George Frazier's last season as a big-league pitcher was in 1987, as an oft-used reliever for the Twins' World Series champions. He died on Sunday at age 68.
He was a character and carved out a long career as an analyst on Colorado Rockies' telecasts. And everyone who knew George realized he loved his cigarettes.
George's most-famous moments in the big leagues might have been in 1981, when he was a solid pitcher in the Yankees' bullpen. He wound up taking three losses as a reliever in New York's six-game loss to the Dodgers in the World Series.
That was more fate than incompetence, but poor George. Dozens of us covering that World Series for newspapers used a variety of the same line:
"George Frazier became the only pitcher to lose three games in a World Series that wasn't trying to …'
That reference being to Lefty Williams, a Chicago White Sox pitcher who was part of the Black Sox Scandal and lost three games in 1919 World Series — a best-of-nine — won five games to three by the Cincinnati Reds.
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Finally we have the answer.