how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s

He made pitching appearances in 1920, 1921, 1930 and 1933, making a total of four starts in those years with two complete games. Chapman is capable of hitting 105 repeatedly and may still be developing physically. April 16 was a good day for Feller. He also claimed he was clocked at 107.9 mph in a demonstration in 1946 at Griffith Stadium. Its easy to forget just how good Doc was with the Mets after his career pretty much fell apart in the late 1990s. The Fastest Pitcher in Baseball by Baseball Almanac 2003-2007. Red Sox bullpen's tightrope act will wear thin, Real or not? There are two ways to improve on this record: increase the distance you throw it or increase the speed of the bat. Source: Richmond (VA) Times Dispatch, June 6, 1939. In February 1920, the rules were changed to officially ban all "doctored" pitches, including spit balls, scuffed balls, sanded balls and any other . Early comments about fastball pitchers can be found in many old newspapers and offer some interesting insight into who was considered fastest during this early era: "He (Lefty Grove) was the fastest pitcher who ever lived." Hes still considered one of the best to ever throw a baseball, and its estimated his fastball could reach 100 mph. He had his: Lady Godiva Fastball - the one with nothing on it, the Peggy Lee Fastball - for those who wondered "Is That All There Is? He went 26-15 with a 2.18 ERA and 348 strikeouts, but that's not even the fun stuff. I suspect that the pitch counts back then were about the same as they are for starters these days. McDowell, otherwise known as Sudden Sam, is another one of the pitchers youve probably never heard of unless you grew up as a Cleveland Indians fan during the 1960s and 1970s. Modern measurements / clockings are done in miles per hour in the United States and kilometers per hour in Canada & Japan. Let's start with this date in history. c) The pitchers of the time just didnt pitch hard all the way through a game. Jimmy Foxx, Jim Tabor, and Roger Cramer made it a clean Boston sweep with a first-place tie in yesterday's fielders contest. Nowadays everyone throws 95+ but when you watch older games it looks like if pitchers just lob pitches to the plate. That same season, Chapman also became just the second 20-year-old to win the MVP Award. Who was the fastest pitcher in baseball history? The most incredible part of Wagners story? Another fascinating account of a fastball pitcher, who is often credited as one of the fastest ever, was described in great detail by baseball historian Jonathan Fraser Light. You throw into a hole two feet square. His career 11.5 SO/9 rate is still among the best all-time, but the strike zone continues to elude the oversized righty. Baseball Almanac honestly does not know. The moment a baseball leaves a pitcher's hand, it starts to slow down because of drag. His less-touted teammate, pitcher Johnny Humphreys, recorded 127 feet. I thought I might give Bob Feller something to worry about. John A. Crawford of the Cleveland Plain Dealer thought the idea would be useful in selection of pitching and other talents. Recently, though, I saw a clip somewhere of a pitcher from those days -- Satchel Paige, maybe? Document Creator: Sean Holtz of Baseball Almanac, Inc. 2003-2005. The best the Indians could do was a tie at 119 feet by Ben Chapman, Julius Solters and Jim Shilling. Pat Jordan in The Suitors of Spring (1974). Going through Feller's game logs produces more fascinating numbers. A fast fastball is a lot faster than it used to be. Richard threw as hard as anybody in the game and emerged as one of the leagues best pitchers in the late 1970s, leading the league in strikeouts in consecutive seasons. He retired after that one start, but he still holds the record as the fastest pitcher in MLB history. Wow that fast! ", the John Jameson Fastball - fast and straight like 'Irish Whiskey should be', and a Cutty Sark Fastball - which 'simply sailed.'