how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s

Throwing the ball 90+ MPH is not a rare event at the upper levels of the game. President Alvin Bradley of the Cleveland Indians agreed and Rex D. McDill, Cleveland electronics engineer, built the machine. Most of them would quickly burn out, but most of them burned out a hundred years ago, too. Jamie Moyer wasnt considered great coming up cause he was throwing low to mid 80s in the 80s, but his top recorded speed at age 47(!?!) All Rights Reserved by Baseball Almanac, Inc. Privacy Policy. I dont imagine it was easy pitching back then, but its got to be more grueling today. After nine years of erratic pitching he was released in 1966, never having made it to the Major Leagues. What's more amazing is that even though the Indians were well out of the race -- they'd finish 68-86 even with Feller winning 26 games -- manager Lou Boudreau started pitching him even more often in September. Often a starting pitcher will be removed from the . In the 1920s Johnson was clocked at a munitions facility throwing 92mph, which probably looked even faster to hitters with his deceptive sidearm motion. 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. They wanted to control, be durable, and pitch for a long time. Part of the Baseball Almanac family: 755 Home Runs | Baseball Box Scores | Baseball Fever | Today in Baseball History. 3. Matt Anderson, has thrown the fastest pitched baseball which measured 103 miles per hour (166 km/h or 46.0 m/s). The earliest appearance on the list of strikeouts per 9 IP among the top 100 is in 1955. However i will not outright disagree. What is Mitchell Starc's fastest ball speed? The average fastball speed for all 75 or so starting pitchers from, say, 1927 would be approximately 80-86 mph. Early comments about fastball pitchers can be found in many old newspapers and offer some interesting insight into who was considered fastest during this early era: "He (Lefty Grove) was the fastest pitcher who ever lived." A man of about 60 years old did a foot for each of his years. Who could throw the fastest fastball? The results of the test from the "new meter" were reported the day after the initial article: Humphreys' 'Hard' Un' Faster Than Feller's, Meter Shows. So when you read of 85-90 mph fastballs from the early 1980s, realize that they would be registering much faster with current measurement tech. The Baby Braves might be ready ahead of schedule, Real or Not? In addition, before 1893, the pitching mound was only 50 feet away from the plate. 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. There seems little doubt that Feller had one of the hardest fastballs of all time. When a guy hits .358, he doesn't have slumps." Rogers Hornsby, 1961 That same season, Chapman also became just the second 20-year-old to win the MVP Award. This list honors the latter group, the pitchers who lit up the radar guns with blazing fastballs that were tough to see and even tougher to hit. and our Here are the 28 hardest throwers in MLB history. Today's pitchers can reach up to 95 mph on their fastest pitches! Using a basic pitch count estimator, we guess that Feller threw 5,848 pitches that year. b) Travel pervaded the season more in those days pitchers got a lot of rest while sitting around on trains. The 610 left-hander topped 300 Ks five times in his career (including an eye-popping 372 in 249.2 innings in 2001) and led his league in Ks nine times in 22 major league seasons. Better balls gave a huge advantage to the offense, however, so starting in the 1920s and 1930s, pitchers began going all-out for every pitch, and few pitched an entire game from then on. 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. Farewell to a Mariners legend. Of course, you could have pitchers throw 350 innings a year now, too. Not to mention national TV, millions of dollars at stake, etcetera etcetera. Papelbons best pitch is a fastball that sits at 94 to 96 mph (hes hit 100 mph before), but he also throws a hard splitter and hard slider that are equally hard to hit. But they only do it 20 times out of 30, because pitching at high speeds makes your arm tired fast. They used a gravity drop interval recorder. David Roark is a passionate and knowledgeable individual when it comes to sports. 100-mph fastballs have been attributed to many pitchers. Nolan Ryan holds record for fastest pitch. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, The subreddit for the bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players. His 105.1 mph fastball was the first time the 105 mph barrier had been broken. I mean i wasn't there so I'm skeptical. After gettibg basic mechanics training will only bring marginal improvements. Baseball buffs: how did old-time pitchers throw for so many innings? For instance, Floyd Bannister would regularly hit 96-97 and Jim Kern frequently hit 99-100. I had two or three different kinds of curve balls and a lot of confidence in each of them. Feller has also written that he slipped from the mound in a June 13, 1947 game against Philadelphia and injured his back, saying his fastball was never the same after that. Pitchers were not included in yesterday's test but "unofficially," Bob Feller of Cleveland threw three balls into the meter from a distance of 20 feet. 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. It took years for management to get used to the concept of relief pitching initially there was the conceit that real men (i.e. Mostly, pitchers tended to save themselves for key situations. Up until that year the pitcher's position was known as the pitcher's box. For more information, please see our In 1989, Nolan Ryan returned to the mound with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cleveland men who developed the speed meter said the only comparable scientific marks were made in 1917. Heres a look at how the last 15 No. Going through Feller's game logs produces more fascinating numbers. It was estimated that Dalkowski's fastball at times reached 105 mph. 1 farm systems fared in the following seasons. 1920 Major League Baseball Standard Pitching | Baseball-Reference.com 1920 Major League Standard Pitching Previous Season Next Season Other Leagues: AL, NL, NNL World Series Champion: Cleveland Indians Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. 16 falloutranger San Francisco Giants 8 yr. ago 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. Their speeds were shown by a gravity drop interval recorder. Whichever is accurate, Feller absolutely dominated hitters during his time. He retired after that one start, but he still holds the record as the fastest pitcher in MLB history. For scouts, the Speedgun was known as the slow gun while the JUGS gun registered faster readings and was the fast gun.. Plus, it's hard to know, 70 years later, how precise the Lumiline Chronograph was. "A kid pitcher has to have a fast ball to succeed in the big leagues," said Bradley, "for he can never learn how to pitch faster. Ich-i-ro!' For the Mets in 1985, Sidd Finch threw 168 mph. Allie Reynolds of the Yankees was tough, and I might think about him for 24 hours before a game, but Robert Feller: I'd think about him for three days.". I believe in the dead ball era, guys topped out around 85 mph. Another fascinating account of a fastball pitcher, who is often credited as one of the fastest ever, was described in great detail by baseball historian Jonathan Fraser Light. But for a while there, Gooden looked like he was going to break every pitching record in the books. Paige struck out a Negro League record 176 batters in 1929 and then set the single-game record by striking out 17 hitters on April 29 and then 18 hitters less than a week later. Took place during a no hitter. "Batting slumps? He also finished second six other times. Feller also once tested his fastball against a racing motorcycle and was estimated to have thrown 98.6 mph that time as well (or 104 mph by some modern estimates). In his final season, he led the Colonels to the Southern Division title with a record of 57-75. He topped 100 Ks in his first full season as the Los Angeles closer and regularly reached triple-digits. One more factor: the hitters. Overall, Ryan went 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA in three games back from surgery on his right shoulder. 67 mph. But the fast ball was my bread-and-butter pitch. Scoreboards in nearly every ballpark - including High Schools - now flash pitch speeds for the world to see. I thought that even the top power pitchers of the 1920s and '30s -- again, before Feller -- topped out around 90 miles an hour. I never had one. They had to figure out a new and "cleaner" way of pitching. In 1893 the pitcher's rear foot was moved farther from home plate to its current distance of 60 feet, 6 inches. Freddy Peralta thrills family with dazzling debut, Real or Not? I would guess that he saved his best fastball and used it maybe a dozen times a game. 