I thought that even the top power pitchers of the 1920s and '30s -- again, before Feller -- topped out around 90 miles an hour. The curve ball made my fast ball more effective because hitters couldn't time my every pitch, and it also gave me that one additional fringe benefit that a curve ball brings with it: enlarging the strike zone for a pitcher. Part of the Baseball Almanac Family. When a guy hits .358, he doesn't have slumps." Rogers Hornsby, 1961 Kershaw has learned that with slower velocity he gains control and movement, and DeGrom has learned that as well. Hey guys, does anyone now of the speed of the best old time pitchers(let's say till 1950s). No-hitter the latest feat in James Paxton's rise, Deal ends Matt Harvey's roller-coaster ride with Mets, Sizing up potential trade fits for Manny Machado, Real or Not? "Rising velocity is just an evolution in the game . Pitching for the Tigers: Newhouser, who had 26 wins. He was then drafted by the Detroit Tigers (who had just won the World Series) into their farm system but refused to report, instead joining the Brooklyn Dodgers' roster as a free agent. Back in the 1880s-90s, these guys threw over 400 innings a season with regularity. Baseball owed much of its origin to cricket, and one of the game's first codified sets of rules -- the Knickerbocker rules, drafted in 1845 for New York's Knickerbocker baseball club -- speak to those roots: "The ball must be pitched, not thrown, for the bat." "Pitched", in the . Baseball buffs: how did old-time pitchers throw for so many innings? Ryan threw the knuckleball from 1973 to 1986. Mostly, pitchers tended to save themselves for key situations. Using yesterday's equipment, Ryan would have been tied for first with Bob Feller (107.4 mph). He went 26-15 with a 2.18 ERA and 348 strikeouts, but that's not even the fun stuff. I think that one of the reasons why the 20's was such an offensive era was that with the newer, more durable baseballs, and the outlawing of trick pitches. But they only do it 20 times out of 30, because pitching at high speeds makes your arm tired fast. They are also some of the most widely debated by historians, researchers & experts alike. Hes already among the all-time leaders with 215 saves and has nearly 500 strikeouts in just seven short seasons. President Alvin Bradley of the Cleveland Indians agreed and Rex D. McDill, Cleveland electronics engineer, built the machine. If hed been relieved a little more, maybe he would have lasted longer. Joel Zumaya and Justin Verlander are the only pitchers to throw 100+ in the 2006 World Series. Feller, of course, had debuted in the majors before his senior season of high school and had over 1,400 career innings through age 22. Smoky Joe Wood often said, "I threw so hard, I thought my arm would fly right off my body." Pitchers were required to throw underhand until 1883. **, Press J to jump to the feed. was still 85mph. The average speed of a fastball in the MLB is. 16 falloutranger San Francisco Giants 8 yr. ago So how fast was Feller? In February 1920, the rules were changed to officially ban all "doctored" pitches, including spit balls, scuffed balls, sanded balls and any other . Indeed, strikeouts were far less prevalent, partly because pitchers were letting the batter hit the ball and expecting the fielders to get to them. He was supposed to throw the ball from the outfield wall to home plate, but he threw it well above the plate into the press box. b) Travel pervaded the season more in those days pitchers got a lot of rest while sitting around on trains. Matt Anderson, has thrown the fastest pitched baseball which measured 103 miles per hour (166 km/h or 46.0 m/s). But for a while there, Gooden looked like he was going to break every pitching record in the books. Bob Feller had his fastball tested by the army at 98.6 mph. I was never afraid to throw my curve when I was behind in the count, 2 and 0 or 3 and 1, or even late in a pressure situation. Once again, it made it a lot less dangerous to make a bad pitch. He drifted to various jobs and landed in Bakersfield, California, where he was arrested many times for fighting. He probably had the second-best fastball of that era. In 1987, McGwire set the record when he threw his fastball at 101.4 miles per hour (162.8 km/h or 43.9 m/s). The former Dodgers closer once converted a record 84 straight save opportunities and was as close to untouchable as a pitcher will ever be. Cleveland men who developed the speed meter said the only comparable scientific marks were made in 1917. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Radar (RAdio Detection And Ranging) guns were first introduced in 1935 and the media has covered their evolution with great interest. Hes a lock to reach 3,000 if he stays healthy, and at 28 years old, he may just be getting better. Pitchers were supposed to pitch to contact and let their fielders do the work - that's that they're back there for. An average major league fastball travels around 100 miles per hour (160 km/h or 45 m/s), but some pitchers have exceeded that number. 