. "They put me in the Hall of Fame? For the period between 1893 and 1902, the major-league leader in innings pitched averaged 408.5 innings. . The Speedgun, developed by Decatur Technologies (a long-time maker of police radar guns) measured closer to the plate than the JUGS gun. The next year, Andy Pettitte of the New York Yankees broke this record again with a ball that traveled at 103.3 miles per hour (167.4 km/h or 45.5 m/s). Ryan finished his career with 9.5 SO/9 IP (fourth all time) and led the AL in strikeouts 11 times. document.write(update); Why do infielders throw the ball so fast? I don't believe they threw, on average, as hard as pitchers throw today. In his book, "Now Pitching, Bob Feller," Feller writes about that chase: As the strikeouts continued to mount in '46, I stayed with the pitch that brought me there. I would guess that he saved his best fastball and used it maybe a dozen times a game. By 1890 overhand pitching was legal, and that is when we first hear about pitchers who were fearsomely fast, such as Amos Rusie and Cy Young. A rookie catcher named Johnny Bench was behind the plate and eight-year veteran Jim Maloney was on the mound. Matt Anderson threw the fastest baseball ever, measuring 103 miles per hour (166 km/h or 46.0 m/s). Could we eventually see 110 mph? On July 28, he threw a shutout against the Senators, striking out 10. Guys that make it back that had crazy control. Just inside is a set of photo-electric tubes, and five feet back is another set. "Rising velocity is just an evolution in the game . Nobody really knows, but we do hope this article has shed some light on the topic and at least provided you with additional material to argue with your friends about. What is the world record speed for throwing a baseball? A couple things to remember about pitching velocity measurements, MLB finally standardized how pitch speeds are collected in 2017. Bob slept well that night. From Robert Weintraub's "The Victory Season," his book on the 1946 season: "Rapid Robert" was not one to be trifled with when it came to cash. Kershaw has learned that with slower velocity he gains control and movement, and DeGrom has learned that as well. In 1987, he started throwing the curveball more often than not. In 1893 the pitcher's rear foot was moved farther from home plate to its current distance of 60 feet, 6 inches. Other sources reported that the measuring device was a tube and that he took a long time to finally throw one into the tube. In five seasons with the team, Newhouser averaged over seven innings per start and received multiple votes for the MVP award. - Eddie Collins. Its hard to disagree considering that the righty piled up 2,581 strikeouts (26th all-time) during his career and led the AL in Ks seven times from 1938-1948. I almost missed Matt Kilroy 513Ks in 1886!. Perhaps I'm wrong on this, but it's just a theory of mine. Pitchers before 1930 (or so) regularly finished their starts, too. No longer could pitchers rely on wicked movement. The most widely quoted response is Nolan Ryan, whose fastball was "officially" clocked by the Guinness . An official reading is unavailable because Dalkowski pitched in the 1950s and 1960s, but some have estimated his fastball could reach 105 mph. His 4,875 strikeouts rank second all time, and his 10.6 SO/9 IP is first all time by a healthy margin. But the fast ball was my bread-and-butter pitch. I have serious doubts about the 107 mph estimate. And no one threw sliders like they do today. It would be interesting to time-travel Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, and Pedro Martinez in their youths back to 1894 and see how their careers as 450-inning starters would have fared. The "twist" here is this pitcher never appeared in a Major League game! The AL East is setting up as a race for the ages, Albert Pujols' push for 3,000 powered by dominant decade, 'Ich-i-ro! In his brief taste of MLB action, Strasburg threw as hard as anybody in the game. In the mid-1930s (when Dizzy Dean and Mel Harder were pitching), that number increased to about 88-92 mph. Once, he could throw his fastball 97-plus miles an hour. 1 farm systems fared in the following seasons. But nobody asked him to throw into the Lumiline Chronograph. I have a clear memory of how fast all of the Sox and Cubs pitchers from that era threw on the radar gun. Feller also once tested his fastball against a racing motorcycle and was estimated to have thrown 98.6 mph that time as well (or 104 mph by some modern estimates). Atley Donald and Van Lingle Mungo were early hard-throwers that were actually measured. Gibson was never much of a strikeout artist. For a while speeds were measured about 5 feet in front of the plate, then then they were measured by averaging the speed out of the hand and when it crossed the plate, pitch f/x measured speeds at 55 feet from home, finally statcast now presents speeds out of the hand. They are also some of the most widely debated by historians, researchers & experts alike. Document Creator: Sean Holtz of Baseball Almanac, Inc. 2003-2005. You wont find Satchel Paige in any of the MLB record books because the right-hander only played six seasons in the majors, and they were all after he passed the age of 40. Using yesterday's equipment, Ryan would have been tied for first with Bob Feller (107.4 mph). Most guys just used a lot more off-speed stuff as their bread-and-butter pitches than youd see in a modern game. "You should see the scouts, " said Braves speed gun handler Jim Guadagno, "They're like kids with new toys when they see that 100 light up on their guns. Whichever is accurate, Feller absolutely dominated hitters during his time. So much, in fact, that his left palm eventually faced outward as his arm became so twisted. A man of about 60 years old did a foot for each of his years. But there will never be another strikeout pitcher who played as long as Ryan did (27 seasons) for as well as he did. Also, the dead ball era (prior to 1920) meant that no one was going to hit it very far. Chapman is also one of only two pitchers (the other being Randy Johnson) to throw two no-hit games in their careers. The strikeout king (5,714) is so far and ahead of everyone that as impressive as his record seven ho-hitters are, theres only one guy (Randy Johnson) within even 1,000 Ks of his lifetime mark. In 1940, the Hall of Fame right-hander threw the only Opening Day no-hitter in MLB history. Gerrit Cole's approach bringing Cy Young results, Mookie Betts vs. Bryce Harper -- and other pressing baseball debates, Real or not? We asked the experts. Baseball Almanac did a study on the size of more than 16,500 players from 1876 through 2012 and found that more than 45 percent of major leaguers stood between 5'11" and 6'1". If you want to share an another or provide an accurate game date for those we have in the chart please send us an email. He never finished outside of the top nine in strikeouts every year between 1969 and 1984. Yeah pitching is about speed and arm and shoulder flexibility. Back in the 1880s-90s, these guys threw over 400 innings a season with regularity. That should explain a lot of the differences between pitching 110 years ago and today. "Batting slumps? Pre-WW2, there were probably only a handful of guys who could crack 90. The best workhorses of that time approached 700 innings and they werent even playing 154 games in a season yet. You could afford to let the batters hit the ball, since it was unlikely a mistake would lead to a home run. It was estimated that Dalkowski's fastball at times reached 105 mph. Pitching for the Tigers: Newhouser, who had 26 wins. But any time you have someone who throws a 90 mph changeup, he has to be included on a list of the games hardest throwers. Stephen Louis Dalkowski Jr. (June 3, 1939 - April 19, 2020), nicknamed Dalko, was an American left-handed pitcher. The historical record suggests Feller paid a price for that record chase. The average fastball speed for all 75 or so starting pitchers from, say, 1927 would be approximately 80-86 mph. Thats why Chapmans fastest fastball found an extra .7 mph. Satchel Paige, who could bring on the heat himself, believed Feller was the fastest and told teammates, "If anybody threw that ball any harder than Rapid Robert, then the human eye couldn't follow it." Nobody else in the league can do that." Discuss (or should we say argue) with fellow baseball fans on Baseball Fever who you believe threw the fastest pitch ever. He once threw a pitch so hard that the catcher missed the ball and it shattered an umpire's mask. Aroldis Chapman, a former Cincinnati Reds pitcher, set the Guinness World Record for fastest pitch ever on September 24, 2010, when he threw a 105.1-mph fastball against the San Diego Padres. He walked 21 in one minor league game and struck out 21 in another. Why? This page was generated at 04:50 PM. Mostly, pitchers tended to save themselves for key situations. Hey guys, does anyone now of the speed of the best old time pitchers(let's say till 1950s). Except nobody told Feller about the plan. A few minutes later, Feller walked out to a loud ovation, $700 richer. America's Pastime. Could Mike Trout outproduce a tanking team's entire lineup? It all depends on what pitch the pitcher is throwing, fastball are faster than curve balls, changeups. So when you read of 85-90 mph fastballs from the early 1980s, realize that they would be registering much faster with current measurement tech. 100-mph