Highlighted Year: Roberto Clemente, 1960

Outfielder, Pittsburgh Pirates

Age: 26 (Aug. 18)

6^th season with Pirates

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 175 

Prior to 1960:

A native of Puerto Rico, Clemente excelled in throwing the javelin and high jumping in high school. He focused on baseball and played for an amateur club called the Juncos Mules. Impressive with his hitting and throwing arm in the outfield, in 1952 at age 18 he joined the Santurce Cangrejeros of the Puerto Rican League, where he got to play alongside some prominent Negro League hitters that played winter ball in Puerto Rico. Brought along slowly, Clemente saw limited action in the 1952-53 season but hit .288 in 1953-54 and was a league all-star. The Brooklyn Dodgers signed him to a contract in 1954 for $5000 with a $10,000 bonus. Assigned to the Montreal Royals of the Class AAA International League he played infrequently (appearing in 87 games), struggled to hit consistently and ended up with a .257 average. He did catch the interest of scouts from other teams and was taken by the last-place Pirates in the annual Rule 5 draft. During the offseason Clemente injured his back in a car accident but played again for Santurce during the winter of 1954-55 and was a key player on the team that went on to win the Caribbean Series. Clemente made Pittsburgh’s roster in 1955 and his aggressive and exciting outfield play made him a fan favorite although his hitting tailed off and he batted just .255. A notorious “bad ball” hitter he drew only 18 walks. He accounted for 18 assists in right field, rapidly establishing himself as having an excellent throwing arm. In 1956 Clemente batted .311 and knocked in 60 runs. He accounted for 17 outfield assists as well. Due to his chronic back soreness and assorted other injuries, he appeared in only 111 games in 1957 and his batting average dropped to .253. His average rose back to .289 in 140 games in 1958 and Clemente had 22 outfield assists as well. Following an injury-plagued season in 1959 in which Clemente appeared in 105 games and the Pirates dropped from second place in ’58 to fourth, both player and team rebounded strongly in 1960.

1960 Season Summary

Appeared in 144 games

RF – 142, PH – 4

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 620 [13]

At Bats – 570 [9]

Runs – 89 [11]

Hits – 179 [5]

Doubles – 22 [18, tied with Tony Gonzalez]

Triples – 6 [17, tied with six others]

Home Runs – 16 [18, tied with Bill White, Don Hoak & Daryl Spencer]

RBI – 94 [7]

Bases on Balls – 39

Int. BB – 4

Strikeouts – 72 [20, tied with Ed Bressoud & Julian Javier]

Stolen Bases – 4

Caught Stealing – 5 [20, tied with four others]

Average - .314 [4]

OBP - .357 [14]

Slugging Pct. - .458 [12]

Total Bases – 261 [10]

GDP – 21 [1, tied with Wally Moon]

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 4

Sac Flies – 5 [15, tied with five others]

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 16, 3B – 4, HR - 6, RBI - 53, AVG - .325, SLG - .464, OBP – .368

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. St. Louis 5/19, (in 5 AB) at Chi. Cubs 8/24

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 5

HR on road – 11

Most home runs, game – 1 on sixteen occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Cincinnati 4/14

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 3 (.000) with 1 R & 1 BB

Fielding

Chances – 273

Put Outs – 246

Assists – 19

Errors – 8

DP – 2

Pct. - .971

Postseason Batting: 7 G (World Series vs. NY Yankees)

PA – 29, AB – 29, R – 1, H – 9, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 3, BB – 0, IBB – 0, SO – 4, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .310, OBP - .310, SLG - .310, TB – 9, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

8^th in NL MVP voting (62 points – 1 first place vote, 18% share)

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Aftermath of 1960:

The Pirates dropped off in 1961, but Clemente won his first NL batting title as he hit .351 with 23 home runs and 89 RBIs along with a .390 on-base percentage. This time he placed fourth in the league MVP balloting and fueled by 27 outfield assists, won his first Gold Glove. Clemente hit .312 in 1962 with 28 doubles, 9 triples, 10 home runs, 74 RBIs, and a .352 OBP. In 1963 Clemente batted .320 with 23 doubles, 8 triples, 17 home runs, 76 RBIs, and a .356 OBP. He followed up by winning his second NL batting championship in 1964, hitting .339 along with a league-leading 211 hits to go with a .388 OBP. Despite dealing with the effects of an offseason illness, Clemente won another league batting title in 1965, hitting .329 with 21 doubles, 14 triples, 10 home runs, 65 RBIs, and a .378 OBP. The Pirates contended in 1966 and Clemente batted .317 with 31 doubles, 11 triples, 29 home runs, 119 RBIs, a .360 OBP, and a .536 slugging percentage, once again overcoming a series of physical maladies. He was voted league MVP for his efforts. A proud man who had chafed at not receiving the award in 1960, Clemente followed up with another batting championship in 1967 when he hit .357 and also topped the NL in hits (209) while compiling 26 doubles, 10 triples, 23 home runs, 110 RBIs, a .400 OBP, and a .554 slugging percentage. He placed third in league MVP balloting as Pittsburgh had a disappointing season. A shoulder injury limited Clemente to a .291 average in 1968, but he still received a Gold Glove for his play in right field, although his assists dropped to 9. He returned to form in 1969 as he hit .345 and led the NL with 12 triples. Pittsburgh topped the NL East in 1970 and Clemente contributed a .352 batting average. He hit .341 in 1971 as the Pirates repeated as NL East champs and won the league pennant. Clemente batted .414 with two home runs and 4 RBIs in the World Series win over the Baltimore Orioles and was named Series MVP. In a 1972 season plagued by injuries and illness, he batted .312 and capped the year with his 3000^th career hit. The Pirates once more ended up first in the NL East, although they lost to Cincinnati in the NLCS. In December, he became involved in relief efforts for earthquake-stricken Nicaragua. He died at age 38 in the New Year’s Eve crash of a plane bound from Puerto Rico for Nicaragua carrying supplies. Altogether, over the course of his 18-season major league career that was spent entirely with the Pirates, Clemente batted .317 with 3000 hits that included 440 doubles, 166 triples, and 240 home runs. He drove in 1305 runs and scored 1416 along with a .359 OBP and .475 slugging percentage. He won four batting titles and was a 15-time All-Star. He also received 12 Gold Gloves for his fielding prowess. In the wake of his sudden and tragic passing, the five-year Hall of Fame waiting period was waived and in a special election of the BBWAA members, he was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame in 1973. The Pirates retired his #21 and his statue was placed outside Three Rivers Stadium and later transferred to PNC Park. Much admired for his philanthropy off the field, major league baseball renamed its Commissioner’s Award for Clemente which annually recognizes players who combine good play with a strong commitment to the greater community. Beyond the baseball community Clemente was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Nixon in 1973 and, long after his passing, the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush in 2003. 

