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Pitching prior to 1893 was much different than today. For starters, the pitching distance was closer. Pitchers also started out throwing underhand before switching to side arm throwing. There were also a lot less pitchers on a given team than there is today and a typical NL season saw 8 teams on average. The rival American Association's teams balooned and other rival leagues like the Player's League and Union Association diluted talent. Here is the breakdown of pitchers who pitched the majority of their careers (more than 66%) between 1871 and 1892. If I overlooked someone, let me know and I’ll add them:
National Association These are pitchers who pitched a minimum of 50 games from 1871-1875 and their wins, losses, era, era+ and WHIP. Some of these players had a couple of years in the NL, but the majority of their play came in the NA. During this era, most teams carried only 1 pitcher with a handful of exceptions. I included both NA and NL stats for these players and ranked them by WHIP. Players who had more seasons in the MLs are listed in the NL/AA/UA/PL list below. # means in the HOF:
NL/AA/UA/PL These players played the majority of their careers in the NL/AA/UA/PL and played in a minimum of 150 games as a pitcher. During this period, many teams carried 1-3 primary pitchers and the number of teams hovered between 6 and 8 per league on average until 1892 when the AA disbanded and the NL expanded to 12 teams:
This is one of many ways to look at pitchers, so feel free to compile the list in other ways. I don’t have access to win shares, so I didn’t add them. I’ll add a poll in a few days after everyone’s digested the list.
National Association These are pitchers who pitched a minimum of 50 games from 1871-1875 and their wins, losses, era, era+ and WHIP. Some of these players had a couple of years in the NL, but the majority of their play came in the NA. During this era, most teams carried only 1 pitcher with a handful of exceptions. I included both NA and NL stats for these players and ranked them by WHIP. Players who had more seasons in the MLs are listed in the NL/AA/UA/PL list below. # means in the HOF:
Code:
Player Wins Losses ERA ERA+ WHIP #Al Spalding 253-65 2.14 142 1.186 Cherokee Fisher 57-84 2.83 107 1.219 #Candy Cummings 145-94 2.49 120 1.221 Dick McBride 149-78 2.85 115 1.245 George Zettlein 129-112 2.78 113 1.306 Jack Manning 38-27 3.16 82 1.350 Asa Brainard 24-53 4.84 74 1.696 Bill Stearns 12-64 4.98 67 1.739
NL/AA/UA/PL These players played the majority of their careers in the NL/AA/UA/PL and played in a minimum of 150 games as a pitcher. During this period, many teams carried 1-3 primary pitchers and the number of teams hovered between 6 and 8 per league on average until 1892 when the AA disbanded and the NL expanded to 12 teams:
Code:
Player Wins Losses ERA ERA+ WHIP #John Ward 164-102 2.10 119 1.044 Jim Devlin 72-76 2.90 142 1.086 George Bradley 171-151 2.42 106 1.089 Tommy Bond 234-163 2.31 111 1.093 Larry Corcoran 177-89 2.90 123 1.105 Ed Morris 171-152 2.82 115 1.108 Will White 229-166 2.28 120 1.111 Charlie Ferguson 99-64 2.67 121 1.117 Terry Larkin 89-80 2.43 102 1.117 #Tim Keefe 342-225 2.62 127 1.121 Jim McCormick 265-214 2.43 118 1.132 Jim Whitney 191-204 2.97 104 1.147 #Charley Radbourn 309-195 2.67 119 1.149 Fred Goldsmith 112-68 2.73 107 1.153 Bob Caruthers 218-99 2.83 123 1.158 Guy Hecker 173-146 333 114 1.168 Dave Foutz 147-66 2.84 124 1.178 Sam Weaver 70-80 2.86 89 1.180 #Pud Galvin 364-310 3.07 107 1.191 Dupee Shaw 83-121 3.08 99 1.195 Henry Boyle 89-111 3.06 112 1.206 #John Clarkson 328-158 2.81 134 1.209 Jack Lynch 110-105 3.69 88 1.218 Ed Seward 89-72 23.40 108 1.218 #Mickey Welch 307-210 2.71 114 1.225 Charley Buffinton 233-152 2.96 115 1.234 Bobby Mathews 297-248 2.89 107 1.236 Tony Mullane 284-220 3.05 118 1.237 Toad Ramsey 114-124 3.86 117 1.243 Hugh Daily 73-87 2.92 108 1.246 Silver King 203-154 3.89 123 1.277 Lee Richmond 75-100 3.06 94 1.284 Charlie Getzein 145-139 3.46 99 1.288 Ed Daily 66-70 3.39 97 1.290 Ben Sanders 80-70 3.25 116 1.295 Hardy Henderson 81-121 3.50 98 1.298 Matt Kilroy 141-133 3.47 107 1.313 Dan Casey 96-90 3.18 112 1.313 Henry Porter 96-107 3.70 95 1.315 Stump Weidman 101-156 3.21 89 1.317 Jesse Duryea 59-67 3.45 109 1.333 John Healy 78-136 3.84 93 1.343 Harry Staley 136-119 3.08 106 1.353 Hank O’Day 73-110 3.74 97 1.354 Lee Viau 83-77 3.33 105 1.364 Bob Barr 49-98 3.83 86 1.370 Adonis Terry 197-197 3.74 103 1.372 Bill Hutchison 183-163 3.59 112 1.382 Scott Straton 97-114 3.87 98 1.382 Jersey Bakeley 76-135 3.47 95 1.387 Elton Chamberlain 159-120 2.19 112 1.392 Mark Baldwin 156-165 3.36 113 1.425 Kid Gleason 138-131 3.93 104 1.447 Henry Gruber 61-78 3.67 99 1.458 Frank Foreman 96-93 3.97 100 1.461 Ad Gumbert 123-102 4.05 95 1.488 George Haddock 95-87 3.81 94 1.496 Al Maul 84-80 4.43 96 1.520 Ed Crane 72-96 3.99 96 1.556
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