Friend was born on April 18, 1873, in Cincinnati.[1] He made his Major League debut with the Chicago Colts on September 10, 1895, against the New York Giants.[1][2] The Colts won his debut by a score of 13–2.[2] He pitched in five games for the Colts in 1895, starting all five. He pitched 41 innings and had a won-loss record of 2–2, with an earned run average of 5.27. His earned run average was slightly worse than league average.[1]
Friend was the Colts' Opening Day starting pitcher in 1896.[3] Friend had his best season in 1896. He pitched in 36 games, starting 33. He had 2902⁄3 innings pitched, an 18–14 won–lost record, and an earned run average of 4.74, again slightly worse than league average.[1] In 1897, Friend had another big season in which he pitched in 24 games, starting all 24. He pitched 203 innings with a 12–11 won–lost record, and an earned run average of 4.52, again slightly worse than league average.[1]
For his Major League career, Friend pitched in 67 games and 5512⁄3 innings, with an earned run average of 4.71 and a won–lost record of 32–29. As a hitter, he had a career batting average of .256, a career slugging percentage of .283 and a career on-base percentage of .332 in 238 at bats. Friend died on June 1, 1942, in Chillicothe, Ohio.[1]
