Born in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, McBean was photographing a Pirates tryout camp in 1957, tried out himself, and earned a ticket to professional baseball. He graduated to the big leagues in 1961 and fashioned Pittsburgh’s second-best record (15-10) in 1962. Thin, loose-jointed, and cat-like on the mound, he found even more success as a reliever. He was TSN NL Fireman of the Year in 1964, when he had 22 saves and led the league with eight relief wins. Known for his flashy attire and expensive wardrobe, he returned to starting in 1968 and went to the Padres in the expansion draft after the season.