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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.

Highlighted Year: Fred Clarke, 1901

Outfielder, Pittsburgh Pirates

Age:  28

2^nd season with Pirates

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 5’10” Weight: 165 

Prior to 1901:

Born in Iowa, Clarke moved with his large family to Kansas where he started his schooling. He continued his education in Des Moines, Iowa upon his family’s return. A second baseman and catcher for an amateur baseball team in Des Moines, by 1892 he was with Hastings in the semi-pro Nebraska State League. A fine line-drive hitter and base stealer, Clarke was shifted to the outfield where he was a very raw talent who worked to improve his defensive skill. Two more seasons of minor league play, in which he nearly gave up on professional baseball, landed him with the Louisville Colonels of the National League in 1894, where he appeared in 76 games and batted .274 with 11 doubles, 7 triples, 7 home runs, 48 RBIs, 26 stolen bases, a .337 on-base percentage, and a .420 slugging percentage. Now the club’s starting left fielder, in 1895 he hit .347 with 21 doubles, 5 triples, 4 home runs, 82 RBIs, 40 stolen bases, a .396 OBP, and a .425 slugging percentage. He was esteemed for his speed and aggressiveness on the basepaths combined with fierce competitiveness and exciting defense. Experiencing difficulty while going back on fly balls, he played a deep left field and depended on his speed to make plays. Clarke had another productive season for the last-place Colonels in 1896, batting .325 with 15 doubles, 18 triples, 9 home runs, 79 RBIs, 34 stolen bases, a .392 OBP, and a .476 slugging percentage. Having cleaned up his lifestyle after attempting to imitate his older teammates with drinking and carousing, he developed into a team leader and was named player/manager during the 1897 season at age 24. His hitting remained formidable as he batted .390 with 30 doubles, 13 triples, 6 home runs, 67 RBIs, 59 stolen bases, a .461 OBP, and a .530 slugging percentage. He continued to display his prowess as a player in 1898 and 1899 while honing his managerial skills. The contraction of the NL following the 1899 season eliminated the Louisville franchise and owner Barney Dreyfuss dealt Clarke and other good players to the Pirates, his other team. Continuing as player/manager in Pittsburgh he guided the club to a strong second-place finish in 1900 while hitting .276 with 15 doubles, 12 triples, 3 home runs, 32 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, and a .368 OBP. Although gruff and plain-spoken, he proved to be adept at maintaining good morale and team cohesion, Clarke was a shrewd judge of talent and was particularly successful with his pitchers.

1901 Season Summary

Appeared in 129 games

LF – 127, SS – 1, 3B – 1, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 601 [16]

At Bats – 527 [18]

Runs – 118 [4]

Hits – 171 [13]

Doubles – 24 [13, tied with Emmet Heidrick]

Triples – 15 [7, tied with Bobby Wallace & Jesse Burkett]

Home Runs – 6 [9, tied with five others]

RBI – 60

Bases on Balls – 51 [12, tied with George Van Haltren]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 44

Stolen Bases – 23

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .324 [12, tied with Bobby Wallace]

OBP - .395 [10]

Slugging Pct. - .461 [9]

Total Bases – 243 [11]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 10 [5, tied with Jesse Burkett, Art Nichols & Fred Crolius]

Sac Hits – 13 [13, tied with five others]

Sac Flies – N/A

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 9, 3B – 3, HR - 2, RBI – 28, AVG - .292, OBP – .353, SLG– .379

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Most hits, game – 4 on five occasions

Longest hitting streak – 15 games

Most HR, game – 1 on six occasions

HR at home – 3

HR on road – 3

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Bos. Beaneaters 5/25

Pinch-hitting – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 304

Put Outs – 282

Assists – 13

Errors – 9

DP – 0

Pct. - .970

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The Pirates went 90-49 to win the NL pennant by 7.5 games over the Philadelphia Phillies while leading the league in OBP (.345). The well-balanced Pirates moved into first place on June 11 and never relinquished the top spot the rest of the way, pulling away from the field in September.

Aftermath of 1901:

