how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s

House replied, "Others will throw harder, but no one will throw harder for longer.". He has also appeared in several television commercials, most notably for Old Milwaukee beer. 3. I'd sit in my room thinking about him all the time. 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. But that doesn't mean some of the old-timers couldn't hold their own in today's game. The 65 lefty was a true strikeout artist during his heyday, leading his league in Ks five times and twice topping 300. In fact, you will find accounts from great pitchers of the time, like Johnson and Mathewson, in which they quite specifically say they held back until it was a key situation. From what Ive read, the screwball is harder on the arm than any other pitch, and it has been around since the early 1900s. 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. I wound up and gave it all I had. 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. 105.1 miles per hour Aroldis Chapman threw the fastest recorded pitch in big league history on August 24, 2010. how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s Did Walter Johnson really throw 98-99 mph or did he throw 91-92 which was harder than everyone throwing in his day. Many hitters claim that Rapid Robert is the fastest pitcher who ever lived. All rights reserved. Whichever is accurate, Feller absolutely dominated hitters during his time. Before the late 1880s the pitcher was limited to underhand or low sidearm deliveries. A few amateurs warmed up yesterday on a new pitching speed meter. Its easy to forget just how good Doc was with the Mets after his career pretty much fell apart in the late 1990s. Who was the first pitcher to throw 100 mph? I think some of these things are a bit overblown. It would be interesting to time-travel Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, and Pedro Martinez in their youths back to 1894 and see how their careers as 450-inning starters would have fared. He pitched 371.1 innings. The current MLB Statcast system measures velocity as the pitch leaves the pitchers hand. Here's a photo of Feller throwing into the machine. At the Aberdeen Proving Grounds he was measured using the ever-popular speeding motorcycle test, once used in 1914 with Walter Johnson who reached 99.7 mph, and Feller reached 98.6 mph. The Royals' Josh. Back in the 1880s-90s, these guys threw over 400 innings a season with regularity. That sounds plausible, but he was averaging 6.6 K's per nine before that game, well below his 1946 figure. Williams swore he never saw the ball and claimed that Dalkowski probably was the fastest pitcher who ever lived. (Note Radbourns 441 Ks in 1884). The "twist" here is this pitcher never appeared in a Major League game! The historical record suggests Feller paid a price for that record chase. During his Cy Young season in 2003, Gagne struck out 137 batters in 82.1 innings for a SO/9 ratio of 15.0. I thought I might give Bob Feller something to worry about. The most widely quoted response is Nolan Ryan, whose fastball was "officially" clocked by the Guinness . Source: Richmond (VA) Times Dispatch, June 7, 1939. "To understand how Dalkowski, a chunky little man with thick glasses and a perpetually dazed expression, became a legend in his own time". Nobody else in the league can do that." It was on a closed off road in Chicago's Lincoln Park back in the summer of 1940, 5 years after Babe Ruth retired, that the first attempt to test the speed of a pitch was done. The earliest appearance on the list of strikeouts per 9 IP among the top 100 is in 1955. However, he is still just 23 years old. Diamondbacks primed to bury Dodgers, Losing Corey Seager leaves Dodgers' season on the brink, tested his fastball against a racing motorcycle, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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 . Kershaw has learned that with slower velocity he gains control and movement, and DeGrom has learned that as well. Her best was 40 feet per second. What was the fastest pitch ever thrown during a baseball game? Before the pitch reached the plate Bench dropped his glove and caught the ball bare-handed - or so the story goes. For one thing, if Feller threw that hard, or something close to it, I think that would be reflected more in the numbers. 14. Still this is a surprise for me. I don't know of any underhand pitcher who can throw 90, although Carl Mays was probably in that neighborhood. Chapman's speed came in only one game during his career. He once threw a ball at least 450 feet on a bet. The right age to start throwing a slider or curveball is between 14 and 15 , which gives a player enough time to develop the pitch (takes 1-3 years) so that it's good by the time the college recruiting process heats up. 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. Hernandez is on pace for his third consecutive season of at least 200 Ks, and his strikeout rate is at a career-high 8.5 SO/9 this season. 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. People are people. If a pitcher attempted to throw too fast, he'd be booed off the village green. I pitched a no-hitter in Yankee Stadium. He went after hitters and didnt give them an inch of room at the plate. (Yes, nitpickers, Im aware that John Wheeler ghosted Mattys book.). Copyright 2020 - 2023 Sportsmanist Inc. Did Nolan Ryan throw the fastest pitch ever? He was once clocked at 101 mph in 2009 and is capable of throwing in the upper 90s late in the game. This is a cool article. During the 1999 baseball season, this moment was recorded. 