"The second player, along with Mickey Rivers, acquired from the Angels in the Bobby Bonds trade, Ed turned out to be the Yankees' most reliable pitcher and biggest winner with 19. Born in Ciales, Puerto Rico, he was sorely disappointed when he failed in two attempts to win No. 20, which would have made him the first native Puerto Rican to win 20 games in the big leagues. He was won 35 games in two years since becoming a regular starter.
Originally signed by the Mets and released, Ed served with the Marines in Vietnam. He's pitched only 606 innings in the majors, so he should have many more good years ahead."
-Phil Pepe, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1977 Edition
"Hard to believe, but Ed Figueroa began the 1975 season in the minor leagues. It's hard to believe because he pitches with so much expertise these days, he appears to be a veteran of a decade. But it's true - after eight minor league seasons, and Marine duty in Vietnam, Ed didn't reach the majors until 1974, the following year winning 16 games for a last place Angel club, and then found himself dealt to the Yankees with Mickey Rivers for Bobby Bonds.
At the time of the trade, it was somewhat of an 'Ed Who?' story in New York. But by last October, Yankee fans were shouting 'Ed-die ... Ed-die' as their 19-game winner went to work. With all the talent on the Yankees' league-leading pitching staff, Figueroa was the leading winner. Quite an accomplishment.
Puerto Rico is home to Ed, but he enjoyed his first year in New York and found the people friendly. New Yorkers in turn found Ed to be one of the league's top pitchers and a key addition to a pennant winning cause. Here's to more of the same in '77!"
-The New York Yankees Official 1977 Yearbook
"Ed's first season as a Yankee was a rousing success. He led the team in victories, tying for fourth in that department in the American League, and also led the Yankees with four shutouts. Ed was 12-3 between May 24 and August 13, when the Yankees pulled away in the Eastern Division. He hoped to become the first Puerto Rican to ever win 20 games but fell one short when he lost his last two decisions and was rained out on the season's final day. He and Juan Pizarro now each have won 19. Ed was pretty much of an unknown to New Yorkers despite his 16 wins for the Angels in 1975, when he had the fifth best ERA in the league, but by the end of last season, fans were shouting 'Ed-die, Ed-die' in encouragement.
Ed had a long road to the big leagues. Originally signed by the Mets in 1966, but soon released and signed by the Giants, he served in Vietnam with the Marines in 1969. He started the 1975 season in the minors but was brought back fast, and beat the champion Red Sox three times that season. An amazing 15 of his 16 wins that year followed Angel defeats.
As a member of Puerto Rico's amateur champs in the early '60s, Ed and his teammates won a trip to New York to see a game at Yankee Stadium.
Ed seemed on his way to winning the Yankees' pennant clinching game in the ALCS against the Royals last fall and left to a standing ovation with a 6-3 lead in the 8th inning. But reliever Grant Jackson yielded a three-run homer to George Brett, spoiling what would have been Figgy's greatest moment.
His best effort last year was a three-hit shutout of the White Sox on July 11."
-1977 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide
FIGUEROA MEETS PUERTO RICAN GOVERNOR
"Ed Figueroa, an off-season native of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, met Puerto Rico's Governor Carlos Romero Barcello on his recent visit to Yankee Stadium. Figueroa last year nearly became Puerto Rico's first 20-game winner with his 19-10 season for the Yankees."
-1977 New York Yankees Scorebook & Official Program
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