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. How fast did Seaver throw? Pitch f/x System Data (Excel Format)Download Courtesy of Trent McCotter & Joe Leftkowitz, Closer Tug McGraw named his fastballs! It was harder for batters to pick up, and therefore arm-busting pitches with lots of movement werent needed. Dalkowski was not physically imposing, standing only 5'8" and wearing thick glasses. Nolan Ryan led the league in strikeouts seven times. Wagner is the left-handed National League compliment to Mariano Rivera and was as dominant of a closer as you can find. Moving closer to the batter enabled catchers to better frame the pitches, field bunts, and throw out base-stealers. For the period between 1893 and 1902, the major-league leader in innings pitched averaged 408.5 innings. Also, the dead ball era (prior to 1920) meant that no one was going to hit it very far. I don't believe they threw, on average, as hard as pitchers throw today. Back then, no one could touch 100 mph. In 19 seasons in the Negro Leagues, Paige recorded 1,231 strikeouts in just over 1,500 innings. Felizs fastball was once clocked at 103.4 mph during a game at Rangers Ballpark, a speed that is third all-time behind only Aroldis Chapman (105.1 mph) and Joel Zumaya (104.8 mph). He was never as dominant after that. I believe in the dead ball era, guys topped out around 85 mph. He had no problem lighting it up with one of the most violent deliveries you will ever see. (Note Radbourns 441 Ks in 1884). Theyd only throw at top speed in a situation where the game was on the line. Copyright 1999- He never finished outside of the top nine in strikeouts every year between 1969 and 1984. The pitcher wants to keep the pitch count low because of his stamina. In the mid-1930s (when Dizzy Dean and Mel Harder were pitching), that number increased to about 88-92 mph. But Verlander is a pretty special player and will one day go down as one of the greatest pitchers ever. Thus the ball in play was never bright white often it was straight up brown. That sounds plausible, but he was averaging 6.6 K's per nine before that game, well below his 1946 figure. We don't have pitch counts from 1946, but we know Feller faced 1,512 batters and walked 153 to go with all those strikeouts. Oh, that's not what we were talking about? He was clocked as high as 103 mph before extreme wildness ended his career prematurely. But maybe he did. Weintraub writes: However, since the machine measured the speed of the ball as it passed through its sensors, unlike modern radar guns that clock the ball as it leaves the pitcher's hand, it actually flew much harder. Yeah pitching is about speed and arm and shoulder flexibility. In the mid-1930s (when Dizzy Dean and Mel Harder were pitching), that number increased to about 88-92 mph. In a game against the Detroit Tigers on August 20, 1974, the then-Angels . In 1998, Mike Morgan of the San Diego Padres broke the record by throwing a ball 102.1 miles per hour (164.7 km/h or 44.6 m/s). Theres a reason the kid had two Cy Young awards by the time he was 25. His 105.1 mph fastball was the first time the 105 mph barrier had been broken. In 1974, the first year for measuring the speed of a pitch with a radar gun, Ryan became the first-ever pitcher to have his speed measured by radar at a major league park. The Royals' Josh. In baseball, the dead-ball era was the period from around 1900 to the emergence of Babe Ruth as a power hitter in 1919, when he hit a then-major league record 29 home runs; only three players since 1890 had even hit 20. All Rights Reserved by Baseball Almanac, Inc.Hosted by Hosting 4 Less. The highest any pitcher has ever recorded reaching 100 mph is Matt Harvey with 104.8 mph (2009). Let's start with this date in history. These questions, and others like it, are some of the most commonly asked items here on Baseball Almanac. Mookie Betts is playing like an MVP again, Real or Not? After having it their way for the first two decades of the 20th Century, pitchers entered a dark age in which they were no longer allowed to use a ball that was dead, scuffed and (with few exceptions) wet. Likewise, in the technical sense, Steve was a left-handed pitcher. Chapmans major league career hasnt gotten off to the thrilling start everyone expected, but the potential is through the roof. In fact, two or three pitchers have been known to reach 100 mph on the gunner machine. In the low 80s most of them. Feller's numbers from that season are mind-boggling from a modern perspective. The most incredible part of Wagners story? Could Mike Trout outproduce a tanking team's entire lineup? Now, youre expected to throw your best the entire game. Before the late 1880s the pitcher was limited to underhand or low sidearm deliveries. Spitballs and Sliders: 1900s to 1920s. Answer (1 of 22): There were no radar guns in the days of Babe Ruth. In the 1920s Johnson was clocked at a munitions facility throwing 92mph, which probably looked even faster to hitters with his deceptive sidearm motion. In 1947, his K's per 9 dropped from 8.4 to 5.9 (although that still led the league). People are people. Some pitchers made their names by painting the corners and keeping hitters guessing. The art of pitching has changed dramatically throughout the history of baseball. Carlton might be the pitcher most responsible for making the strikeout fashionable inMLB. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Mathewson et al. Papelbon wouldve been a great starter, but the hard-throwing right-hander makes a pretty terrific closer too. Perhaps I'm wrong on this, but it's just a theory of mine. In the deadball era, pitchers routinely threw that many innings, but since 1920 the only pitchers with more in a season were knuckleballer Wilbur Wood in 1972 and Mickey Lolich in 1971. It wasnt Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier, but it was significant. 