Jack Chesbro

Jack Chesbro
Chesbro with the Highlanders
Pitcher
Born: (1874-06-05)June 5, 1874
North Adams, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died: November 6, 1931(1931-11-06) (aged 57)
Conway, Massachusetts, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
July 12, 1899, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Last MLB appearance
October 2, 1909, for the Boston Red Sox
MLB statistics
Win–loss record198–132
Earned run average2.68
Strikeouts1,265
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction1946
Election methodOld-Timers Committee

John Dwight Chesbro (June 5, 1874 – November 6, 1931) was an American professional baseball pitcher. Nicknamed "Happy Jack", Chesbro played for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1899–1902), the New York Highlanders (1903–1909), and the Boston Red Sox (1909) of Major League Baseball (MLB). Chesbro finished his career with a 198–132 win–loss record, a 2.68 earned run average, and 1,265 strikeouts. His 41 wins during the 1904 season remains an American League record.[1] Though some pitchers have won more games in some seasons prior to 1901,[2][3] historians demarcating 1901 as the beginning of 'modern-era' major league baseball refer to and credit Jack Chesbro and his 1904 win-total as the modern era major league record and its holder. Some view Chesbro's 41 wins in a season as an unbreakable record.[4]

Chesbro's 1904 pitching totals of 51 games started and 48 complete games also fall into the same historical category as his 1904 wins total, as they are all-time American League single-season records.[5][6] These 1904 single-season totals for games started and complete games, like the wins total, are also the most recorded by a pitcher in either the American or National League since the beginning of the 20th century[7][8][9][10] and the co-existence of the American and National Leagues as major leagues. If one demarcates 1901 as the beginning of major league baseball's modern era, Jack Chesbro holds the modern era major league historical single-season records for wins by a pitcher (41), games started by a pitcher (51), and complete games pitched (48).

Chesbro was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946 by the Veterans Committee, though he had received little consideration from the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). Some baseball historians consider the 1946 election a mistake, and believe that Chesbro was elected solely on the basis of his 1904 season.

  1. ^ "MLB Statistics, Pitching, All-Time By Year, AL, W". Major League Baseball (MLB), mlb.com. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  2. ^ "MLB Statistics, Pitching, All-Time By Year, MLB, W". Major League Baseball (MLB), mlb.com. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  3. ^ "Baseball Reference, Leaders, Pitching Leaderboards, Wins, Single-Season". Sports Reference LLC, Baseball-Reference, www.baseball-reference.com. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  4. ^ Campbell, Bruce (July 30, 2007). "Slugger Bonds' record-to-be will be broken in time". Enid News & Eagle. Archived from the original on January 22, 2013. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  5. ^ "MLB Statistics, Pitching, All-Time By Year, AL, GS". Major League Baseball (MLB), mlb.com. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  6. ^ "MLB Statistics, Pitching, All-Time By Year, AL, CG". Major League Baseball (MLB), mlb.com. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  7. ^ "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Games Started (Baseball-Reference, Leaders, Pitching Leaderboards, Games Started, Single-Season)". Sports Reference LLC, Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  8. ^ "Baseball-Reference.com, Single-Season Leaders & Records". Sports Reference LLC, Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  9. ^ "MLB Statistics, Pitching, All-Time By Year, MLB, GS". Major League Baseball (MLB), mlb.com. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  10. ^ "MLB Statistics, Pitching, All-Time By Year, MLB, CG". Major League Baseball (MLB), mlb.com. Retrieved January 3, 2013.