Highlighted Year: Bill Bernhard, 1902

Pitcher, /Philadelphia Athletics/Cleveland Blues

Age:  31

2^nd season with Athletics

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 205 

Prior to 1902:

The son of German immigrants and a native of the Buffalo, New York area, Bernhard pitched for several amateur teams before entering the professional ranks with Palmyra of the New York State League in 1897 at age 26 as a pitcher and first baseman. In 34 pitching appearances he led the league with 148 strikeouts and threw a no-hitter. A hard thrower, Bernhard rejected an offer from the NL’s Philadelphia Phillies in 1898 and instead pitched for a minor league team in Canajoharie, New York. “Big Bill” signed with the Phillies in 1899 and, as a 28-year-old major league rookie, produced a 6-6 record with a 2.65 ERA, 10 complete games, one shutout, and 23 strikeouts in 132.1 innings pitched. He got off to a 12-1 start with the Phillies in 1900 before tailing off, having difficulty with his control, and finishing with a 15-10 tally, 4.77 ERA, and 49 strikeouts over 218.2 innings. In 1901 he jumped to the Philadelphia Athletics of the new American League and was 17-10 with a 4.52 ERA, 26 complete games, and 58 strikeouts over the course of 257 innings. In the legal battle with the Phillies, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld the contractual “reserve clause” in the National League contract and declared that Bernhard, pitcher Chick Fraser, and second baseman Nap Lajoie would be held in contempt of court and subject to arrest if they played in Pennsylvania for any other team than the Phillies. Fraser elected to return to the Phillies, but Bernhard and Lajoie refused to do so. Athletics president/manager Connie Mack, wishing to keep the duo in the AL, released them early in the 1902 season and they signed with Cleveland.

1902 Season Summary

Appeared in 28 games (Philadelphia 1/ Cleveland – 27)

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 28 (PHI – 1/CLEV – 27)

Games Started – 25 (PHI – 1/CLEV – 24)

Complete Games – 23 [17] (PHI – 1/CLEV – 22)

Wins – 18 [9, tied with Casey Patten] (PHI – 1/CLEV – 17)

Losses – 5 (CLEV)

PCT - .783 [1] (PHI – 1.000/CLEV - .773)

Saves – 1 [2, tied with nine others] (CLEV)

Shutouts – 3 [5, tied with four others] (CLEV)

Innings Pitched – 226 [18] (PHI – 9/CLEV – 217)

Hits – 176 (PHI – 7/CLEV – 169)

Runs – 79 (PHI – 1/CLEV – 78)

Earned Runs – 54 (PHI – 1/CLEV – 53)

Home Runs – 4 (CLEV)

Bases on Balls – 37 (PHI – 3/CLEV – 34)

Strikeouts – 58 [19] (PHI – 1/CLEV – 57)

ERA – 2.15 [3, tied with Cy Young] (PHI – 1.00/CLEV – 2.20)

Hit Batters – 5 (CLEV)

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 4 [16, tied with five others] (CLEV) 

League-leading win percentage was +.009 ahead of runner-up Rube Waddell

Midseason Snapshot: 6-3, ERA – 2.87, SO - 19 in 87.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 7 (in 9 IP) vs. Phila. A’s 9/5

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) vs. Washington 8/30

Batting (combined)

PA – 95, AB – 94, R – 8, H – 18, 2B – 4, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 6, BB – 1, SO – 16, SB – 0, CS – N/A, AVG - .191, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Fielding (combined)

Chances - 80

Put Outs – 5

Assists – 71

Errors – 4

DP – 2

Pct. – .950

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The Blues went 69-67 to finish fifth in the AL, 14 games behind the pennant-winning Philadelphia Athletics. The pitching staff led the league in shutouts (16), saves (3, tied with Detroit), bases on balls issued (411), and fewest hits allowed (1199). The Blues got off to a slow start and were in the AL cellar by the end of May at 11-23. The well-balanced club turned things around and went 58-44 the rest of the way to move up to fifth.

Aftermath of 1902:

With the team rechristened as the Naps, in honor of Lajoie, in 1903, Cleveland rose to third place in 1903 and Bernhard contributed a 14-5 record and a 2.12 ERA with 18 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 60 strikeouts in 165.2 innings pitched. He had a stronger season in 1904, posting a 23-13 tally with a 2.13 ERA, 35 complete games, 4 shutouts, and 137 strikeouts over the course of 320.2 innings. His wife and young daughter attended home games when he was scheduled to pitch. Bernhard also established himself as a well-liked and intelligent student of baseball. He had an off-year in 1905, going 7-13 with a 3.36 ERA. He rebounded in 1906 with a 16-15 record and 2.54 ERA, 23 complete games, and 85 strikeouts over 255.1 innings. Tragedy struck in February of 1907 when Bernhard’s daughter died of pneumonia. He was little used in his final major league season that year, appearing in just 8 games and compiling an 0-4 tally. The Naps released him in the offseason. For his major league career, Bernhard compiled a 116-81 record with a 3.04 ERA, 175 complete games, 14 shutouts, and 545 strikeouts in 1792 innings pitched. With Cleveland he was 77-55 with a 2.45 ERA, 118 complete games, 12 shutouts, and 414 strikeouts in 1175 innings pitched. Following his major league playing career, Bernhard became manager of the Nashville Volunteers of the Southern Association. Utilizing his baseball knowledge and calm managerial style, he received acclaim for leading Nashville from last place in 1907 to first in 1908. The club finished second in 1909 and it was rumored that Bernhard would manage a major league team, but he returned to the Volunteers in 1910 and moved on to the Memphis Turtles from 1911 to 1913. After pitching for the Salt Lake City Skyskrapers in 1914 (he had pitched while managing in the Southern Association as well), he returned to the Southern Association as a pitching coach and umpire. He managed the Salt Lake City Bees of the Pacific Coast League in 1917, which was his last job in baseball. Bernhard remained in Southern California until his death at age 78 in 1949 due to leukemia.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years.