The Pirates were even better in 1902, winning the NL pennant by 27.5 games and benefiting from the presence of three 20-game winning pitchers in addition to having a solid group of hitters. Clarke himself batted .316 with 27 doubles, 14 triples, 2 home runs, 53 RBIs, 29 stolen bases, a .401 OBP, and a .449 slugging percentage. Pittsburgh won a third straight pennant in 1903 and, in addition to his managerial acumen, Clarke hit .351 and tied for the league lead in doubles (32) while leading outright in slugging percentage (.532) and also contributing 15 triples, 5 home runs, 70 RBIs, and a .414 OBP. The Pirates lost the first modern World Series to the Boston Americans (now Red Sox). The Pirates dropped to fourth place in 1904 and Clarke, hindered by a leg injury, played in only 72 games and hit .306 with a .367 OBP. He rebounded in 1905 to bat .299 with 18 doubles, 15 triples, 2 home runs, 51 RBIs, 24 stolen bases, and a .368 OBP. His defense remained outstanding and the club finished in a solid second place. Pittsburgh remained a first division team from 1906 to 1908 and Clarke tied for the NL lead in triples in 1906 (13) and remained a productive all-around player and skillful manager. After narrowly missing out on the pennant in 1908, the Pirates topped the National League in 1909. Clarke led the league in walks drawn (80) while batting .287 with 16 doubles, 11 triples, 3 home runs, 68 RBIs, 31 stolen bases, and a .384 OBP. Pittsburgh won the World Series in seven games against the Detroit Tigers and Clarke accounted for two home runs and 7 RBIs. He also chose to start rookie RHP Babe Adams, rather than one of his veteran hurlers that included two 20-game winners, in the opening game and he went on to win that contest and a total of three games which included the decisive seventh in achieving a World Series title. Now 36 years old and eyeing retirement, Clarke was persuaded by Barney Dreyfuss to return in 1910 which proved to be a lesser season for himself and the club. Clarke stayed on as manager until 1915 although he saw little action as a player after 1911. With the club’s fortunes having gone sour, Clarke resigned as manager near the end of the 1915 season when he was saluted with a Fred Clarke Day by the Pirates, in which he took the field as a player for the last time. For his major league playing career, Clarke batted .312 with 2678 hits that included 361 doubles, 220 triples, and 67 home runs. He scored 1622 runs and compiled 1015 RBIs, 509 stolen bases, a .386 OBP, and a .429 slugging percentage. With the Pirates he batted .299 with 1015 runs scored, 1638 hits, 238 doubles, 156 triples, 33 home runs, 622 RBIs, 261 stolen bases, a .379 OBP, and a .418 slugging percentage. He appeared in 15 World Series games and hit .245 with 2 home runs and 7 RBIs. Independently wealthy following his playing and managing career, Clarke returned to the Pirates as an assistant to Dreyfuss and to manager Bill McKechnie during the 1925 season. All was well when the club went on to win the World Series that year, but the situation went bad in 1926. The players had voted to give Clarke only a $1000 World Series share, well below McKechnie, another coach, and the team secretary. The Pirates encountered on-field difficulties and he became the focal point of some player dissension. Clarke came under public attack from long-time veteran players in what came to be called the “ABC Affair”, referring to pitcher Babe Adams and outfielders Carson Bigbee and Max Carey who publicly attacked Clarke’s role and sought the support of other team members to agree to a resolution that would remove Clarke as a presence on the club’s bench in addition to McKechnie. The players voted overwhelmingly in a team meeting to retain Clarke and the conspirators were all jettisoned from the club as a result. Clarke left the team for good after the season. His managerial record was 1602-1181, which included a 1422-969 tally with the Pirates that resulted in four pennants and a World Series title along with 14 consecutive finishes in the National League’s first division. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945 and, following several brushes with death due to accidents over the ensuing years he died in 1960 at age 87. His brother Josh played for four major league teams between 1898 and 1911.   

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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. 

 

Highlighted Year: Jack Chesbro, 1901

Pitcher, Pittsburgh Pirates

Age:  27 (June 5)

3^rd season with Pirates

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 180 

Prior to 1901:

A Massachusetts native, Chesbro was called “Chad” by his family. Performing well for amateur baseball teams, he joined a team in Middletown, New York called the Asylums (because it represented the state mental hospital) in 1894. He worked with patients and pitched for the team, developing his skills. He also acquired his long-lasting nickname of “Happy Jack” due to his pleasant disposition. He went professional in 1895 with Albany of the New York State League and was 5-1 at the point the club folded in May. He then caught on with Jamestown in the same league and went 2-9 before the circuit disbanded in July. Signing on next with Springfield of the Eastern League, Chesbro lasted only seven games before being released. Despite a 3-0 record, he walked 23 batters and gave up 34 hits in 33 innings pitched. After finishing up the year pitching semipro ball, he joined Roanoke of the Virginia League in 1896. He produced an 8-11 tally with a 1.81 ERA prior to the team folding in August, and returned to Cooperstown, New York to pitch semi-professionally. Signing on with Richmond of the Atlantic League in 1897, Chesbro went 16-18 with a 1.80 ERA and 99 strikeouts over 289.1 innings. With Richmond in 1898 he compiled a 23-15 record and was drafted by Baltimore of the National League. He didn’t sign and returned to Richmond in 1899. With a 17-4 tally by July, his contract was purchased by the Pirates. His record in 19 appearances with Pittsburgh was a disappointing 6-9 with a 4.11 ERA and 28 strikeouts along with 59 walks over 149 innings. Traded to Louisville in the offseason, he found himself back with Pittsburgh when the National League dissolved the Louisville club as part of the contraction from 12 to 8 teams, and Chesbro was returned to the Pirates. Initially refusing to report for spring training in 1900 (not reporting to spring training on time and threatening retirement became a regular routine during his major league career), he eventually joined the club and went on to an improved performance in 1900, finishing at 15-13 with a 3.67 ERA, 20 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 56 strikeouts in 215.2 innings pitched.

1901 Season Summary

Appeared in 36 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 36 [15]

Games Started – 28

Complete Games – 26 [17, tied with four others]

Wins – 21 [5]

Losses – 10

PCT - .677 [2]

Saves – 1 [6, tied with four others]

Shutouts – 6 [1, tied with Al Orth & Vic Willis]

Innings Pitched – 287.2 [13]

Hits – 261

Runs – 104

Earned Runs – 76

Home Runs – 4 [20, tied with five others]

Bases on Balls – 52

Strikeouts – 129 [12, tied with Togie Pittinger]

ERA – 2.38 [5]

Hit Batters – 14 [6, tied with Doc White]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 5 [17, tied with four others

Midseason Snapshot: 9-7, ERA - 2.32, SO - 60 in 151.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 11 (in 9 IP) vs. Cincinnati 7/23

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) at Chi. Cubs 5/7, (in 9 IP) at NY Giants 6/20, (in 9 IP) at St. Louis Cards 7/29, (in 8 IP) vs. Brooklyn 6/7

Batting

PA – 124, AB – 116, R – 9, H – 25, 2B – 5, 3B – 1, HR – 1, RBI – 8, BB – 3, SO – 31, SB – 0, CS – N/A, AVG - .216, GDP – N/A, HBP – 1, SH – 4, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 74

Put Outs – 12

Assists – 57

Errors – 5

DP – 2

Pct. - .932

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The Pirates went 90-49 to win the NL pennant by 7.5 games over the Philadelphia Phillies. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (2.58), shutouts (15, tied with the Phillies), fewest runs surrendered (534), and fewest bases on balls surrendered (244). The well-balanced Pirates moved into first place on June 11 and never relinquished the top spot the rest of the way, pulling away from the field in September.

