Dick Stuart: teammates remember "Dr. Strangeglove": despite his defensive deficiency, right-handed first baseman was quite a hitter.(Brief Article)(Obituary)

DICK STUART MADE HIS LIVING AS a productive, professional major league hitter who was just as well known as a less than proficient first baseman.

For those who played with him, Stuart was a well-liked teammate who was an integral part of a 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates team that defeated the heavily favored New York Yankees in a topsy-turvy seven-game World Series.

Stuart, who once hit 66 home runs in the minor leagues, died December 15, 2002, of cancer in Redwood City, California. He was 70.

Former Pirates pitcher Bob Friend, 72, said Stuart was a flamboyant individual who kept everyone on the ball-club loose.

"He was a very popular guy," Friend said of Stuart. "He was a great needler. And he could take it, too."

That Stuart was dubbed "Dr. Strangeglove" for his deficiencies as a big league first baseman told only part of the story, said Friend, who pointed out that Stuart's outlook was unique.

"He was a great hitter. He could go 4-for-5 with four singles and think he had a bad day.