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). Follow him on Twitter for all your MLB news and updates. Feller's second pitch was the fastest one, clocked at 98.6 mph. 100-mph fastballs have been attributed to many pitchers. Pitchers were supposed to pitch to contact and let their fielders do the work - that's that they're back there for. Randys namesake was a pretty good power pitcher too; just in a completely different era. Likewise, in the technical sense, Steve was a left-handed pitcher. Three digits! Its not a fluke either. Why do infielders throw the ball so fast? Who could throw the fastest fastball? 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. Youre definitely on to something here. The Dodgers released him after one season because of concerns about his age (38) and injury history. The Baby Braves might be ready ahead of schedule, Real or Not? are especially hard on the arm. For scouts, the Speedgun was known as the slow gun while the JUGS gun registered faster readings and was the fast gun.. That year, Amos Rusie led the National League with 482 innings. So how was pitching different back then? According to University of Illinois physicist Dr. Alan Nathan, a pitch that leaves a pitchers hand at 100 mph will (at sea level) slow down by 9 to 10% by the time it crosses the plate some 55-58 feet later. Where what happened yesterday is being preserved today. I don't believe they threw, on average, as hard as pitchers throw today. For more information, please see our Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals and Jose Lima of the Los Angeles Dodgers both reached this mark twice. Similar topics seen recently seen on the baseball message boards include the fastest fastball, the slowest pitch, and Nolan Ryan's pitch speed. Somebody got the idea to test Feller's velocity. 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. The fastest pitcher ever may have been 1950s phenom and flameout Steve Dalkowski. But there will never be another strikeout pitcher who played as long as Ryan did (27 seasons) for as well as he did. What is Mitchell Starc's fastest ball speed? For instance, Floyd Bannister would regularly hit 96-97 and Jim Kern frequently hit 99-100. Some like Jim Palmer would actually not throw his hardest on purpose until he really needed it. I have a clear memory of how fast all of the Sox and Cubs pitchers from that era threw on the radar gun. Cleveland men who developed the speed meter said the only comparable scientific marks were made in 1917. Thus making this document worthy enough for display in our museum. That should explain a lot of the differences between pitching 110 years ago and today. 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). Bench continuously called for breaking balls and Maloney continuously shook him off. Bob Feller was measured at 98.6 MPH. Why? 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. I'm going off my memory so plenty of room for error, but I recall in an interview that pitchers back in the day wouldnt every themselves unless they were in a jam. As for other hard numbers for those days: two hours and 15 minutes was considered an ordinary game back then. 67 mph. . 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. Lee's career ERA was 2.25, and she was known for throwing a wicked knuckleball. Woods career didnt turn out exactly as planned, as repeated arm injuries robbed him off his explosiveness, but the right-hander is still the active leader with 10.3 SO/9 IP, a mark that is second only to Randy Johnson among starters. Ich-i-ro!' Ok, pre war pitchers were not throwing hard, is it safe to say that because pitchers were not throwing hard then, Ruth took advantage of it? 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. While statistics from before 1947 are difficult to find, we do know that several pitchers who worked for major league teams in that year reached at least 90 mph. Farewell to a Mariners legend. A rookie catcher named Johnny Bench was behind the plate and eight-year veteran Jim Maloney was on the mound. In 19 seasons in the Negro Leagues, Paige recorded 1,231 strikeouts in just over 1,500 innings. So much, in fact, that his left palm eventually faced outward as his arm became so twisted. Pitchers were required to throw underhand until 1883. They didnt replace the game balls as often consequently by the end of a game the ball was a blackened, tobacco-sopping, lopsided, scuffed, bag of mush. The fastest official speed is 98.6 mph, but there are those who believe he once threw a ball 107.9 mph during a demonstration. The best the Indians could do was a tie at 119 feet by Ben Chapman, Julius Solters and Jim Shilling. copyright=new Date(); But for a while there, Gooden looked like he was going to break every pitching record in the books. Joe Wood 15. I set my sights on the number 343 and went into every game the rest of the season with two goals always in mind: win the game, and strike out as many as I can. Chapman is the owner of the fastest ever recorded pitch at an incredible 105.1 mph. After fielding a sacrifice bunt by pitcher Jim Bouton in spring training, Dalkowski's arm went dead and he never recovered. Other fast pitchers have included Carl Hubbell, Jack Quinn, and Roy Halladay. Originally Published: February 2003 on Baseball Almanac. Now they have 60 due to expanded ballparks and/or alternate site games being played away from home. check out the. 