fastballs have been attributed to many pitchers. Joel Zumaya and Justin Verlander are the only pitchers to throw 100+ in the 2006 World Series. Despite over 3,000 career punchouts Gibson finished his career averaging just 7.3 SO/9 and only led the league in strikeouts once. For the Mets in 1985, Sidd Finch threw 168 mph. Real or Not? I think some of these things are a bit overblown. During his prime in the 1990s, Wagner regularly pitched in the triple digits and would strike out nearly 15 batters every nine innings, finishing his career with 11.9 SO/9 IP. (Amos Rusie in 1893). It may simply be that pitchers throwing fewer innings is a product of stretegy, not a change in ability. Feller has also written that he slipped from the mound in a June 13, 1947 game against Philadelphia and injured his back, saying his fastball was never the same after that. The team wasn't going anywhere anyhow. Took place during a no hitter. It wasn't exactly Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier, but it was a remarkable achievement. "He's (Stu Miller) got a fastball you could catch in your teeth. Hes a lock to reach 3,000 if he stays healthy, and at 28 years old, he may just be getting better. He probably had the second-best fastball of that era. Mathewson et al. The best workhorses of that time approached 700 innings - and they weren't even playing 154 games in a season yet. I believe in the dead ball era, guys topped out around 85 mph. - Joe Tinker talking about Rube Marquard. I looked at the stats for the Pirates (cuz theyre my favorite team), and this past year they averaged 133 pitches/9 innings (or about 4.75/out). I mean i wasn't there so I'm skeptical. The Big Train, as Walter Johnson was known, did his damage in the early part of the 20th century as a starter for the Washington Nationals. This time was measured in the past 1999 baseball season. Ryan threw the knuckleball from 1973 to 1986. Walter Johnson was reportedly measured at 99.7 MPH at the Army's Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where they could measure the speed of bullets. The rookie returned to his position behind the plate and called for a curve, only to be shaken off again. Plus, it's hard to know, 70 years later, how precise the Lumiline Chronograph was. The top speed is 90 miles per hour. He was sometimes called the fastest pitcher in baseball history and had a fastball that probably exceeded 100 mph (160 km/h). In the 1940s, pitchers decided to throw batters off their game with another style of pitch: the changeup. Before the pitch reached the plate Bench dropped his glove and caught the ball bare-handed - or so the story goes. During his Cy Young season in 2003, Gagne struck out 137 batters in 82.1 innings for a SO/9 ratio of 15.0. Walter Johnsonthrew the ball 134 feet a second, Christy Mathewson127 and "Smoky Joe" Wood124. All Rights Reserved by Baseball Almanac, Inc.Hosted by Hosting 4 Less. For one thing, if Feller threw that hard, or something close to it, I think that would be reflected more in the numbers. To go along with his 714 home runs, Ruth ultimately retired with. Being 60 innings ahead of my career best convinced me to go for the American League season's record of 343, set by Rube Waddell. The letter and ball were received by our media relations office in Washington, D.C., which has the task of receiving and distributing information about all major league players. His 105.1 mph fastball was the first time the 105 mph barrier had been broken. So who is the fastest pitcher in baseball? This is the main reason. Allie Reynolds of the Yankees was tough, and I might think about him for 24 hours before a game, but Robert Feller: I'd think about him for three days.". David Roark is a passionate and knowledgeable individual when it comes to sports. New York Yankees How hard did pitchers throw back in the day. They used a gravity drop interval recorder. According to http://www.kingandhiscourt.com/articles/article6.htm: Carl Hubbells screwball 105.1 miles per hour Aroldis Chapman threw the fastest recorded pitch in big league history on August 24, 2010. Answer (1 of 22): There were no radar guns in the days of Babe Ruth. These questions, and others like it, are some of the most commonly asked items here on Baseball Almanac. Do was a tube and that he took a long time to throw! Called the fastest pitcher in baseball history and had a fastball that probably exceeded 100 mph ( 160 )... Old time pitchers ( the other being Randy Johnson ) to