| Pretzels Getzien | |
|---|---|
 1889 baseball card of Getzien | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: February 14, 1864 Germany | |
| Died: June 19, 1932 (aged 68) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| August 13, 1884, for the Detroit Wolverines | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 19, 1892, for the St. Louis Browns | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 145–139 |
| Earned run average | 3.46 |
| Strikeouts | 1,070 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Charles H. "Pretzels" Getzien (surname sometimes spelled as Getzein; February 14, 1864 – June 19, 1932) was a German-born American professional baseball pitcher. He played all or parts of nine seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with five different National League teams from 1884 to 1892. He was the first German-born regular player in the National League.[1]
Sources conflict as to whether the nickname was derived from his German ethnicity or from the belief that he was able to throw a "double curve" following "the curves of a pretzel." During his major league career, Getzien compiled a 145–139 win–loss record and a 3.46 earned run average (ERA). He threw 277 complete games, a total that ranks 58th in major league history.[2] Only three pitchers threw more complete games in major league careers shorter than Getzien's nine-year career.
Getzien had his most extensive playing time with the Detroit Wolverines, compiling records of 30–11 and 29–13 in 1886 and 1887, respectively. In the 1887 World Series (which Detroit won, 10 games to 5), Getzien pitched six complete games and compiled a 4–2 record with a 2.48 ERA. He also won 23 games for the Boston Beaneaters in 1890.
- ^ "Players by birthplace: Germany Baseball Stats and Info". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
- ^ "Career Leaders & Records for Complete Games". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 28, 2021.