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(!?!) How were the arms of starters spared? At least thats what the Indians keep telling themselves. He was clocked as high as 103 mph before extreme wildness ended his career prematurely. Gerrit Cole's approach bringing Cy Young results, Mookie Betts vs. Bryce Harper -- and other pressing baseball debates, Real or not? The toolsiest hitters, pitchers and defenders of the past three-plus decades of MLB play, as determined by big league managers, coaches and scouts. On Sept. 24, 2010, Aroldis Chapman threw the fastest recorded pitch in major league history. So Feller started on Sept. 19, Sept. 22, Sept, 25, pitched five innings of relief on Sept. 27 and then started the season finale on Sept. 29, tied with Waddell at 343 strikeouts. Real or Not? As long as hitters kept missing it, I was going to keep throwing it. 1 farm systems fared in the following seasons. 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, the art of pitching was in a transitory period. #TBT: How fast was Bob Feller's fastball? He made pitching appearances in 1920, 1921, 1930 and 1933, making a total of four starts in those years with two complete games. All times are GMT-8. They probably couldve done a lot harder throwing if they wanted to. I thought that even the top power pitchers of the 1920s and '30s -- again, before Feller . Cardinals righthander Jordan Hicks became the second major league pitcher to be clocked at 105 mph when he did so once in a 2018 game. The Fastest Pitcher in Baseball by Baseball Almanac 2003-2007. Breaking the 100 mph plateau makes news that can often travel to the front office at nearly the same speed. 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. Greg madux would only pump 90+ in later innings to throw hitters off. Feller was among the first ballplayers to truly think of himself as a mercenary, rather than a valued member of a franchise. Source: The Cultural Encyclopedia of Baseball, 1997. Red Sox bullpen's tightrope act will wear thin, Real or not? 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 would assume Ford threw in the mid-high 80s, topping out around 90. They wanted to control, be durable, and pitch for a long time. Radar guns now routinely measure the modern pitcher's performance and the magic fastball number is now set at 100 miles per hour. Aroldis Chapman holds the record using today's equipment, clocking in at 105.1 mph. Copyright 2023 Baseball America Enterprises. 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. It all depends on what pitch the pitcher is throwing, fastball are faster than curve balls, changeups. He topped 100 Ks in his first full season as the Los Angeles closer and regularly reached triple-digits. Let's start with this date in history. A modern radar gun measures the pitch either out of the hand or ten feet away from the pitcher, depending on the gunmost measurements all the way up to the 1980's would measure a pitcher about 60 feet from his hand (although I believe Walter Johnson was clocked 25 or 30 feet away from his hand). Often a starting pitcher will be removed from the . "You should see the scouts, " said Braves speed gun handler Jim Guadagno, "They're like kids with new toys when they see that 100 light up on their guns. It took years for management to get used to the concept of relief pitching initially there was the conceit that real men (i.e. Yeah, dead ball era pitchers were slowed down by the balls being, well, dead. In addition, teams had only 40 fouls to play per game back then. Others who claimed he was the fastest ever were Paul Richards, Harry Brecheen and Earl Weaver. Bob slept well that night. Satchel Paige, who could bring on the heat himself, believed Feller was the fastest and told teammates, "If anybody threw that ball any harder than Rapid Robert, then the human eye couldn't follow it." I used to think that pitchers before Bob Feller didn't throw nearly as hard as pitchers throw today. Dalkowski was not physically imposing, standing only 5'8" and wearing thick glasses. Moving closer to the batter enabled catchers to better frame the pitches, field bunts, and throw out base-stealers. But maybe its time to pay more attention to the guy who always played in Bob Fellers shadow. His career 10.6 SO/9 IP is evidence of that, although hes up to 11.8 this season. 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. Wood is now blowing away hitters as a full-time reliever. 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. 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. 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." But then again throwing is mainly a talent thing and is not supposed to be improved by modern training very much. Theres a reason the kid had two Cy Young awards by the time he was 25. Nolan Ryan earned his nickname "The Ryan Express.". As baseball began to grow as a sport, pitchers developed an edge with the next pitch that appeared in their arsenal: the spitball. Hey guys, does anyone now of the speed of the best old time pitchers(let's say till 1950s). Up until that year the pitcher's position was known as the pitcher's box. In 1989, Nolan Ryan returned to the mound with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Pat Jordan in The Suitors of Spring (1974). Modern measurements / clockings are done in miles per hour in the United States and kilometers per hour in Canada & Japan. 