Aftermath of 1901:

Pittsburgh again finished on top of the NL in 1902 and Chesbro again co-led the NL in shutouts with 8 to go along with a 28-6 record, 31 complete games, and 136 strikeouts over the course of 286.1 innings. Participating in an all-star tour of the west coast in the offseason, he was first shown how to throw a spitball (a legal pitch at that time). Up to this time he had been relying on his outstanding fastball. Jumping to the American League New York Highlanders in 1903, he produced a 21-15 tally with 33 complete games and 147 strikeouts as he added the new pitch to his arsenal. New York manager Clark Griffith disliked the spitball and didn’t give permission to Chesbro to use it as his primary pitch until the 1904 season. Having slimmed down from his usual playing weight of 180 pounds, he also added a very effective change-of-pace “slow ball” to his repertoire along with his fastball and spitter. The scrappy Highlanders contended from the start in 1904 and were locked in a tight battle with the Boston Americans and Chicago White Sox in August, aided by Chesbro winning 14 straight decisions from May 14 to July 4. By September the race was between the Highlanders and Boston, as each took turns in first place. A half-game behind following two losses in a mid-September road trip to Boston, Chesbro, pitching on two days’ rest, put them ahead by a half-game with a home win in the climactic series against the Americans. With the team’s co-owner having rented out Hilltop Park to Columbia University for a football game, the next game in the series was transferred to Boston, creating a double header to make up for a June rainout. Chesbro, instructed by manager Griffith to remain in New York and rest up, took the train to Boston, insisted on starting, and was rocked by the Americans in the first game of the double header.  Boston won the darkness-shortened nightcap as well to go up by 1.5 games as the clubs returned to New York for a season-capping double header, which the Highlanders needed to sweep to capture the pennant. In the first game with Chesbro on the mound and the score tied at 2-2 in the top of the ninth and a Boston runner on third, Chesbro uncorked a spitball that went over the catcher’s head and was scored a wild pitch, allowing the Americans to take the lead. New York was unable to score in the bottom of the ninth, giving Boston a 3-2 win and the pennant. The Highlanders won the meaningless nightcap in 10 innings to finish 1.5 games back. In the resulting controversy over Chesbro’s wild pitch, some blamed the catcher, and other witnesses insisted that the catcher could not possibly have reached the wayward pitch that lost a pennant for the Highlanders. Despite the manner in which the season ended, Chesbro finished with an astonishing record of 41-12 along with a 1.82 ERA. In addition to wins he topped the league in games pitched (55), games started (51), complete games (48), and innings pitched (454.2). Having demonstrated his durability with his outstanding 1904 season, a sore arm prevented Chesbro from going on an offseason tour. He also missed spring training in 1905 to coach at Harvard and his weight rose to 200 pounds. Insisting that the spitball and resulting alteration of his pitching motion was not the cause of his arm trouble, Chesbro struggled to a 19-15 record in 1905 with a 2.20 ERA and 156 strikeouts while accumulating 303.1 innings. Reporting to spring training on time in 1906, he produced a 23-17 tally with a 2.96 ERA and 152 strikeouts over 325 innings pitched. Threatening to retire in 1907 to tend to his business interests that included a farm and a sawmill, Chesbro joined the Highlanders two weeks into the season and had a disappointing 10-10 record with a 2.53 ERA, while pitching 206 innings and striking out 78 batters. His 1908 tally with the last-place Highlanders was 14-20 with a 2.93 ERA, 288.2 innings pitched, and 124 strikeouts. Appearing in only nine games with a 0-4 mark in 1909, he was waived by the Highlanders in September and made one appearance with the Red Sox, which was a loss and effectively marked the end of his major league career. Unwanted by either club in 1910, and refusing an assignment to the minors, he stayed home in Massachusetts and pitched for a semipro team. For his major league career, Chesbro produced a 198-132 record and a 2.68 ERA with 260 complete games, 35 shutouts, and 1265 strikeouts over 2896.2 innings. With the Pirates he was 70-38 with a 2.89 ERA, 92 complete games, 17 shutouts, and 349 strikeouts over 938.2 innings pitched. He coached at Massachusetts Agricultural College (now the University of Massachusetts) in 1911 and attempted a comeback as a major league pitcher in 1912 but was unable to catch on with a team. His last job in organized baseball was as a coach for the Washington Senators in 1924. He died of a heart attack in 1931 at age 57, 15 years before he was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946. His widow wrote articles and letters insisting that his infamous 1904 wild pitch should have been ruled a passed ball, to no avail.

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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. 

 

Highlighted Year: Smoky Burgess, 1960

Catcher, Pittsburgh Pirates

Age: 33

2^nd season with Pirates

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height:5’8”    Weight: 185 

Prior to 1960:

A North Carolina native, Forrest Burgess acquired the nickname “Smoky” in his youth, for reasons not clearly known. He was a leadoff-hitting infielder for Tri High School in Corleen and also played American Legion ball. Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1943, the contract was voided by Commissioner Landis due to Burgess being too young. A bit later he signed with the Chicago Cubs. Initially assigned to Lockport of the Class D Pennsylvania-Ontario-New York (or Pony) League, the 17-year-old catcher and outfielder batted .325 with a .354 on-base percentage. He briefly played for Portsmouth of the Piedmont League in 1945 before joining the Army. He returned for the last game of the 1946 Pacific Coast League season with the Los Angeles Angels. In 1947 he was assigned to Fayetteville of the Class B Tri-State League where he won the league batting title by hitting .387 while also accumulating 28 doubles, 11 home runs, 76 RBIs, a .454 OBP, and a .554 slugging percentage. A shoulder injury suffered in the Army had Burgess playing more in the outfield than behind the plate, but clearly did not hinder his batting. He spent 1948 with the Nashville Volunteers of the Class AA Southern Association where he won another batting title by hitting .386 with 38 doubles, 6 triples, 22 home runs, 102 RBIs, a .428 OBP, and a .654 slugging percentage. No longer thin as in his youth, he settled into playing catcher along with some outfield. Burgess started the 1949 season with the Cubs and appeared primarily as a pinch-hitter who saw occasional duty as a backstop. He played in 46 major league games and batted .268 with a home run, 12 RBIs, and a .317 OBP. He was sent to Los Angeles of the PCL once again and appeared in 19 games for the Angels. Burgess spent 1950 in Class AAA with Springfield of the International League and batted .327 with 15 doubles, 10 triples, 8 home runs, 52 RBIs, a .386 OBP, and a ,514 slugging percentage. He returned to the major leagues for good in 1951 as he appeared in 94 games for the Cubs and hit .251 with 8 extra-base hits, 20 RBIs, and a .317 OBP. In the offseason he was traded twice, first to Cincinnati and then to the Philadelphia Phillies. Seeing regular duty behind the plate for the Phillies in 1952 he batted .296 with 27 doubles, 6 home runs, 56 RBIs, a .380 OBP, and a .429 slugging percentage. An aggressive and talented line-drive hitter at the plate, he was slow and suspect defensively with the lingering shoulder problem causing him to be poor at throwing out opposing baserunners, although he proved to be adept at handling pitchers. Sharing the catching duties with Stan Lopata in 1953 Burgess appeared in 102 games and hit .292 with 17 doubles, 5 triples, 4 home runs, 36 RBIs, a .370 OBP, and a .417 slugging percentage. The easy-going Burgess could be adept at heckling other players but off-the-field he was a devout Baptist who did not smoke or drink. Burgess was an All-Star for the first time in 1954 as he batted .368 with 27 doubles, 5 triples, 4 home runs, 46 RBIs, a .432 OBP, and a .510 slugging percentage. Due to his platooning with the right-handed batting Lopata, he didn’t have sufficient at bats to qualify for the NL batting title. Early in the 1955 season Burgess was traded to Cincinnati in a deal which brought catcher Andy Seminick back to the Phillies, who had been part of the trade that brought Burgess to Philadelphia. With the Reds (commonly called “Redlegs” at this time, due to “Red Scare” concerns), he went on to bat .306 with 20 home runs, 77 RBIs, a .373 OBP, and a .499 slugging percentage, and was once again an All-Star. Along the way he had a three-home run, 9-RBI game in July against Pittsburgh. In 1956, he found himself in a familiar situation, splitting time behind the plate with Ed Bailey, a better defensive catcher as well as a power hitter. The two combined for 40 home runs with Burgess providing 12 to go along with 39 RBIs, a .275 batting average, a .346 OBP, and a .476 slugging percentage. He also was behind the plate when three Cincinnati pitchers combined to hold the Braves hitless in Milwaukee for 9.2 innings before the no-hitter and, eventually the game, was lost. Continuing to share backstop duties with Bailey in 1957, Burgess enhanced his reputation as a top pinch-hitter. He appeared in 90 games, 45 as a catcher, and hit .283 with 14 doubles, 14 home runs, 39 RBIs, a .353 OBP, and a .566 slugging percentage. In the same role in 1958, he saw more action behind the plate and batted .283 with 12 doubles, 6 home runs, 31 RBIs, a .343 OBP, and a .410 slugging percentage. In 1959 he was part of a seven-player trade with the Pirates, in need of a catcher who could provide some batting punch (as one preview magazine said about Burgess, “Smoky’s, no gazelle behind the plate, but he’ll hit”). Hit he did in ’59, batting .297 (.412 as a pinch-hitter) with 28 doubles, 5 triples, 11 home runs, 59 RBIs, a .349 OBP, and a .485 slugging percentage. For a second time, he was behind the plate during an ultimately futile no-hit effort. In a May game against the Braves in Milwaukee LHP Harvey Haddix pitched 12 perfect innings before ultimately losing the no-hitter and the game in the thirteenth inning. In the offseason another catcher, Hal Smith, was obtained from the Kansas City A’s to provide a platoon partner with Burgess, a familiar situation that worked out well for the Pirates.

1960 Season Summary

Appeared in 110 games

C – 89, PH – 24

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 376

At Bats – 337

Runs – 33

Hits – 99

Doubles – 15

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 7

RBI – 39

Bases on Balls – 35

Int. BB – 12 [5, tied with Ed Bressoud]

Strikeouts – 13

Stolen Bases – 0

Caught Stealing – 1

Average - .294 [Non-qualifying]

OBP - .356 [Non-qualifying]

Slugging Pct. - .412

Total Bases – 139

GDP – 6

Hit by Pitches – 0

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 4 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 6, HR - 5, RBI - 23, AVG - .307, OBP - .361, SLG - .446

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 6 AB) at St. Louis 6/12

Longest hitting streak – 8 games

HR at home – 5

HR on road – 2

Most home runs, game – 1 on seven occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 at Milwaukee 7/4

Pinch-hitting – 9 for 20 (.450) with 1 R, 3 2B, 1 HR, 9 RBI & 3 BBFielding

Fielding

Chances – 526

Put Outs – 485

Assists – 38

Errors – 3

Passed Balls – 2

DP – 7

Pct. - .994

Postseason Batting: 5 G (World Series vs. NY Yankees)

PA – 20, AB – 18, R – 2, H – 6, 2B – 1,3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 2, IBB – 0, SO – 1, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .333, OBP - .400, SLG - .389, TB – 7, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

20^th in NL MVP voting, tied with Frank Robinson, Cin. & Larry Sherry LAD (2 points, 1% share)

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The Pirates went 95-59 to win the NL pennant by 7 games over the Milwaukee Braves for their first pennant since 1927. They led the NL in runs scored (734), hits (1493), doubles (236), RBIs (689), batting (.276), OBP (.335), and total bases (2201). The Pirates moved into first place on May 29 and held off all challengers for the rest of the way. They won the World Series over the New York Yankees, 4 games to 3, capped by Bill Mazeroski’s Game 7 walk-off home run.

Aftermath of 1960:

The Pirates dropped off significantly in 1961 but Burgess was an All-Star once again, batting .303 with 17 doubles, 12 home runs, 52 RBIs, a .365 OBP, and a .486 slugging percentage while appearing in 100 games, 15 as a pinch-hitter. Battling ulcers in 1962, Burgess started 94 games behind the plate and hit .328 with 19 doubles, 13 home runs, 61 RBIs, a .375 OBP, and a .500 slugging percentage. Splitting time with young Jim Pagliaroni in 1963 the 36-year-old Burgess appeared in 91 games and batted .280 with 6 home runs, 37 RBIs, and a .338 OBP. With Pagliaroni taking over as starting catcher in 1964, Burgess appeared in only 44 games as backstop and also had 26 at bats as a pinch-hitter. He hit .246 with 6 extra-base hits, 17 RBIs, and a .303 OBP before being waived in September. He was picked up by the White Sox, who wanted use of his bat off the bench as they contended for the AL pennant. He remained almost exclusively in the role of pinch-hitter in 1965, tying the existing AL record with 20 pinch-hits. His career total of 117 at that point broke the existing AL/NL record by four and was a tribute to his ability to enter a game “cold” in the later innings and produce. Very heavy by this point, he was a .313 hitter with a .413 OBP In 1966, and in his last season in 1967, his average dipped to .133 with a .303 OBP. For his major league career, Burgess batted .295 with 1318 hits that included 230 doubles, 33 triples, and 126 home runs. He scored 485 runs and compiled 673 RBIs, a .362 OBP, and a .446 slugging percentage. With the Pirates he batted .296 with 178 runs scored, 543 hits, 92 doubles, 14 triples, 51 home runs, 265 RBIs, a .352 OBP, and a .445 slugging percentage. As a pinch-hitter he batted .285 and delivered 144 hits, 27 doubles, 16 home runs, 147 RBIs, a .376 OBP, and a .434 slugging percentage. The 1960 World Series proved to be his only postseason appearance. He was a nine-time All-Star. After his playing career, Burgess was a scout and minor league batting coach for the Atlanta Braves. He was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1975 and the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 1978. Burgess died in 1991 at age 64.

