Buddy Harris
Walter Francis "Buddy" Harris is an American former professional baseball player. A right-handed pitcher, he worked in 22 games as a relief pitcher for the – Houston Astros of Major League Baseball. Harris graduated from Roxborough High School in Philadelphia PA and attended the University of Miami and Philadelphia University. He stood tall and weighed during his active career.
Harris was selected by the Houston Astros in the first round of the secondary phase in the June 1968 Major League Baseball Draft. He had three outstanding seasons in minor league baseball leading up to his first trial with the Astros in September 1970. He led the Rookie-level Appalachian League in strikeouts, and posted sparkling 1.84 and 2.02 earned run averages in the Class A Carolina League and Double-A Southern League. On his MLB debut, on September 10, 1970, he worked in two innings against the San Francisco Giants and surrendered a two-run home run to Willie Mays.
Harris made 20 appearances for the 1971 Astros, with one relief appearance in April and 19 from June through September sandwiched around 14 games with the Triple-A Oklahoma City 89ers. He split two decisions for Houston that year, giving up 33 hits and 16 bases on balls, with 21 strikeouts in 30 innings. In his penultimate MLB game, on September 1, 1971, he pitched 3 innings of hitless relief against the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Astrodome, notching six strikeouts.
Arm miseries curtailed his career, however, and he retired after the 1973 minor league season. However the legend known as Bud Harris has lived on. The show East Bound and Down’s main character Kenny Powers is based off Buddy’s baseball career and life.