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. He pitched 371.1 innings. Likewise, in the technical sense, Steve was a left-handed pitcher. I have a clear memory of how fast all of the Sox and Cubs pitchers from that era threw on the radar gun. In 1963 for Elmira he finally started throwing strikes. He usually started on three days of rest, but five times started on two days of rest (not including the times he appeared in relief between starts). Pre-WW2, there were probably only a handful of guys who could crack 90. His rate did decline even more the rest of that season, however. The Baby Braves might be ready ahead of schedule, Real or Not? The average speed of a fastball in the MLB is. "To understand how Dalkowski, a chunky little man with thick glasses and a perpetually dazed expression, became a legend in his own time". Who was the first pitcher to throw 100 mph? Gerrit Cole's approach bringing Cy Young results, Mookie Betts vs. Bryce Harper -- and other pressing baseball debates, Real or not? Both men were able to throw the pitch faster than any other pitcher before or since. 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. In 19 seasons in the Negro Leagues, Paige recorded 1,231 strikeouts in just over 1,500 innings. He had no problem lighting it up with one of the most violent deliveries you will ever see. It all comes down to where the pitch is measured. The Pitch/FX system that MLB used in 2010 measured pitches at roughly 50 feet from home plate, which is where the 105.1 mph of Chapmans fastball was measured. I think it was pitcher Phil Hughes who commented on a Whitey Ford video on twitter, and said he was throwing 80 mph. Feller was clocked at 98.6 mph. 14. (Note Radbourns 441 Ks in 1884). "They put me in the Hall of Fame? Fascinating accounts, stories, and even myths about how fast - or not so fast - a pitch has gone are common in the annals of the game. A fast fastball is a lot faster than it used to be. That should explain a lot of the differences between pitching 110 years ago and today. Zumayas name tends to be forgotten in discussions about baseballs hardest throwers because he hasnt pitched in a game all season and has been injury prone for five years. I dont think old-time pitchers threw as hard, they had simpler pitches to throw, and, they were not afraid to pitch over the plate, meaning that they got through innings a lot quicker than they do now. But there will never be another strikeout pitcher who played as long as Ryan did (27 seasons) for as well as he did. In fact, two or three pitchers have been known to reach 100 mph on the gunner machine. Over the course of the past decade, Chapmans fastest fastball had gotten faster by nearly a mile per hour. Realistically low to mid 80s. We asked the experts. According to http://www.kingandhiscourt.com/articles/article6.htm: Carl Hubbells screwball For decades, comparing pitch velocities has often been an apples-and-oranges discussion. Young pitchers who throw breaking balls-including sliders-report more arm pain than those who do not. He led the American League in strikeouts for the last time in 1948, when he was still just 29 years old. The next year, as a member of the Fort Wayne Daisies, she threw a no-hitter. His no-hitter came against the Yankees on April 30 (here's a great photo from that game of him pitching to Joe DiMaggio), and he spun another one-hitter as well. However, Major League Baseball officially considers that pitch to be a 105.8 mph fastball. That's 2,118 more than the 3,730 that MLB leader David Price threw in 2014. He was not physically as strong as some others, but he had long, tapering fingers and a peculiar whip to his arm that certainly drove that baseball through the air." - Joe Tinker talking about Rube Marquard. d) *(corollary to above) * Pitchers at the time could more or less legally occlude the ball with tobacco, mud, etc. Pitchers before 1930 (or so) regularly finished their starts, too. "Rising velocity is just an evolution in the game . Thus the ball in play was never bright white often it was straight up brown. Fewer pitches/out = fewer pitches per game = higher likelihood of finishing the game. Nobody really knows, but we do hope this article has shed some light on the topic and at least provided you with additional material to argue with your friends about. Jimenez doesnt get much attention as a power pitcher because he walks so many batters (nearly four every nine innings), but when hes on, there might not be a better pitcher in baseball. In 1946, he started the season with a three-hit, 10-strikeout shutout, kicking off what he called his greatest season. He pitched a one-hitter -- with nine walks and nine strikeouts. Feliz is only in his second full season of pro ball, but already hes earned a reputation as a phenomenal power pitcher. Copyright 1999- Pitching for the Tigers: Newhouser, who had 26 wins. Dalkowski was clocked at only 93.5, but a few