George Derby (baseball)

George Derby
Pitcher
Born: (1857-07-15)July 15, 1857
Webster, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died: July 4, 1925(1925-07-04) (aged 67)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Right
MLB debut
May 2, 1881, for the Detroit Wolverines
Last MLB appearance
July 3, 1883, for the Buffalo Bisons
MLB statistics
Win–loss record48-56
Earned run average3.01
Strikeouts428
Teams
Career highlights and awards

George Henry Derby (July 15, 1857 – July 15, 1925), nicknamed "Jonah", was a professional baseball player from 1877 to 1883. He played three seasons in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher for the Detroit Wolverines in 1881 and 1882 and for the Buffalo Bisons in 1883.

Derby won 29 games and led the National League in both strikeouts and shutouts as a 24-year-old rookie in 1881. However, after pitching 55 complete games and almost 500 innings in 1881, Derby developed shoulder problems that reduced the velocity of his pitches. His career was cut short, and he played in his final major league game in July 1883 at age 25.