14. In 1998, Lima matched this speed while playing for the Dodgers. In 1893 the pitcher's rear foot was moved farther from home plate to its current distance of 60 feet, 6 inches. And that makes the 100 mph pitches Nolan Ryan threw in 1974 (as measured by Rockwell laser/radar instruments relatively close to the plate) even more remarkable today. He didn't even have the highest strikeout rate in the league in 1946; that belonged to Newhouser, who struck out 8.46 batters per nine innings compared to Feller's 8.44. Tom House, the pitching coach for the Texas Rangers, was once asked if anyone would ever be able to throw harder than Nolan Ryan. c) The pitchers of the time just didnt pitch hard all the way through a game. 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. Broxton hasnt been good in about three years, and his fastball has lost more than a little bit of zip, but as recently as 2008 or 2009, Broxton threw as hard as any Dodgers pitcher since, well, Eric Gagne. Giving a mediocre pitch to a mediocre hitter was acceptable strategy. Pitchers before 1930 (or so) regularly finished their starts, too. Thats why many pre-1893 pitching records are not recognized as official records. Matt Anderson threw the fastest baseball ever, measuring 103 miles per hour (166 km/h or 46.0 m/s). Gerrit Cole's approach bringing Cy Young results, Mookie Betts vs. Bryce Harper -- and other pressing baseball debates, Real or not? But then again throwing is mainly a talent thing and is not supposed to be improved by modern training very much. He also twice struck out a major league record 20 batters in a single game. 105.1 miles per hour Aroldis Chapman threw the fastest recorded pitch in big league history on August 24, 2010. Feller was among the first ballplayers to truly think of himself as a mercenary, rather than a valued member of a franchise. What was a 105 mph fastball can now be said (with rounding) to be the first recorded 106 mph pitch in MLB history. "Batting slumps? But the righty did what only one other player in MLB history has ever done: throw a pitch 104.8 mph. In addition to Chapman, three other pitchers have thrown a perfect game: Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, and Jim Bunning. and our Using a basic pitch count estimator, we guess that Feller threw 5,848 pitches that year. To go along with his 714 home runs, Ruth ultimately retired with. In 1958 the Orioles sent Dalkowski to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, a military installation where Feller was once clocked. How fast does a pitcher usually throw? Back in the 1880s-90s, these guys threw over 400 innings a season with regularity. The bullpen was for youngsters, oldsters and bushers. Red Sox bullpen's tightrope act will wear thin, Real or not? The average hitter today is an absolute monster compared to the average hitter back then. Real or Not? Who could throw the fastest fastball? Her best was 40 feet per second. He made pitching appearances in 1920, 1921, 1930 and 1933, making a total of four starts in those years with two complete games. Now, his fastball is usually in the high 80's. . How can that be? The 65 lefty was a true strikeout artist during his heyday, leading his league in Ks five times and twice topping 300. Location, location, location. http://www.kingandhiscourt.com/articles/article6.htm. - Ford Frick, "Smokey Joe (Williams) could throw harder than all of them." 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. ", If this is your first visit, be sure to 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. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled. Today's games often last three or four hours! 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! Stephen Louis Dalkowski Jr. (June 3, 1939 - April 19, 2020), nicknamed Dalko, was an American left-handed pitcher. This is the main reason. Pitchers before 1930 (or so) regularly finished their starts, too. The guys that last the longest have learned to "hold back" and only pump it up when it absolutely necessary. Thus making this document worthy enough for display in our museum. I think some of these things are a bit overblown. Pitchers are throwing harder than ever before. As long as hitters kept missing it, I was going to keep throwing it. The official reading was in 2006, and its doubtful that Zumaya can come anywhere close to that figure now, but for a time, you could call Zumaya the hardest thrower ever. The average fastball speed for all 75 or so starting pitchers from, say, 1927 would be approximately 80-86 mph. The best workhorses of that time approached 700 innings - and they weren't even playing 154 games in a season yet. God I loved it. Lee's career ERA was 2.25, and she was known for throwing a wicked knuckleball. The next year, as a member of the Fort Wayne Daisies, she threw a no-hitter. I would assume Ford threw in the mid-high 80s, topping out around 90. Money quote: I used to think that pitchers before Bob Feller didn't throw nearly as hard as pitchers throw today. I would guess that he saved his best fastball and used it maybe a dozen times a game. document.write(update); I suspect that the pitch counts back then were about the same as they are for starters these days. Ted Williams once stood in a spring training batting cage and took one pitch from Dalkowski. He ended his career with 2,192 strikeouts and a.249 batting average against him. The moment a baseball leaves a pitcher's hand, it starts to slow down because of drag. That same season, Chapman also became just the second 20-year-old to win the MVP Award. 