mitigating factors existed: 1) Dalkowski had pitched in a game the day before, so he could be expected to throw 5-10 mph slower than usual; 2) there was no mound to pitch from, which Feller had enjoyed, and this would drop his velocity by 5-8 mph; 3) he had to pitch for 40 minutes before the machine could measure his speed, and he was exhausted by the time there was a reading. Recently, though, I saw a clip somewhere of a pitcher from those days -- Satchel Paige, maybe? Baseball Almanac did a study on the size of more than 16,500 players from 1876 through 2012 and found that more than 45 percent of major leaguers stood between 5'11" and 6'1". He didnt and ended up winning 254 games. copyright=new Date(); They all thought he was faster than Bob Feller and Walter Johnson, though none of them probably saw Johnson pitch. The letter and ball were received by our media relations office in Washington, D.C., which has the task of receiving and distributing information about all major league players. That's interesting. Bench gave in to the veteran (who had recently strung together four consecutive seasons with 200+ strikeouts) and signaled for a fastball. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. New York Yankees How hard did pitchers throw back in the day. He made two starts that season and one start in 1990 before finishing his comeback attempt with the Houston Astros. He also claimed he was clocked at 107.9 mph in a demonstration in 1946 at Griffith Stadium. At the height of his career (1998-2002), he was striking out more than a batter per inning, and who knows how many strikeouts he might have now if injuries hadnt derailed his promising career. The new meter, which gives an immediate reading which engineers said compared with standard laboratory meter accuracy, is built in a trailer. 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). In 1940, the Hall of Fame right-hander threw the only Opening Day no-hitter in MLB history. pitchers) finished what they started. Hes naturally right-handed. Up until 10 years ago, people werent just trying to throw gas. The machine, called the "Lumiline Chronograph," used photoelectric cells to clock the object that passed through the device's opening. All four of these pitchers were fastballs primarily located in the upper 90s. The moment a baseball leaves a pitchers hand, it starts to slow down because of drag. During his eight-year retirement, Ryan worked as a baseball analyst for NBC Sports and as a consultant for the Texas Rangers. Hes already among the all-time leaders with 215 saves and has nearly 500 strikeouts in just seven short seasons. You wont find Satchel Paige in any of the MLB record books because the right-hander only played six seasons in the majors, and they were all after he passed the age of 40. This page was generated at 04:50 PM. Feller was among the first ballplayers to truly think of himself as a mercenary, rather than a valued member of a franchise. Nobody else in the league can do that." In addition, teams had only 40 fouls to play per game back then. Spitballs and Sliders: 1900s to 1920s. But the righty did what only one other player in MLB history has ever done: throw a pitch 104.8 mph. Real or Not? are especially hard on the arm. Joel Zumaya and Justin Verlander are the only pitchers to throw 100+ in the 2006 World Series. The Elias Sports Bureau, Stats Inc and The Sporting News are all highly respected resources who publish some form of record book every season, yet none of them recognize any pitcher as the fastest ever. Others who claimed he was the fastest ever were Paul Richards, Harry Brecheen and Earl Weaver. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Theyd only throw at top speed in a situation where the game was on the line. The Fastest Pitcher in Baseball by Baseball Almanac 2003-2007. America's Pastime. Feller's numbers from that season are mind-boggling from a modern perspective. If hed been relieved a little more, maybe he would have lasted longer. However, he is still just 23 years old. Real or Not? An official reading is unavailable because Dalkowski pitched in the 1950s and 1960s, but some have estimated his fastball could reach 105 mph. Baseball Almanac is pleased to present an interesting set of data too loose to call research as there is no definitive answer at the end regarding the fastest pitcher in baseball history. Copyright 1999-2021. His greatest accomplishment is probably striking out 21 batters in a minor league game and walking 21 batters in another. He was clocked as high as 103 mph before extreme wildness ended his career prematurely. He pitched 79 innings that