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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.

Highlighted Year: Honus Wagner, 1900

Outfielder, Pittsburgh Pirates

Age: 26

1^st season with Pirates

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 200 

Prior to 1900:

Johannes Wagner quickly picked up the nickname “Honus”, which was a diminutive of Johannes. He is also shown as John Peter Wagner, the Americanized version of his German name and was a native of a small town near Pittsburgh. Recommended by his elder brother Albert (who would play one season of major league baseball in 1898), he joined a team in Steubenville, Ohio in 1895. He ended up playing 80 games with five teams in three leagues that first year, hit very well, and displayed tremendous versatility. Moving on to Paterson of the Atlantic League in 1896, he continued to appear at multiple positions and showed great speed while batting .313 with power. Once again with Paterson in 1897, Wagner again hit robustly and his contract was sold to the NL’s Louisville Colonels where he played primarily in center field and batted .335 in 62 games with 18 doubles, 4 triples, 2 home runs, 39 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, a .376 on-base percentage, and a .467 slugging percentage. Severely bowlegged, barrel-chested, and heavy-looking, with long arms and legs, Wagner had deceptive speed and hit the ball with authority with his split-handed grip. Playing at third, first, and second base in 1898, he hit .299 with 29 doubles, 10 home runs, 105 RBIs, 27 steals, a .341 OBP, and a .410 slugging percentage. In 1899 Wagner appeared most often at third base and right field and he batted .341 with 45 doubles, 13 triples, 7 home runs, 114 RBIs, 37 stolen bases, a .395 OBP, and a .501 slugging percentage. With the elimination of the Louisville franchise in 1900, Wagner was obtained by the Pirates.

1900 Season Summary

Appeared in 135 games

RF – 118, 3B – 9, 2B – 7, 1B – 3, P – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 580 [17]

At Bats – 527 [15]

Runs – 107 [5]

Hits – 201 [3]

Doubles – 45 [1]

Triples – 22 [1]

Home Runs – 4 [20, tied with nine others]

RBI – 100 [3]

Bases on Balls – 41

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 17

Stolen Bases – 38 [5, tied with Sam Mertes]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .381 [1]

OBP - .434 [5]

Slugging Pct. - .573 [1]

Total Bases – 302 [1]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 8 [15, tied with Kip Selbach, Nap Lajoie & Mike Grady

Sac Hits – 4

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading doubles were +12 ahead of runner-up Nap Lajoie

League-leading triples were +5 ahead of runners-up Joe Kelley & Charlie Hickman

League-leading batting average was +.014 ahead of runner-up Elmer Flick

League-leading slugging percentage was +.028 ahead of runner-up Elmer Flick

League-leading total bases were +5 ahead of runner-up Elmer Flick

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Pitching:

G – 1 GS – 0, CG – 0, Record – 0-0, PCT – .000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 3, H – 3, R – 3, ER – 0, HR – 0, BB – 4, SO – 1, ERA – 0.00, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0 

Fielding (OF)

Chances – 199

Put Outs – 181

Assists – 11

Errors – 7

DP – 4

Pct. - .965

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The Pirates went 79-60 to finish second in the NL, 4.5 games behind the pennant-winning Brooklyn Superbas while leading the league in triples (100), fewest stolen bases (174), and fewest walks drawn (327). With the addition of key players, including Wagner, from the defunct Louisville franchise, the Pirates started slowly in April but caught fire in May and entered June at 20-16, in second place. June was a rougher month, featuring a season-high 7-game losing streak. They bounced between second and third through July and August, settling into second place to stay on August 7.

Aftermath of 1900:

Wagner primarily played at shortstop for the first time in 1901, although he saw significant action in the outfield and third base as well. He led the NL in RBIs (126) and stolen bases (49) while batting .353 with 37 doubles, 11 triples, 6 home runs, a .417 OBP, and .494 slugging percentage. In addition, the Pirates won the pennant. Continuing to split his time between multiple positions in 1902, his bat and speed on the basepaths remained outstanding and he topped the league in runs scored (105), doubles (30), RBIs (91), stolen bases (42), and slugging (.463) while batting .330 with a .394 OBP. Friendly, honest, humble, and appreciated for his sportsmanship, Wagner became popular with fans and other players alike. In 1903 he settled in as Pittsburgh’s starting shortstop. Despite his stocky and ungainly appearance, he had excellent coordination and was at his best in the field at shortstop, where, with his large hands and strong arm, he would scoop up balls and dirt and gravel would go flying along with his throws. Also in 1903, the Pirates won a third consecutive NL pennant and Wagner topped the circuit in batting (.355) and triples (19) while also compiling 30 doubles, 5 home runs, 101 RBIs, 46 stolen bases, a .414 OBP, and a .518 slugging percentage. The Pirates lost the first modern World Series to the Boston Americans (now Red Sox) in a best of nine-game format. Wagner had a disappointing performance, hitting only .222 with a double and 3 RBIs. Known as “the Flying Dutchman” despite his German heritage, or “Hans”, a more common nickname for Johannes, Wagner and his brothers barnstormed playing basketball in the offseason, somewhat to the consternation of the Pittburgh management. He remained highly productive in 1904 as he led the NL in doubles (44), batting (.349), OBP (.423), slugging (.520), total bases (255), and stolen bases (53) while also accounting for 14 triples, 4 home runs, and 75 RBIs. In 1905 he hit .363 with 32 doubles, 14 triples, 6 home runs, 101 RBIs, 57 stolen bases, a .427 OBP, and a .505 slugging percentage. In the field he ranked third among NL shortstops with 517 assists and 64 double plays turned, categories where he was regularly among the league leaders. Wagner regained the NL batting title in 1906 (.339) while also leading the league in runs scored (103), doubles (38), and total bases (237). With the second-place Pirates in 1907, “the Flying Dutchman” again led the NL in batting (.350) and in OBP (.408), slugging (.513), doubles (38), stolen bases (61), total bases (264) while also producing 14 triples, 6 home runs, and 82 RBIs. The Pirates closely contended for the pennant in 1908 and Wagner led in hits (201), doubles (39), triples (19), RBIs (109), stolen bases (53), batting (.354), OBP (.415), slugging (.542), and total bases (308). Pittsburgh returned to the top of the National League in 1909 and Wagner contributed by leading the circuit in doubles (39), RBIs (100), batting (.339), OBP (.420), slugging (.489), and total bases (242) while also performing with his usual adroitness in the field. This time the Pirates won the World Series in seven games against the Detroit Tigers and Wagner hit .333 with 6 RBIs and 6 stolen bases. Three of his hits came in an 8-6 Game 3 win. In the vaunted matchup against Detroit’s star hitter Ty Cobb, Cobb only hit .231 with 6 hits and 5 RBIs. In 1910 Wagner topped the NL in hits (178) while batting .320 with 34 doubles, 8 triples, 4 home runs, 81 RBIs, 24 stolen bases, a .390 OBP, and a .432 slugging percentage. He led the league’s shortstops with 337 putouts and placed third in assists with 413. Any speculation that Wagner was slowing down at age 36 was put to rest in 1911 when “the Flying Dutchman” won his eighth (and final) NL batting title (.334) while producing 23 doubles, 16 triples, 9 home runs, 89 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, a .423 OBP, and a .507 slugging percentage, although he missed 25 games due to an August ankle injury which caused the Pirates to fall out of contention. He tied for third in league MVP voting. In 1912 he hit .324 with 35 doubles, 20 triples, 7 home runs, 101 RBIs, 26 stolen bases, a .395 OBP, and a .496 slugging percentage. This time he placed second in league MVP balloting. In 1913 the 39-year-old Wagner played in 114 games and batted .300 with a .349 OBP and finished eighth in NL MVP voting. With his career winding down he became the second player to reach 3000 hits in 1914, a year in which his batting average dropped to a mere .252. He played until 1917 and occasionally displayed aspects of his once formidable hitting skills in his last few seasons. In 1915 at age 41 he became the oldest player in NL/AL history to hit a grand slam, a record which lasted for 70 years, and in 1916, at 42 he became the oldest to hit an inside-the-park home run. In 1917 he briefly retired and returned to the Pirates in June. Spiked in July, he appeared only occasionally for the rest of his last season and even served briefly as Pittsburgh’s interim player/manager, a role which he chose not to continue with. For his major league career, Wagner batted .328 with 3420 hits that included 643 doubles, 252 triples, and 101 home runs. He scored 1739 runs and produced 1732 RBIs, 723 stolen bases, a .391 OBP, and a .467 slugging percentage. With the Pirates he batted .328 with 1521 runs scored, 2967 hits, 551 doubles, 232 triples, 82 home runs, 1374 RBIs, 639 stolen bases, a .394 OBP, and a .468 slugging percentage. He retired as the National League’s all-time leader in hits, a total which was first eclipsed by Stan Musial of the Cardinals. Wagner appeared in 15 World Series games and hit .275 with 9 RBIs and 9 stolen bases. A hero of the “Dead Ball” era, he was also one of the highest paid players, receiving a raise from $5000 to $10,000 in 1908 after threatening retirement, an amount which he received annually until 1916. Following his major league career, Wagner managed and played for a semipro team. He returned to the Pirates as a coach until 1951 where he was a respected batting instructor as well as revered story-telling presence. The Pirates retired the #33 that he wore as a coach (since he played before players wore numbers) and he was one of the first players voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936. Wagner died in 1955 at age 81. In addition to retiring his number the Pirates erected a statue of Wagner that has moved from Forbes Field to Three Rivers Stadium, and currently PNC Park.

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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 will also include Misc. players who don’t otherwise qualify but received MVP votes or were contributors to teams that reached the postseason. 

Highlighted Year: Rube Waddell, 1900

Pitcher, Pittsburgh Pirates

Age:  23

1^st season with Pirates

Bats – Right, Throws – Left

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 196 

Prior to 1900:

A native of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, Eddie Waddell’s father  worked in the oil fields of that area (and was not a farmer, as legend would have it). While many legends grew over the years relating to his origins, he began to develop a reputation as a teenager for his pitching prowess from the sandlots to area semipro teams where he picked up the nickname “Rube”, due to the presumption that the powerfully built, and largely unschooled,  youngster was a country hick (he originally disliked the nickname but came to embrace it). Given a tryout with the Pirates in 1897, he was released after the manager heard his manner of speech during a team meal. Signed instead by the NL’s Louisville Colonels, it was quickly determined that he needed minor league experience, and he was sent to Detroit of the Western League where he posted a 4-4 record prior to quitting the club due to a dispute over a fine, thus establishing a reputation for quickly wearing out his welcome with his teams. He then went to Canada and pitched for a club in Chatham, Ontario before returning to Pennsylvania and finishing the year with a team in Homestead. He spent 1899 with Columbus in the Western League and produced a 26-8 tally. With Louisville dropped from the NL in 1900, Waddell was sent to the Pirates where he ran afoul of strict player/manager Fred Clarke with his free-spirited ways and was suspended in July. Playing semipro ball in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, he was approached by Connie Mack, who was managing Milwaukee of the not-yet-major American League. With Pittsburgh’s permission, he signed Waddell under the stipulation that the Pirates could recall him at will, which they did after he performed extremely well over a month’s period in Milwaukee. Waddell went on to complete the season with Pittsburgh.

