| Pat Malone | |
|---|---|
 1933 baseball card of Malone | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: September 25, 1902 Altoona, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| Died: May 13, 1943 (aged 40) Altoona, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 12, 1928, for the Chicago Cubs | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 28, 1937, for the New York Yankees | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 134–92 |
| Earned run average | 3.74 |
| Strikeouts | 1,024 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Perce Leigh "Pat" Malone (September 25, 1902 – May 13, 1943) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from for the Chicago Cubs (1928–1934) and New York Yankees (1935–1937). Listed at 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) and 200 pounds (91 kg), Malone batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He played for four pennant winners and two World Series champions.
Born in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Malone started playing semipro baseball when a teenager. Initially signed by the New York Giants in 1922, his hard-drinking lifestyle brought him in conflict with manager John McGraw, who sold his contract to the minor league Minneapolis Millers after 1924 spring training. Malone would spend six years in the minor leagues, but after successful seasons in 1926 and 1927, was signed by the Cubs before the 1928 season.
As a rookie with the Cubs, Malone won 18 games and finished second to Dazzy Vance in the National League (NL) with 155 strikeouts. In 1929, a year in which the Cubs won the pennant, he led the NL in wins (22), shutouts (5), and strikeouts (166), becoming the league's first strikeout champion besides Vance in seven years. He made two starts in the World Series against the Philadelphia Athletics but lost both, and the Cubs were defeated in five games. In 1930, he led the NL with 20 wins. The 1931 season saw him clash with new Cubs manager Rogers Hornsby; Malone became involved in further trouble in September when he beat up two reporters and was fined $500. He nonetheless posted a 16–9 record. In 1932, Malone had a 15–17 record and 3.38 earned run average (ERA), but was relegated to the bullpen for the World Series against the Yankees when the Cubs selected three other starters. Relieving Charlie Root after the starter gave up Babe Ruth's called shot, Malone pitched 2+2⁄3 scoreless innings in his only appearance of the series; the Cubs were defeated in four straight games.
Struggles in late 1933 caused Malone to lose his rotation spot in September. He enjoyed a 14–7 record and a 3.53 ERA in 1934 but again lost his rotation spot in September, which he claimed was due to the Cubs not wanting him to gain bonuses for winning 15 or more games. Acquired by the Yankees before the 1935 season, Malone was used mainly as a reliever for the next three years. He led the American League (AL) in saves in 1936 and was on the Yankee roster when they beat the Giants in the World Series. He did less well in 1937, however, and was left off the roster when the Yankees again beat the Giants in the World Series. After one more season in the minor leagues, Malone retired. He returned to Altoona, where he operated a tavern before dying at the age of 40 in 1943 due to acute pancreatitis brought on by his life of heavy drinking.