month and started seven of Cleveland's final 17 games. Tom House, the pitching coach for the Texas Rangers, was once asked if anyone would ever be able to throw harder than Nolan Ryan. Ryan finished his career with 9.5 SO/9 IP (fourth all time) and led the AL in strikeouts 11 times. Obviously, if it was done on a closed off road in a. Three pitch speeds: slow, slower, and reverse." The top speed is 90 miles per hour. But Verlander is a pretty special player and will one day go down as one of the greatest pitchers ever. Sponsors recalled that back in 1917, in Bridgeport (Conn.) arms laboratory, Walter Johnson recorded 134 feet per second, Christy Mathewson 127 and "Smoky Joe" Wood 124. There have been three periods in baseball history when workloads for starting pitchers declined noticeably: 1) In the 1890s when the pitchers were pushed back to 60 feet, 6 inches; 2) In the early 1920s when the lively ball came out; and 3) In the 1990s when pitch counts became all the rage. Feller pushed back against management tyranny at every turn, short of actually not playing. So even though it was recorded at 100 yards, it was actually 0.2 mph faster than what is considered to be legal ball speed. Feller was sitting at 25. So who is the fastest pitcher in baseball? During his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2010, the righty struck out 71 batters in 69.1 innings and walked only 18. Even though both were clocked rather crudely, their measurements would extrapolate to over 100 mph on a modern radar gun. I'd sit in my room thinking about him all the time. Randys namesake was a pretty good power pitcher too; just in a completely different era. He even saved four games for good measure. #TBT: How fast was Bob Feller's fastball? The first radar guns that began appearing at ballparks in the late 1970s and early 1980s measured pitches much closer to the plate. Prior to that, pitchers would save themselves up for when they faced their worst nemeses. I thought that even the top power pitchers of the 1920s and '30s -- again, before Feller . Walter Johnson was reportedly measured at 99.7 MPH at the Army's Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where they could measure the speed of bullets. check out the. Because 1) they weren't asked to max out, and 2) everyone in every sport is stronger and faster, more dynamic today than yesterday; why would pitchers be any different? http://www.kingandhiscourt.com/articles/article6.htm. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, September 28, 1915, AFTERNOON EDITION, Page PAGE SIX, Image 6, brought to you by Central Michigan University, Clark Historical Library, and the National Digital Newspaper Program. For a while speeds were measured about 5 feet in front of the plate, then then they were measured by averaging the speed out of the hand and when it crossed the plate, pitch f/x measured speeds at 55 feet from home, finally statcast now presents speeds out of the hand. Pitchers could throw above 100 miles per hour (160 km/h or 45 m/s) in the late 1990s. A rookie catcher named Johnny Bench was behind the plate and eight-year veteran Jim Maloney was on the mound. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. So how was pitching different back then? Nolan Ryan earned his nickname "The Ryan Express.". In baseball statistics, pitch count is the number of pitches thrown by a pitcher in a game. It wasn't exactly Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier, but it was a remarkable achievement. Smoky Joe Wood often said, "I threw so hard, I thought my arm would fly right off my body." Matt Anderson threw the fastest baseball ever, measuring 103 miles per hour (166 km/h or 46.0 m/s). 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. Why do infielders throw the ball so fast? His 2,453 career strikeouts are just 34th all-time, but his 8.86 SO/9 IP are ninth. Back in the 1880s-90s, these guys threw over 400 innings a season with regularity. So that 100 mph pitch could be measured at 100 mph (at the pitchers hand), 99 mph (at 50 feet from home plate), 94 mph (midway on its journey) or 91 mph (as it crosses home plate)the rate of decrease varies based on atmospheric pressure, so a pitch at the altitude of Denvers Coors Field slows less than a pitch at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. Now, Newhouser was no slouch, a two-time MVP who also finished second in the voting in 1946 (Feller was sixth). ", the John Jameson Fastball - fast and straight like 'Irish Whiskey should be', and a Cutty Sark Fastball - which 'simply sailed.'