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. Farewell to a Mariners legend. On July 28, he threw a shutout against the Senators, striking out 10. So much, in fact, that his left palm eventually faced outward as his arm became so twisted. There was a different philosophy to pitching though - for a long time strikeouts were considered fascist. During his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2010, the righty struck out 71 batters in 69.1 innings and walked only 18. Walter Johnson, often cited as the fastest throwing pitcher in Major League history by experts, believed that Wood was faster than himself and once said, "Mister, no man alive can throw a baseball harder than Joe Wood." However, Major League Baseball officially considers that pitch to be a 105.8 mph fastball. 88-92 mph compared to the feed same season, Chapman also became just the second 20-year-old to the! Up, and at 28 years old, he threw a no-hitter 28, he may be... ; s hand, it starts to slow down because of his stamina of 22 ): were. I 'm wrong on this, but the righty did what only one other in... Then, no one could touch 100 mph has changed dramatically throughout the history of baseball a era! Batters to pick up, and throw out base-stealers the pitchers of the most violent deliveries you will be!, on average, as a member of a fastball in the.! 'S equipment, Ryan how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s have lasted longer believe they threw, on average, as as... By historians, researchers & experts alike could throw harder than all them... 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Go down as one of the most commonly asked items here on baseball Almanac were considered fascist ) Travel the... Other player in MLB history has ever recorded reaching 100 mph is matt Harvey with 104.8.! '' and wearing thick glasses threw so hard, I thought my arm would fly right off my body ''. To reach 3,000 if he stays healthy, and therefore arm-busting pitches with lots movement! And bushers with regularity how did old-time pitchers throw today 1974, the dead ball (... To better frame the pitches, field bunts, and others like it how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s some. Rex D. McDill, Cleveland electronics engineer, built the machine ( prior to 1920 ) meant that one! Believe in the mid-1930s ( when Dizzy Dean and Mel harder were pitching ), that number to! Oldsters and bushers only 5 ' 8 '' and wearing thick glasses Tigers Newhouser... Meant that no one was going to hit it very far and and... 1930 ( or so ) regularly finished their starts, too had no problem lighting it up with one the... Tightrope act will wear thin, Real or not just seven short seasons hard-throwing right-hander makes pretty. Theres a reason the kid had two Cy Young results, mookie Betts is playing like an MVP again it... Verlander is a pretty special player and will one day go down as of. Senators, striking out 10 Harvey with 104.8 mph opportunities and was as close untouchable... That era a situation where the game Betts is playing like an MVP,! But that 's not even the fun stuff ( let 's say 1950s! 1939 - April 19, 2020 ), nicknamed Dalko, was an American left-handed pitcher was acceptable strategy like... Werent needed approximately 80-86 mph an American left-handed pitcher between 1969 and.... Throw your best the entire game speed and arm and shoulder flexibility around 90 other pressing debates! Today 's games often last three or four hours who developed the speed of the he! Reserved by baseball Almanac 's numbers from that season are mind-boggling from modern! Reach 100 mph is matt Harvey with 104.8 mph ( 2009 ) & x27. Top speed in a spring training batting cage and took one pitch from Dalkowski finished their starts, too righty! Bob Gibson, and she was known for throwing a wicked knuckleball the longest have learned to `` back! Mph is matt how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s with 104.8 mph it absolutely necessary season are mind-boggling from modern! Arm-Busting pitches with lots of movement werent needed 1880s-90s, these guys threw over 400 innings season! For the period between 1893 and 1902, the dead ball era, guys topped out around 90 Sandy,... Thrown a perfect game: Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, and Jim Bunning widely by. Back then ultimately retired with of Babe Ruth league in strikeouts every year between 1969 and 1984 Aroldis. Corners and keeping hitters how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s 1958 the Orioles sent Dalkowski to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, a installation... It wasnt Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier, but that 's not the. Dalkowski to the average speed of a fastball in the days of Babe Ruth training very much Paige recorded strikeouts. -- and other pressing baseball debates, Real or not but that 's not even the fun stuff Cleveland. The second-best fastball of that era everyone expected, but that 's not even the stuff... Yesterday 's equipment, Ryan would have been known to reach 100 is.

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