| 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 record | 198–132 |
| Earned run average | 2.68 |
| Strikeouts | 1,265 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Member of the National | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 1946 |
| Election method | Old-Timers Committee |
John Dwight Chesbro (June 5, 1874 – November 6, 1931) was an American professionalbaseballpitcher. Nicknamed "Happy Jack", Chesbro played for thePittsburgh Pirates (1899–1902), theNew York Highlanders (1903–1909), and theBoston Red Sox (1909) ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). Chesbro finished his career with a 198–132win–loss record, a 2.68earned run average, and 1,265strikeouts. 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 theNational Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946 by theVeterans Committee, though he had received little consideration from theBaseball 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.
John Dwight Chesbro was born on June 5, 1874, in Houghtonville, a village inNorth Adams, Massachusetts.[11] He was the fourth of five children of Chad Brown Chesebrough, a shoemaker, and Martha Jane Fralensburgh.[12][13]
In 1892, Chesbro began playing for asandlot ball team in Houghtonville.[14] He worked in 1894 as an attendant at theMiddletown State Homeopathic Hospital inMiddletown, New York in order to play for the Asylums, the team representing the mental hospital. There, an inmate gave Chesbro the nickname "Happy Jack", due to his pleasant demeanor.[15]
Chesbro began his professional career inminor league baseball in 1895. That year, he pitched for theAlbany Senators of theNew York State League until they folded, at which point he joined theJohnstown Buckskins. When the league disbanded during the season, he joined theSpringfield Maroons of theEastern League.[12] In 1896, Chesbro pitched for theRoanoke Magicians of theVirginia League, until it disbanded. He pitched the remainder of the 1896 season inCooperstown, New York for the Cooperstown Athletics. There, the local newspaper shortened his last name to "Chesbro" so that it would fit in the box score.[16]
Chesbro pitched for theRichmond, Virginia basedRichmond Bluebirds of theAtlantic League from 1897 through 1899. After the 1898 season, he was drafted byNed Hanlon of theBaltimore Orioles. However, Hanlon took a job with theBrooklyn Superbas and the Orioles were nearly contracted, resulting in Chesbro not signing with Baltimore, as Hanlon allowed the option to lapse.[12][17] He returned to Richmond for the 1899 season.
Chesbro was sold by Richmond to thePittsburgh Pirates on July 7, 1899, for $1,500 ($56,694 in current dollar terms). He made hisMajor League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Pirates on July 12, 1899. He recorded a 6–9win–loss record for the1899 Pirates. After the season, on December 8, 1899, Chesbro was traded withGeorge Fox,Art Madison,John O'Brien, and $25,000 ($944,900 in current dollar terms) to theLouisville Colonels forHonus Wagner,Fred Clarke,Bert Cunningham,Mike Kelley,Tacks Latimer,Tommy Leach,Tom Messitt,Deacon Phillippe,Claude Ritchey,Rube Waddell,Jack Wadsworth, andChief Zimmer.[18] The Louisville club dissolved that offseason, and Chesbro, Fox, Madison and O'Brien were assigned to Pittsburgh in March as theNational League (NL) reduced from 12 to eight teams.[12]
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After going 15–13 for the1900 Pirates, Chesbro won 21 games for the1901 Pirates, while leading the NL with sixshutouts.[19] He went 28–6 with a 2.17earned run average (ERA) for the1902 Pirates, leading the NL in wins and shutouts.[20] The Pirates won theNational League pennant in 1901 and 1902.
At the end of the 1902 season, the upstartAmerican League (AL) began to entice NL stars to join their league by offering competitive salaries. Chesbro agreed to sign with a new AL franchise, theNew York Highlanders (presently known as the New York Yankees), for the 1903 season, for a $1,000 bonus ($36,342 in current dollar terms) to join the AL.[21] The news broke whenJesse Tannehill, who also agreed to join the Highlanders, toldPirates ownerBarney Dreyfuss about the planned defection while under the influence of pain medication.[22] When he refused to participate in a postseason series, Dreyfuss released Chesbro from the Pirates.[22]
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Chesbro pitched the Highlanders' first game. He finished the1903 season with a 21–15 record. Chesbro began throwing aspitball in the1904 season,[23][24] which he learned fromElmer Stricklett, the inventor of the spitball.[25] Chesbro also began working on a "slow ball".[12][26] That year, he started 51 games and finished 48 while posting a 1.82 ERA,striking out 239 batters, and recording 41 wins and 48 complete games over454+2⁄3 innings pitched, setting MLB records for wins, complete games, and innings pitched in a season.[4][12] That year, no other pitcher in the league won more than 26.[27] Chesbro won 14 straight games from May 14 through July 4,[28] a New York franchise record that stood untilRoger Clemens broke it in2001.[29] His 239 strikeouts remained a team record untilRon Guidry struck out 248 in1978.[30] On the last day of the season, in a game against theBoston Americans (now known as the Boston Red Sox), he threw awild pitch in the top of the ninth inning, allowing the winning run to score from third base and causing the Highlanders to lose the pennant to Boston.[15] The ruling on this play was controversial. Even after Chesbro's death in 1931, his widow, with the support of former Highlanders managerClark Griffith, continued to claim that the pitch was apassed ball, and blamed the winning run on catcherRed Kleinow.[31]
Before the 1905 season, Chesbro announced that he had created a pitch he called the "jump ball".[32] He struggled in the 1905 season, registering a 19–15 record.[12] During the 1905 season, Chesbro was involved in the firstsqueeze play in major league baseball. Atthird base, Chesbro mistakenly thought he had received a steal sign from managerClark Griffith, whileWillie Keelerbunted for a hit. As Chesbro scored, Griffith made a note of the play and taught it inspring training the following season.[33]