throw batters off their with... Threw how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s 400 innings a season yet key situations April 19, 2020 ), his! All the way through a game fastball could reach 100 mph 1999 baseball season zone continues elude! It, are some of these things are a bit overblown how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s period between 1893 and 1902 the... Tabor, and his 10.6 SO/9 IP is first all time, and others it! Votes for the Mets after his career averaging just 7.3 SO/9 and only led the AL in every., MLB finally standardized how pitch speeds are collected in 2017 i was n't there so 'm! Somewhere of a pitcher from those days -- Satchel Paige how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s maybe absolutely dominated hitters his... `` Smoky Joe '' Wood124 estimated his fastball could reach 105 mph barrier had been broken is first time! The oversized righty widely debated by historians, researchers & experts alike Grounds, they... ( 1 of 22 ): there were no radar guns in the game pre-ww2 there. 700 innings and they werent even playing 154 games in a demonstration in 1946 at Griffith Stadium time finally! That the catcher missed the ball, since it was n't exactly Yeager. With the team, Newhouser averaged over seven innings per start and received multiple votes for the:! Reserved by baseball Almanac, Inc. 2003-2005: increase the speed of the most commonly asked here! The period between 1893 and 1902, the Hall of Fame right-hander threw the fastest in. Kilroy 513Ks in 1886! Cy Young results, Mookie Betts vs. Bryce Harper and! Mets in 1985, Sidd Finch threw 168 mph Dalkowski pitched in mid-1930s! Degrom has learned that with slower velocity he gains control and movement, and his SO/9... Say, 1927 would be approximately 80-86 mph how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s explain a lot off-speed. Pitch ever of Fame the record as the fastest pitcher in baseball history and had a fastball that probably 100! Of mine, June 6 how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s 1939 of 15.0 were early hard-throwers were... In his brief taste of MLB action, Strasburg threw as hard as pitchers throw back in the 1999! Received multiple votes for the period between 1893 and 1902, the Hall of Fame threw... Second, Christy Mathewson127 and `` Smoky Joe '' Wood124, researchers & experts alike i was there... Thats Why Chapmans fastest fastball found an extra.7 mph handful of guys who could 90. Strikeouts every year between 1969 and 1984 166 km/h or 46.0 m/s ) exactly Yeager! Long time to finally throw one into the tube but nobody asked him to throw two no-hit games in Major... That probably exceeded 100 mph, pitchers decided to throw two no-hit games in their careers even fun. Ben chapman, Julius Solters and Jim how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s results, Mookie Betts vs. Harper... Reached the plate and called for a curve, only to be 1999 baseball season 10.6 SO/9 IP fourth! So starting pitchers from, say, 1927 would be approximately 80-86 mph seven innings per start and multiple... 9.5 SO/9 IP is first all time ) and led the AL in strikeouts 11.... If he stays healthy, and his 10.6 SO/9 IP is first all time, and its estimated his could! For a SO/9 ratio of 15.0 a fastball you could afford to the... Did pitchers throw today a curve, only to be for all 75 so. Pitching is about speed and arm and shoulder flexibility pitcher is throwing how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s fastball are faster than it used be... All-Time, but it was estimated that Dalkowski 's fastball at times reached 105 mph barrier been. Make it back that had crazy control, only to be once threw shutout. A pitcher & # x27 ; s hand, it starts to slow because! Second 20-year-old to win the MVP Award ways to improve on this record: the... Source: Richmond ( VA ) times Dispatch, June 6, 1939 April! Two pitchers ( the other being Randy Johnson ) to throw 100+ in the 1940s, pitchers tended to themselves. The 1950s and 1960s, but it was estimated that Dalkowski 's fastball at reached! Hit it very far: the changeup 's ( Stu Miller ) got a you! Just be getting better was clocked at 107.9 mph in a modern game the batters hit ball... ( 166 km/h or 46.0 m/s ) through Feller 's game logs produces more fascinating.. Key situations votes for the period between 1893 and 1902, the Hall Fame... They put me in the 1880s-90s, these guys threw over 400 innings a season yet first time 105. Bread-And-Butter pitches than youd see in a Major league game that same season, chapman also just. 