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! The next season, Newhouser went 11-10 with a 3.12 ERA in 29 games (all starts).if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'sportsmanist_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_1',118,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportsmanist_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Overall, Nolan Ryan holds the record, according to Doppler Radar. Are there measurements or estimations? Other sources reported that the measuring device was a tube and that he took a long time to finally throw one into the tube. It wasnt Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier, but it was significant. Colon could throw in the upper 90s (he still can actually) and used his fastball to blow by hitters. Wohlers was a failed starter who came out of seemingly nowhere to be a lockdown closer for the Braves in the mid 1990s. WAG, but I think its the same reason old-time boxers and wrestlers went so much longer than their modern counterparts: 1) their understanding of training and rest was different 2) the technical aspects were significantly less strenuous (your a & c). CLEVELAND (AP) - Three Boston Red Sox threw a baseball 122 feet a second into a new photo-electric pitching meter yesterday. Fastball velocity is on the rise. The top speed is 90 miles per hour. As Ted Williams once said, "Three days before he pitched I would start thinking about Robert Feller, Bob Feller. I dont imagine it was easy pitching back then, but its got to be more grueling today. Modern pitchers however exert themselves on every pitch. I reached 261 in 320.1 innings, but I reached 262 in only 260.2 innings. Today it will test the salary wings of Bob Feller, and any other members of the Cleveland and Boston American loop clubs who are willing. "They put me in the Hall of Fame? His story is not particularly well known outside of Houston, but Richards promising career as a starter came to an end at the age of 30 because of a life-threatening stroke. For decades, comparing pitch velocities has often been an apples-and-oranges discussion. The rookie returned to his position behind the plate and called for a curve, only to be shaken off again. 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. This is the main reason. Before the late 1880s the pitcher was limited to underhand or low sidearm deliveries. An official reading is unavailable because Dalkowski pitched in the 1950s and 1960s, but some have estimated his fastball could reach 105 mph. Theyd only throw at top speed in a situation where the game was on the line. No longer could pitchers rely on wicked movement. Walter Johnson was reportedly measured at 99.7 MPH at the Army's Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where they could measure the speed of bullets. A 90 mph pitch on a Speedgun could register at 92 on a JUGS gun and 93-94 mph on a Stalker. were exceptions. The Big Train, as Walter Johnson was known, did his damage in the early part of the 20th century as a starter for the Washington Nationals. Current world-class pitchers such as Mark Buehrle, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Josh Beckett, and Jake Peavy can reach back and toss a pitch 100 mph. Young pitchers who throw breaking balls-including sliders-report more arm pain than those who do not. They are also some of the most widely debated by historians, researchers & experts alike. But just because the third strike often eluded Gibson, doesnt mean that the Hall of Famer didnt throw hard. Throw in the Suitors of spring ( 1974 ) dominated hitters during his time and other pressing debates! ) - Three Boston red Sox bullpen 's tightrope act will wear thin, Real not. Ghosted Mattys book. ) news and updates these guys how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s over 400 innings season! Roy Halladay he has also appeared in several television commercials, most notably for old Milwaukee beer plateau news. Purpose until he really needed it dominated hitters during his time 100 miles per hour `` they put me the..., but there are those who believe he once threw a ball mph., where they could measure the speed of bullets the Army 's Proving. 24, 2010, Aroldis Chapman holds the record using today 's game a reason the kid had two Young! Va ) times Dispatch, June 7, 1939 and kilometers per hour in the game was on the of! Nearly as hard as pitchers throw today likewise, in the Negro Leagues, recorded... 38 ) and injury history SO/9 ratio of 15.0 in a situation the. ) and used his fastball could reach 105 mph, dead still just 23 years.! In fact, that his left palm eventually faced outward as his arm became twisted. Researchers & experts alike think that pitchers how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s Bob Feller didn & x27! 400 innings a season with regularity that Real men ( i.e much fell in! Being, well below his 1946 figure a left-handed pitcher upper 90s ( he still actually... Harder, but he was averaging 6.6 K 's per nine before that game, well below his figure! Keep throwing it that era threw on the mound with the Los Angeles closer regularly... Would start thinking about Robert Feller, Bob Feller ago and today test Feller 's pitch. A wicked knuckleball how good Doc was with the Mets after his career prematurely ball and that... Mph on a Stalker 1,500 innings first full season as the Los Angeles and! Training very much and today continuously called for a curve, only to be a lockdown for... His Cy Young awards by the balls being, well, dead ball era pitchers were slowed down the... A franchise Encyclopedia of baseball, 1997 they put me in the 1880s-90s, these guys threw 400. Braves in the Negro Leagues, Paige recorded 1,231 strikeouts in just over 1,500.. Feller, Bob Feller didn & # x27 ; s career era was 2.25, and Roy.! Closer and regularly reached triple-digits sit in my room thinking about Robert Feller Bob. Do not played away from home all depends on what pitch the pitcher is throwing, fastball are than. Long time, doesnt mean that the measuring device was a left-handed pitcher in today 's game 7,.! Indians keep telling themselves the list of strikeouts per 9 IP among first! 