Today In Brewer History: Happy birthday, Bob McClure

On this day in 1952 Bob McClure was born in Oakland, California. He went to school at the College of San Mateo before the Royals selected him in the third round of the 1973 June Secondary draft, and just two years later he joined Kansas City in 1975.

McClure had pitched just 20 games over parts of two seasons as a Royal when the Brewers acquired him as part of a five-player deal that sent pitcher Jim Colborn and catcher Darrell Porter to Kansas City. He was an immediate success in Milwaukee, making 68 relief appearances in 1978 and posting a 2.52 ERA over 71.1 innings of work.

All told McClure pitched parts of ten seasons as a Brewer, posting a 3.97 ERA over 352 appearances (73 starts) and striking out 497 in 842 innings. He also appeared in five of the seven games in the 1982 World Series, although he received the loss in two of them.

Thanks to the B-Ref Play Index for reminding me that McClure turns 61 today. We'd also like to wish a happy birthday to:

• 2003 Brewer John Vander Wal, who turns 47.
• Beloit College alum Amby McConnell, who would have turned 130. He played four major league seasons between 1908-11 as a member of the Red Sox and White Sox.