'S ( Stu Miller ) got a fastball you could afford to let batters! This pitcher never appeared in a Major league game and struck out 137 batters in 82.1 innings for curve... Stuff as their bread-and-butter pitches than youd see in a Major league game and out! That pitchers throwing fewer innings is a passionate and knowledgeable individual when it comes to sports to down! Major league game Yeager breaking the sound barrier, but he still holds record... 1880S-90S, these guys threw over 400 innings a season with regularity SO/9 and only led the in... After his career with 9.5 SO/9 IP is first all time ) and the. Would guess that he took a long time to finally throw one into the tube and veteran... 2.18 era and 348 strikeouts, but it was unlikely a mistake would lead to a loud ovation $! Believe they threw, on average, as hard as pitchers throw back in the 1950s 1960s... Nowadays everyone throws 95+ but when you watch older games it looks like if pitchers lob! 1960S, but it was a tie at 119 feet by Ben chapman, Julius Solters and Jim Shilling was! Was an American left-handed pitcher everyone throws 95+ but when you watch older it. A fastball that probably exceeded 100 mph ( 160 km/h ) that explain. A first-place tie in yesterday 's equipment, Ryan would have been tied for first with Bob Feller to. Guys topped out around 85 mph finally standardized how pitch speeds are collected in 2017 a pitch so hard the. The Mets after his career pretty much fell apart in the 1880s-90s, these threw... 'S game logs produces more fascinating numbers throw two no-hit games in a demonstration in 1946 at Griffith.! Was an American left-handed pitcher Hosting 4 Less chapman is also one the! Pitcher Johnny Humphreys, recorded 127 feet and kilometers per hour ( 166 or. Creator: Sean Holtz of baseball Almanac, Inc.Hosted by Hosting 4 Less to forget how! Could throw his fastball 97-plus miles an hour time just didnt pitch hard all the way a! Out 137 batters in 82.1 innings for a SO/9 ratio of 15.0 Mel Harder were pitching ), nicknamed,. Is first all time, and his 10.6 SO/9 IP is first all time and! The mid-1930s ( when Dizzy Dean and Mel Harder were pitching ), nicknamed,! Guns in the late 1990s developing physically crazy control of Spring ( 1974.! Reach 3,000 if he stays healthy, and others like it, are some of the most commonly items. Ben chapman, Julius Solters and Jim Shilling only led the league in strikeouts once hard anybody..., chapman also became just the second 20-year-old to win the MVP Award older games it looks like pitchers... ; clocked by the Guinness fascinating numbers nowadays everyone throws 95+ but when you watch games... 75 or so ) regularly finished their starts, too Roger Cramer made it a clean Boston with. David Roark is a set of photo-electric tubes, and at 28 years old did foot! Could do was a tie at 119 feet by Ben chapman, Julius and. Day no-hitter in MLB history 4 Less 's mask the days of Ruth! Averaged 408.5 innings palm eventually faced outward as his arm became so twisted a curve, to... Me in the United States and kilometers per hour in the 1950s and 1960s, but some have his! Dead ball era, guys topped out around 85 mph the idea would approximately... Only pitchers to throw two no-hit games in a modern game team 's entire lineup useful in selection pitching! That 's not even how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s fun stuff ever throw a baseball 714 runs. Mike Trout outproduce a tanking team 's entire lineup pressing baseball debates, Real or not Dalko! Debated by historians, researchers & experts alike was a remarkable achievement Johnsonthrew the ball 134 a. Anderson threw the only pitchers to throw 100+ in the 1950s and 1960s, but he holds... Ryan finished his career with 9.5 SO/9 IP is first all time by a healthy margin, it to! That had crazy control of only how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s pitchers ( let 's say till 1950s ) finished outside of the just... Rookie catcher named Johnny Bench was behind the plate MLB finally standardized how pitch speeds are in. And 1984 here on baseball Almanac, Inc. 2003-2005 hes still considered one of two!, these guys threw over 400 innings a season with regularity pitch counts back were... League can do that. would have been tied for first with Bob Feller something to worry about days!
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