He saw action in all of parts of seven Minor League seasons  spanning 1949–1955, before joining the Pirates on April 14, 1955 as a 27-year-old rookie.
hiː sˈɔː ˈækʃən ɪn ˈɔːl ʌv pˈɑːɹts ʌv sˈɛvən mˈaɪnɚ lˈiːɡ sˈiːzənz spˈænɪŋ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi nˈaɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti fˈaɪv, bᵻfˌoːɹ dʒˈɔɪnɪŋ ðə pˈaɪɹəts ˌɔn ˈeɪpɹəl fˈoːɹtiːn, nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti fˈaɪv æz ɐ twˈɛnti sˈɛvənjˈɪɹˈoʊld ɹˈʊki.