Pitcher, Detroit
Tigers
Age: 23 (July 4)
2nd season
with Tigers
Bats – Right,
Throws – Right
Height: 5’11” Weight: 188
Prior to 1903:
A native of
Toledo, Ohio, Mullin played semipro baseball in Wabash and South Bend, Indiana
prior to signing with the Fort Wayne Railroaders of the Western Association in
1901. He produced a 21-20 record and 3.48 ERA. Strong and solidly built he
joined the Tigers in 1902. He quickly established himself in Detroit’s pitching
staff by compiling a 13-16 tally and 3.67 ERA with 25 complete games and 78
strikeouts over 260 innings pitched. He also batted .325 with 11 RBIs, proving
to be a good pitcher who was a capable hitter.
1903 Season Summary
Appeared in 46
games
P – 41, PH – 4,
LF – 1
[Bracketed
numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]
Pitching
Games – 41 [2]
Games Started –
36 [3, tied with Jack Chesbro & Doc White]
Complete Games
– 31 [9, tied with Addie Joss]
Wins – 19 [9]
Losses – 15 [12,
tied with five others]
PCT - .559 [14]
Saves – 2 [1,
tied with four others]
Shutouts – 6 [2,
tied with Bill Dinneen]
Innings Pitched
– 320.2 [5]
Hits – 284 [9]
Runs – 128 [6,
tied with Eddie Plank]
Earned Runs – 80
[15]
Home Runs – 4 [17,
tied with five others]
Bases on Balls
– 106 [1]
Strikeouts – 170
[5]
ERA – 2.25 [6]
Hit Batters – 8
[15, tied with Rube Waddell & Gene Wright]
Balks – 0
Wild Pitches – 6
[9, tied with four others]
League-leading bases
on balls issued were +11 ahead of runner-up Bill Donovan
Midseason
Snapshot: Midseason Snapshot: 10-8, ERA – 2.33, SO - 87 in 162 IP
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Most
strikeouts, game – 11 (in 9 IP) vs. Bos. Americans 5/19
10+ strikeout
games – 3
Fewest hits
allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) vs. Washington 7/2, (in 9 IP) vs.
Washington 8/22
Batting
PA – 134, AB – 126,
R – 11, H – 35, 2B – 9, 3B – 1, HR – 1, RBI – 12, BB – 2, SO – 17, SB – 1, CS –
N/A, AVG - .278, GDP – N/A, HBP – 1, SH – 4, SF – N/A
Fielding
Chances – 156
Put Outs – 38
Assists – 108
Errors – 10
DP – 1
Pct. - .936
---
The Tigers went
65-71 to finish fifth in the AL, 25 games behind the pennant-winning Boston
Americans. The Tigers broke out fast with a 5-1 start before fading in May and
never rising above fourth place the rest of the way. As during the previous
year, it was effective pitching, including Mullin, that fueled any success the
club had as, other than outfielders Jimmy Barrett, Billy Lush, and Sam
Crawford, the offensive production was lacking.
Aftermath of 1903:
Nicknamed “Big George” for his build, Mullin threw an excellent fastball and effective curve. Also known as “Wabash George” for the Indiana city that became his home, he followed up on his 1903 performance with a lesser won-lost record of 17-23 as the Tigers dropped to seventh place in 1904, although his ERA was a solid 2.40 and the workhorse pitcher accumulated 382.1 innings with 42 complete games, 7 shutouts, and 161 strikeouts, although he again topped the league by walking 131 batters. “Big George” was a canny hurler who utilized a number of stalling and distracting tactics such as walking off the mound, adjusting his belt, and talking to himself and opposing batters and fans (especially those who heckled him) in order to distract hitters. In 1905 he led the AL in innings pitched (347.2), starts (41), and complete games (35) as well as hits and walks surrendered (303 and 138, respectively) while achieving a 21-21 tally and 168 strikeouts. Mullin topped the American League in walks issued for the fourth consecutive season in 1906 while posting a 21-18 tally and 2.78 ERA with 35 complete games, 2 shutouts, and 123 strikeouts over 330 innings. The Tigers won the pennant in 1907 and “Big George” contributed a 20-20 record and 2.59 ERA with 35 complete games, 5 shutouts, and 146 strikeouts over 357.1 innings. He lost both of his World Series starts against the Chicago Cubs despite going the distance in each with a 2.12 ERA (he lost Game 2 by a score of 3-1 and the decisive Game 5 by 2-0). Mullin had a lesser season in 1908, producing a 17-13 tally and 3.10 ERA with 26 complete games, one shutout, and 121 strikeouts over 290.2 innings. Detroit again won the pennant and lost to the Cubs, with “Big George” delivering the only win for the Tigers in his Game 3 start. Mullin won his first 11 decisions in 1909 on his way to a 29-8 record and 2.22 ERA with 29 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 124 strikeouts over 303.2 innings. The Tigers won a third straight pennant but once again lost the World Series, this time to Pittsburgh, and Mullin went 2-1 with a 2.53 ERA, winning Games 4 and 6. Brought into Game 7 in relief, he was unable to stop the Pirates from winning the game and Series. In 1910 he went 21-12 with a 2.87 ERA, 27 complete games, 5 shutouts, and 98 strikeouts over 289 innings. His 1911 performance was a still-solid 18-10 with a 3.07 ERA and 87 strikeouts over 234.1 innings. Dapper and jovial, he was also poor at maintaining his weight and staying in condition, Mullin ran into problems with Detroit management in 1912. Waived by the club in June, he went unclaimed and was reactivated. On his 32nd birthday on July 4, he proved he wasn’t finished by hurling a no-hitter at home against the St. Louis Browns. He went on to finish the season with a 12-17 record and 3.54 ERA. A 1-6 start in 1913 led to his being sold to the Washington Senators in May where his performance remained mediocre. He finished the season with Montreal of the International League and jumped to the upstart Federal League in 1914 where he was 14-10 with a 2.70 ERA for Indianapolis. He stayed in the Federal League in 1915 with Newark, lasting for only 5 games. Thereafter he pitched and managed for semipro teams until 1919. For his major league career, Mullin produced a 228-196 record and 2.82 ERA with 353 complete games, 35 shutouts, 8 saves, and 1482 strikeouts over 3686.2 innings. With Detroit his record was 209-179 with a 2.76 ERA, 336 complete games, 34 shutouts, 6 saves, and 1380 strikeouts over 3394 innings. “Big George” appeared in 7 World Series games, 6 of them starts, and posted a 3-3 tally and 2.02 ERA, 6 complete games, and 35 strikeouts over 58 innings. The good-hitting hurler also batted .262 for his career with 139 RBIs. Following baseball he became a policeman back home in Wabash and died in 1944 at age 63. He was posthumously inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1962.
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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.
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