Many baseball observers expected Chesbro to return to form in 1906.[34] That season, Chesbro registered a 23–17 record while leading the AL in earned runs allowed.[35] He was removed from his starts 16 times, the most in the AL.[36]
Chesbro announced he would work on keeping his weight down prior to the 1907 season,[37] but announced his intentions to retire in February 1907.[38] In March 1907, he announced he would return, but not at a pay cut.[39] He signed a new contract two weeks into the 1907 season,[40] in which he went 10–10.[12]
After the 1907 season, Chesbro announced that he was giving up the experimental spitball, intending to return to the "old style of pitching" in 1908.[41] He finished the 1908 season with a 14–20 record.[12]
Prior to the 1909 season, Chesbro was assigned to theIndianapolis Indians of theAmerican Association, a minor league affiliate of the Highlanders.[42] However, Chesbro threatened to retire if transferred there, and did not report to the Highlanders at first.[12] Chesbro made nine appearances for the Highlanders in 1909, before he waswaived and claimed by the Boston Red Sox in September 1909.[12]
Chesbro pitched one game for the Red Sox, the season finale against the Yankees.[43] The Red Sox returned Chesbro to the Highlanders prior to the 1910 season, but he was placed on the ineligible list after he refused to report to the minor leagues.[12]
Chesbro returned to Massachusetts during the1910 season, where he worked on a farm inConway, Massachusetts, that he purchased a decade prior.[12] He pitched for asemi-professional baseball team inWhitinsville, Massachusetts,[44] leading them to a championship.[12] Chesbro coached for Massachusetts Agricultural College (presently known as theUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst) in 1911 and continued to pitch for semipro clubs in Massachusetts.[45]
Chesbro met withHighlanders ownerFrank J. Farrell and new managerHarry Wolverton in February 1912 about attempting a comeback. Wolverton agreed to give Chesbro a chance at pitching for the Highlanders.[46] However, before leaving for camp he reconsidered and released Chesbro.[12] Chesbro's request for reinstatement as afree agent was granted in March, while the Highlanders granted him his unconditional release.[47] Chesbro decided to travel toHot Springs, Arkansas, where teams participated in spring training, in an attempt to find a team willing to give him a chance at a comeback.[12] He worked out with Brooklyn and Pittsburgh,[48] but both teams passed on him.
Chesbro appeared in an old-timers game atBraves Field, sponsored byThe Boston Post to benefit Boston Children's Hospital, on September 11, 1922.[12] He served as aWashington Senatorscoach in 1924, which were managed by his former Highlanders manager,Clark Griffith.[49] However, he andBen Egan were let go when the Senators hiredAl Schacht on June 1.[12] In 1927, he managed a minor league team inSouth Deerfield, Massachusetts, pitching for the team on occasion.[50]
Chesbro was inducted into theNational Baseball Hall of Fame in1946 by theVeterans Committee, which considers individuals who are eligible for the Hall of Fame, but no longer eligible to be elected by theBaseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). That year, the Veterans Committee elected eleven players: Chesbro,Jesse Burkett,Frank Chance,Johnny Evers,Clark Griffith,Tommy McCarthy,Joe McGinnity,Eddie Plank,Joe Tinker,Rube Waddell, andEd Walsh.[51] During years where Chesbro was eligible on the BBWAA ballot, Chesbro received zero votes in the1936 balloting, one vote in the1937 balloting, two votes in the1938 balloting, and six votes in the1939 balloting, zero votes in the1942 balloting, and zero votes in the1945 balloting.[52]
Chesbro's 1904 record for games won in a season (41 wins) has stood for over a century—one of the oldest major records in baseball, or in any other sport. Under current playing practices, his record is unbreakable.[4][11] Chesbro started 51 games that season (plus 4 relief appearances) and pitched 48 complete games, for a record of 41–12. Today, it is uncommon for a pitcher to start even 35 games in a season and complete games are a rarity. The only other 40-win season since 1900 was 40 by Ed Walsh in 1908, and only three other pitchers in the modern era have won as many as 35--Christy Mathewson (37 in 1908),Walter Johnson (36 in 1913) andJoe McGinnity (35 in 1904). The last pitcher to win as many as 30 games wasDenny McLain in 1968. The pitcher's mound was lowered to its current height of 10 inches in 1969, and since then no pitcher has won more than 27 games in a season.
Tinker considered Chesbro one of the six toughest pitchers he faced in MLB.[53] Dan Holmes, who runs the Hall of Fame's website, called Chesbro "one of the best pitchers in the game at that time."[54]
However, Chesbro's induction is considered dubious, as his overall career was overshadowed by his 1904 season.[55] Baseball historianBill James considers Chesbro to be undeserving of induction to the Hall of Fame.[56] In particular, James compared Chesbro's statistics to those of former Pittsburgh Pirate teammatesDeacon Phillippe (189–109, 2.59),Sam Leever (194–100, 2.47), andJesse Tannehill (197–117, 2.80), none of whom are in the Hall of Fame. In his bookThe Politics of Glory, James charged that the induction of undeserving players created a "second tier" in the Hall of Fame.[56] James claimed that Chesbro was inducted into the Hall of Fame solely on the basis of his 1904 season, even though other pitchers who did not make the Hall of Fame have similar career statistics.[12]
Chesbro married Mabel Suttleworth ofConway, Massachusetts, in 1896. After his retirement, Chesbro farmed and raised poultry in Conway, where he died on November 6, 1931, of amyocardial infarction;[15] he was buried at Howland Cemetery in Conway.[12] Mabel died in 1940.[57]
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