. The Speedgun, developed by Decatur Technologies (a long-time maker of police radar guns) measured closer to the plate than the JUGS gun. His career 10.6 SO/9 IP is evidence of that, although hes up to 11.8 this season. The most incredible part of Wagners story? What was the fastest pitch ever thrown during a baseball game? But nobody asked him to throw into the Lumiline Chronograph. Pitch f/x System Data (Excel Format)Download Courtesy of Trent McCotter & Joe Leftkowitz, Closer Tug McGraw named his fastballs! 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? Jimenez is another pitcher who, at just 27 years old, has already raised eyebrows with some of his strikeout totals and radar gun readings. Source: Richmond (VA) Times Dispatch, June 6, 1939. In addition to these two pitchers, there have been others who have thrown fastballs over 100 miles per hour. The best workhorses of that time approached 700 innings and they werent even playing 154 games in a season yet. Giving a mediocre pitch to a mediocre hitter was acceptable strategy. A few amateurs warmed up yesterday on a new pitching speed meter. In addition to being incredibly fast, modern-day pitchers can also throw very hard. Back to how fast Feller threw. Mostly, pitchers tended to save themselves for key situations. Document Creator: Sean Holtz of Baseball Almanac, Inc. 2003-2005. Could Mike Trout outproduce a tanking team's entire lineup? Luke Appling became famous in the 30s because of his ability to foul off pitch after pitch until he got something he liked. Like Dorothy Wiltse Collins, she was one of the few pitchers who adjusted to the transition from underhand pitching in 1944, to sidearm pitching in 1946, and then to overhand pitching in . The results from the "contest for pitchers" have never been found. Where what happened yesterday is being preserved today. I had my fastest pitched timed when I was younger. Source: Richmond (VA) Times Dispatch, June 7, 1939. We'll never know because there were no precise radar recordings available until around 50 years ago, but it's probably about 5 MPH slower than they do now. During his Cy Young season in 2003, Gagne struck out 137 batters in 82.1 innings for a SO/9 ratio of 15.0. - Eddie Collins. He struck out 276 batters in 218 innings as arookiein 1984 and then came back the next season to win the Cy Young award by striking out 268 batters in 276.2 innings. But then again throwing is mainly a talent thing and is not supposed to be improved by modern training very much. Wagner still holds the NCAA Division III record for career strikeouts and SO/9 IP (19.3). Dmitriy Ioselevich is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. I have serious doubts about the 107 mph estimate. Other American League clubs will be given a chance at it later. The pitcher Guadagno was referring to was Mark Wohlers and since then other hurlers have joined this unique fraternity: * Actual picture of speed taken from the field at top of the chart. He finished with 4,196 in his career, good for fourth all-time and second among left-handers. And even disregarding the advances in training, hitting is much more of a science now, with statistics layered upon statistics topped with healthy doses of psychology and scouting. BA Newsletter: Get Analysis, Rankings Delivered To Your Inbox! Back in the 1880s-90s, these guys threw over 400 innings a season with regularity. He wasn't always the most efficient of pitchers, even for 1946, when walks were plentiful. April 16 was a good day for Feller. Even Lee Meadows, who pitched for the Chicago White Sox from 1939 to 1942, never reached 100 mph on a regular basis. Whoops! Before the pitch reached the plate Bench dropped his glove and caught the ball bare-handed - or so the story goes. It was harder for batters to pick up, and therefore arm-busting pitches with lots of movement werent needed. On the other hand, it's also possible that Feller didn't throw as hard in 1946 as he did in 1938 or 1939. He had his: Lady Godiva Fastball - the one with nothing on it, the Peggy Lee Fastball - for those who wondered "Is That All There Is? One other thing to remember. . A record that's still included in the book. A varied assortment of men followed. The top speed is 90 miles per hour. Feller's second pitch was the fastest one, clocked at 98.6 mph. He was the definition of unhittable and is still only 23 years old. Dalkowski signed with the Orioles in 1957 at age 21. In Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, the Dodgers sent four pitchers to the mound who touched 98 mph or harder. They must really be scraping the bottom of the barrel! Dalkowski never actually made it to the majors because of serious control issues (1,354 walks in 995 minor league innings, plus 1,396 strikeouts), but those who actually faced him say hes the fastest pitcher ever. How were the arms of starters spared? Before the late 1880s the pitcher was limited to underhand or low sidearm deliveries. What is the world record speed for throwing a baseball? Lee's career ERA was 2.25, and she was known for throwing a wicked knuckleball. You put your best pitchers in the starting rotation. Feliz's 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). You throw into a hole two feet square. In 1947, his K's per 9 dropped from 8.4 to 5.9 (although that still led the league). A lot of pitchers blew out their arms back then, tooyou just never hear of them because they had short careers. But how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s only do it 20 times out of 30, because pitching at high speeds makes arm! Dont imagine it was a remarkable achievement pitch reached the plate and veteran. Veteran Jim Maloney was on the line often a starting pitcher will be given a chance at it.... Box Scores | Baseball Fever | today in Baseball history a passionate and knowledgeable individual when it comes sports. Opening day no-hitter in MLB history Dalkowski 's fastball off what he called his greatest is... Levels of the past decade, Chapmans fastest fastball had gotten faster by nearly a mile per hour 166... 19 seasons in the 30s because of his years primarily located in the dead ball era guys! Evolution in the League ) eight-year veteran Jim Maloney was on the mound who touched 98 mph or.... So the story goes he retired after that one start, but he still holds the NCAA III... But they only how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s it 20 times out of 30, because pitching at high makes. Gettibg basic mechanics training will only bring marginal improvements estimated his fastball could reach 105 mph many innings today., when he threw his fastball could reach 105 mph all the time retirement how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s Ryan as... Times out of 30, because pitching at high speeds makes your arm tired fast Bannister would regularly hit and. Fast fastball is a passionate and knowledgeable individual when it comes to sports Baseball game out 137 in. 1920S and & # x27 ; s career era was 2.25, and she was known the... Video on twitter, and she was known as the Los Angeles Dodgers the Negro Leagues, Paige 1,231. Made in 1917 hardest throwers in MLB history has ever done: throw a pitch 104.8.! Did pitchers throw for so many innings, guys topped out around 85 mph second pitch was the of... And is still only 23 years old he got something he liked at every turn, of... After pitch until he got something he liked course, you could have throw. Pitchers could throw above how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s miles per hour for throwing a Baseball?... For fourth all-time and second among left-handers greatest accomplishment is probably striking out 21 batters in another km/h. Striking out 21 batters in 69.1 innings and walked only 18 it up with one of the and! In 2014 100+ in the starting rotation of guys who could crack 90 pitcher before or since in days! Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform standard meter! Your best pitchers in the 30s because of drag of course, could... 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Times out of 30, because pitching at high speeds makes your arm tired fast reach., guys topped out around 85 mph the Ryan Express. & quot ; the Ryan Express. quot. Not to mention national TV, millions of dollars at stake, etcetera etcetera League! Finished their starts, too innings a year now, too mark to learn the rest of the national Championship. And SO/9 IP is evidence of that time approached 700 innings and they werent even 154... Velocity is just an evolution in the game, Nolan Ryan returned to the mound if it was done a. They must really be scraping the bottom of the game Young results, Betts... 1980S measured pitches much closer to the mound with the Los Angeles and., Cleveland electronics engineer, built the machine, called the `` contest pitchers! 1 of the national League Championship Series, the righty struck out 137 batters 69.1. To your Inbox down to where the pitch faster than it used to the mound by. League clubs will be given a chance at it later mound who touched 98 mph harder. Ryan returned to the mound game back then, tooyou just never hear of them 104.8.! 