1900 Season Summary

Appeared in 29 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 29

Games Started – 22

Complete Games – 16

Wins – 8

Losses – 13 [18, tied with six others]

PCT - .381

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 2 [10, tied with eleven others]

Innings Pitched – 208.2

Hits – 176

Runs – 96

Earned Runs – 55

Home Runs – 3

Bases on Balls – 55

Strikeouts – 130 [2]

ERA – 2.37 [1]

Hit Batters – 13 [13, tied with Bill Carrick, Al Orth & Bill Phillips]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 2

League-leading ERA was -0.04 lower than runner-up Ned Garvin

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Batting

PA – 82, AB – 81, R – 6, H – 14, 2B – 2, 3B – 3, HR – 0, RBI – 9, BB – 0, SO – 15, SB – 1, CS – N/A, AVG - .173, GDP – N/A, HBP – 1, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 66

Put Outs – 12

Assists – 49

Errors – 5

DP – 1

Pct. - .924

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The Pirates went 79-60 to finish second in the NL, 4.5 games behind the pennant-winning Brooklyn Superbas. The pitching staff led the league in ERA (3.06), strikeouts (415), fewest hits allowed (1232), fewest runs allowed (612), and fewest walks allowed (295). With the addition of key players from the defunct Louisville franchise, the Pirates started slowly in April but caught fire in May and entered June at 20-16, in second place. June was a rougher month, featuring a season-high 7-game losing streak. They bounced between second and third through July and August, settling into second place to stay on August 7. Despite his time missed with the club, Waddell was still able to lead the NL in ERA.

Aftermath of 1900:

Early in the 1901 season the Pirates sold Waddell to the Chicago Orphans (now Cubs) where he produced a 14-14 record with a 2.81 ERA, 26 complete games, and 168 strikeouts over 243.2 innings pitched. Waddell quit the losing club, played more semipro ball, and in the offseason joined a barnstorming team that traveled through California, where he became a fan favorite. In 1902 he signed with Los Angeles of the California League but was soon persuaded to join the American League’s Philadelphia Athletics, reuniting him with manager Connie Mack. Waddell produced well under the guidance of the patient Mack, and his 1902 record was 24-7 with 26 complete games and a league-leading 210 strikeouts over 276.1 innings, and as Mack carefully noted, attendance rose on days when Waddell was scheduled to start. In a July game against Baltimore, he became the first AL pitcher to strike out the side on just nine pitches. Possessor of an excellent fastball and devastating curve, Waddell had another fine season for the A’s in 1903, again leading the league in strikeouts (302) while compiling a 21-16 tally (despite a 13-3 start), 34 complete games, and 324 innings. Easily distracted and prone to missing starts to go fishing or play marbles with street kids, Waddell became famous for his antics, both on the field and off. Stories of opposing players being able to occasionally easily sidetrack him in juvenile fashion were likely pure mythology, as was the belief that he would disappear during games to chase fire engines, although he was known to assist firefighters on occasion. He played some semipro football and was seen leading parades and wrestling alligators in Florida during spring training. Catcher Osee Schrecongost, something of a wacky character in his own right, became his regular battery-mate with excellent results. Off the field, Waddell married for a second time (he had one earlier short marriage), but Mack’s hopes that marriage would stabilize Waddell proved to be in vain. He often neglected his new bride, and while the marriage lasted nearly seven years, it was very stormy. Mack even hired a detective to keep tabs on his wayward pitcher, to no avail. Suspended at one point by Mack (who handled him with noteworthy aplomb) he returned and signed a contract for 1904 in which he promised to “live up to the regular rules”. Following the season, he performed in a bit role in a theatrical melodrama which sought to take advantage of his notoriety and popularity with the public. He failed to complete the play’s run. In 1904 he lived up to his promises of better behavior and posted a 25-19 record with a 1.62 ERA, 39 complete games, 8 shutouts, 383 innings pitched, and a league-leading 349 strikeouts. He also stepped in during a game in which outfielder Danny Hoffman was knocked unconscious by a pitch and carried his injured teammate off the field, hailed a carriage, and accompanied him to a nearby hospital where he sat at Hoffman’s bedside for most of the night. 1905 was another excellent season for Waddell in which he produced a 27-10 tally to lead the AL in wins and winning percentage (.730) and he also topped the circuit in ERA (1.48), games pitched (46), and strikeouts (287) while also compiling 328.2 innings, 27 complete games, and 7 shutouts. His most significant performance was in going a full 20 innings in a matchup against Boston ace Cy Young, won by the A’s by a 4-2 score. The A’s won the pennant but Waddell didn’t pitch in the World Series loss to the New York Giants due to a shoulder injury incurred during a scuffle with a teammate over a straw hat (rumors arose that gamblers had persuaded him to sit out the Series). Waddell’s record dropped to 15-17 in 1906 with a 2.21 ERA and he still led the AL in strikeouts with 196. His drinking became more problematic during the season. Waddell rebounded in 1907 to 19-13 with a 2.15 ERA and he led the AL in strikeouts for the sixth consecutive season with 232. It would prove to be his last season of topping the league in strikeouts. It was also his last year with the Athletics. Mack dealt him to the St. Louis Browns (now Baltimore Orioles) “in the interest of team harmony”. He had a solid season with the Browns in 1908, going 19-14 with a 1.89 ERA and 232 strikeouts over 285.2 innings. Waddell’s performance dropped off in 1909 to 11-14 with a 2.37 ERA, 16 complete games, and 141 strikeouts over 220.1 innings. He appeared in only 10 games with the Browns in 1910 before being released in August. He finished the season pitching for Newark in the Eastern League. Catching on with the Minneapolis Millers of the American Association in 1911, he produced a 20-17 tally with a 2.79 ERA but his performance dropped off thereafter and his playing career came to an end in 1913. For his major league career, Waddell compiled a 193-143 record with a 2.16 ERA, 261 complete games, 50 shutouts, and 2316 strikeouts over 2961.1 innings. In his brief period with the Pirates he produced an 8-15 record with a 2.62 ERA, 16 complete games, 2 shutouts, and 134 strikeouts over 216.1 innings. He missed his only opportunity to pitch in the World Series in 1905. Waddell contracted tuberculosis and died at age 37 in 1914. While confined to a sanitarium in San Antonio, Connie Mack and A’s ownership partner Ben Shibe paid for his medical care. As Mack summed up, “he was the greatest pitcher in the game, and although widely known for his eccentricities, was more sinned against than sinner. He may have failed us at times but to him, I and the other owners of the Athletics ball club, owe much.” Rube Waddell was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946 in recognition of his power pitching prowess that was remarkable for his era.

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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 will also include Misc. players who don’t otherwise qualify but received MVP votes or were contributors to teams that reached the postseason.