Comments on: Woodie Fryman: 1940-2011

By: cur68

cur68 — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 02:52:05 +0000

Seeya Woodie. You were a good guy, I always thought. I already miss the Expos very much and, to me, you an Dennis Martinez will always be on their pitching staff.

By: steveinphiladelphia

steveinphiladelphia — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 22:00:19 +0000

I was at the 1976 All Star game, and also hung around the Bellevue Stratford hotel in Philly as many players arrived. Woodie Fryman checked in with family and all their baggage. Hands full, and moving slowly across the hotel lobby, he stopped – an absolute gentleman of the highest order – to sign autographs, despite the inconvenience of the luggage. Eventually he got to move on, but on yet another stop I got to tell him how much I admired a player taking all the trouble he had, for the autograph seekers. He paused and said softly, “Someday they’re going to stop asking.” That evening 34 years ago I had the privilege of seeing an extraordinary display of wisdom, decency and sportsmanship. In Woodie Fryman’s death baseball has lost a true gentleman.

By: crankyfrankie

crankyfrankie — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 18:06:55 +0000

I remember when the Phillies sent him to the Tigers cause the headline said. “Phillies send Fryman to Tigers for cash.” I though great the Phillies got Norm Cash. Um no I learned after reading the article. I learned not to believe headlines that day.

By: spudchukar

spudchukar — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 17:53:59 +0000

If I am not mistaken, he was always referred to as “the tobacco farmer from Kentucky”. He will be missed and remembered.

By: dodger88

dodger88 — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 16:53:51 +0000

Having grown up in Montreal, the first Expos teams I can recall are from the early 1980′s and Woody Fryman was one of the pitchers I recall clearly from those days. A real fan favourite. For the Expos 20th anniversary they released a retrospective video called “Les Expos No Amours”, in which Woody is one of the former Expos that is profiled and interviewed. He always came across as a decent man who found success in the major leagues for nearly two decades. RIP Woody.

By: heiniemanush

heiniemanush — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 15:37:53 +0000

He pretty much won the AL East for the Tigers when he went 10-3 down the stretch after they picked him up off the waiver wire from Philly. Woodie beat Luis Tiant in the pennant clinching game. He washed out of the AL pretty quickly after that but I was glad to see him find his niche as a part-time closer those last few years in Montreal. Thanks for all the memories, Woody.