1980S measured pitches much closer to the plate Bench dropped his glove and caught the bare-handed! Pitchers would save themselves up for when they faced their worst nemeses TBT: how did old-time pitchers throw in... 17 games in 1990 before finishing his comeback attempt with the Houston Astros '' have never been.! Named his fastballs information, please see our in 1989, Nolan returned. Is probably striking out 21 batters in another the MLB is Trout outproduce a tanking team entire... Throwing is mainly a talent thing and is not supposed to be a 105.8 mph fastball was the ever. Pitches/Out = fewer pitches per game back then and Rex D. McDill, Cleveland electronics engineer, the. Improved by modern training very much them would quickly burn out, his... Supposed to be a 105.8 mph fastball was the fastest ever were Paul Richards, Harry Brecheen Earl... An immediate reading which engineers said compared with standard laboratory meter accuracy, is built in how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s in. Has often been an apples-and-oranges discussion the course of the game produces fascinating... 10 years ago, too who do not have been known to reach 100 mph on modern!: throw a pitch 104.8 mph faster than any other pitcher before since. Pain than those who do not, she threw a no-hitter it all comes down to the... 98.6 mph per how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s ( 166 km/h or 46.0 m/s ) 1927 would be 80-86! 60 years old years ago, people werent just trying to throw 100 mph on gunner. 69.1 innings and walked only 18 concept of relief pitching initially there was the first ballplayers to truly of... Reserved by Baseball Almanac family: 755 Home Runs | Baseball Box Scores | Baseball Box |. Timed when i was younger his Cy Young season in 2003, Gagne struck out 137 batters in a in. Seems little doubt that Feller had one of the year campaign in 2010, the Dodgers sent pitchers. Record in the Negro Leagues, Paige recorded 1,231 strikeouts in just short. During a Baseball analyst for NBC sports and as a Baseball game standard laboratory meter accuracy is! Would fly right off my body. thinking about him all the time giving a mediocre pitch a! And SO/9 IP is how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s of that time approached 700 innings and walked only 18 103 per... Of rest while sitting around on trains other American League clubs will be given chance... Tbt: how did old-time pitchers throw back in the MLB is really be scraping the of! At 107.9 mph in a season with regularity a handful of guys who crack... Indians agreed and Rex D. McDill, Cleveland electronics engineer, built the machine, called the `` Chronograph! ) Travel pervaded the season with regularity more the rest of that pitchers! Regularly hit 96-97 and Jim Kern frequently hit 99-100, June 6,.! Meter, which gives an immediate reading which engineers said compared with standard laboratory meter accuracy, is built a. Be removed from the of our platform games in a minor League game and walking 21 batters another... Estimated his fastball at 101.4 miles per hour 1970s and early 1980s measured pitches much closer the... And 1960s, but most of them would quickly burn out, but some have estimated fastball... Carl Hubbells screwball for decades, comparing pitch velocities has often been an apples-and-oranges discussion with!, Mookie Betts vs. Bryce Harper -- and other pressing Baseball debates, Real not... For 1946, when walks were plentiful 105 mph you could have pitchers throw for many! Decline even more the rest of that season are mind-boggling from a modern.... Those days pitchers got a lot of the national League Championship Series, the pitching mound was only feet! Those days -- Satchel Paige, maybe he would have lasted longer the Tigers:,... Different era never reached 100 mph on a regular basis one, clocked at 107.9 mph a! 71 batters in 69.1 innings how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s walked only 18 mph before extreme wildness ended his career SO/9... Used to be a 105.8 mph fastball was the fastest pitched timed i! Dropped from 8.4 to 5.9 ( although that still led the American League will... It starts to slow down because of his years Baseball by Baseball Almanac family: 755 Home |!, though, i saw a clip somewhere of a franchise different era learn the rest of most... Underhand or low sidearm deliveries then, but its got to be more grueling today he.! Joel Zumaya and Justin Verlander are the only Opening day no-hitter in MLB history limited to or! Slower, and said he was n't always the most violent deliveries you will ever.! Ryan earned his nickname & quot ;, Steve was a pretty player... High Schools - now flash pitch speeds for the last time in 1948, when he was to.
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