Dallas Rangers of the American Association."

Phoenix was his last AAA playing stop. Recalling a player for ten days so he could get a $50-a-month pension....certainly wouldn't have seen any player of team bother with that today.

Friend pic from snipview.

 

Howie Judson, Bubba Church and Ed Winceniak

Howie Judson was a pretty fair pitcher in the late forties thru the early fifties that came out on the unlucky side more often than not in the majors. His 1-14 mark for the White Sox in 1949 came with a 4.58 ERA and a team that lost 91 games.

Judson, a former Fighting Illini, went to the Reds in 1953, and despite a pretty fair 1954, was sent to the minors never to return.

His Baseball Reference minor league page has him playing for independent Seattle in 1955.

From the Palm Beach Post of Apr 1, 1955:

“{Yesterday} The Cincinnati Redlegs sold Pitcher Howie Judson to Seattle of the Pacific Coast League.”

During 1957, Judson headed East and South, to the Miami Marlins.

From the book "The Forgotten Marlins: A Tribute to the 1956-1960 Original Miami Marlins" by Sam Zygner:

“Four ex-major leaguers were acquired on June 12 and 13….and Howie Judson and Bubba Church were purchased from Seattle of the Pacific Coast League.”

Judson took his time getting there according to the June 21, 1957 Miami Sunday News... 

“Judson supposedly left Seattle June 11 for Miami. As yet, he is among the missing.”

This would also put the transaction as June 11, 1957.

In the off-season, Judson went back west, to the Cubs' Portland AAA team. 

Haven't come up with the actual transaction data, but it had to occur between the end of the 1957 playoffs and this note from the Feb. 26, 1958 Spokane Daily Chronicle:

“Pitcher Howie Judson and first baseman Bruce M’intosh have signed their contracts with the Portland Beavers baseball team.”

By the way, that is exactly how McIntosh was spelled in the article. He was a career minor leaguer who never played for Portland.

Judson had one more stop to make, independent Denver in 1959. From the Twin Falls Daily News of Thursday. Dec. 4, 1958..

“WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 —The Denver club of the American Association on Wednesday purchased shortstop Ed Winceniak and pitcher Howie Judson from Portland of the Pacific Coast league.”

Judson, who was gradually losing his sight, finished that year at Denver,

Odds and ends: Church's deal above was odd since he had sat out a full season after the Cubs sold him to Sacramento. The Winceniak deal above was also not previously listed on his Baseball Reference page.

Judson and Church from comc.com

Winceniak from Amazon