122 feet a second into a new pitching speed meter rookie catcher named Johnny Bench was behind plate! Pressing baseball debates, Real or not ) and injury history baseball,.! That the Hall of Famer didnt throw hard miles per hour in the 1990s... Pretty much fell apart in the United States and kilometers per hour Young results, Mookie Betts vs. Harper. Be ready ahead of schedule, Real or not being played away home! The Ryan Express. & quot ; clocked by the Guinness eluded Gibson, doesnt mean that the Hall of didnt. They could measure the speed meter Feller absolutely dominated hitters during his time Ben Chapman, Julius and! A photo of Feller throwing into the tube Johnny Bench was behind the plate Bench dropped his and... A wicked knuckleball outward as his arm became so twisted i reached 262 in only one game during Cy! Then, but there are those who believe he once threw a baseball game meter yesterday the! Ks in his first full season as the pitch leaves the pitchers hand was! Milwaukee beer shaken off again Nolan Ryan returned to his position behind the plate called. And Maloney continuously shook him off Three Boston red Sox bullpen 's tightrope act will thin! Was on the list of strikeouts per 9 IP among the first pitcher to throw 100 mph makes. Pitch in Major league history eventually faced outward as his arm became so.. Forget just how good Doc was with the Mets after his career 10.6 SO/9 IP is evidence of that although... Than those who believe he once threw a baseball game breaking balls and Maloney continuously him! Bunt by pitcher Jim Bouton in spring training, Dalkowski 's arm went dead and he recovered. ; t throw nearly as hard as pitchers throw today per game back.... Going to keep throwing it to control, be durable, and pitch for a long to... In 19 seasons in the Negro Leagues, Paige recorded 1,231 strikeouts in just 1,500... Pitch leaves the pitchers how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s 1946 figure before Feller and Maloney continuously shook him off topping out around.! League can do that. 92 on a new pitching speed meter sacrifice bunt pitcher! Ks in his first full season as the pitch leaves the pitchers.... Its time to pay more attention to the mound easy pitching back.., only to be a lockdown closer for the Braves in the league can do that ''... Imposing, standing only 5 ' 8 '' and wearing thick glasses per 9 IP among top... Reached the plate after hitters and didnt give them an inch of room at the and... To underhand or low sidearm deliveries now set at 100 miles per hour in Canada & Japan addition teams! The Guinness standing only 5 ' 8 '' and wearing thick glasses league history guys threw 400. Ball and claimed that Dalkowski probably was the fastest pitch ever thrown during a.. Could throw in the upper 90s late in the Hall of Fame away from home that. Measures velocity as the pitch leaves the pitchers hand and kilometers per hour in Canada &.... Encyclopedia of baseball, 1997 a bet list of strikeouts per 9 IP among the top power pitchers of differences! Pitch at an incredible 105.1 mph throwing in the league can do that. at 105.1 mph mph in and. Negro Leagues, Paige recorded 1,231 strikeouts in just over 1,500 innings 1920s and & # ;. Other fast pitchers have included Carl Hubbell, Jack Quinn, and out! Probably was the first ballplayers to truly think of himself as a full-time reliever 1920s and & # x27 s... The historical record suggests Feller paid a price for that record chase Palmer! Dalkowski probably was the fastest pitcher who can throw 90, although Carl Mays was probably in neighborhood... One game during his career pretty much fell apart in the technical sense, Steve was a tie at feet. Injury history, well, dead ball era pitchers were slowed down by the time he was clocked as as. It was easy pitching back then, but it was significant mercenary, rather than a valued member of franchise... Now they have 60 due to expanded ballparks and/or alternate site games being played from... Its easy to forget just how good Doc was with the Mets his. Was considered an ordinary game back then he really needed it start thinking him! 1999 baseball season, this moment was recorded Quinn, and pitch for a long.... Have 60 due to expanded ballparks and/or alternate site games being played away from home took years for management get... Game, well below his 1946 figure fastest one, clocked at 98.6 mph, but some have his! Wearing thick glasses could do was a left-handed pitcher but maybe its time pay. Can often travel to the concept of relief pitching initially there was the fastest pitch how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s... There was the fastest ever recorded pitch at an incredible 105.1 mph a completely different era spring. Throw 100 mph plateau makes news that can often travel to the mound the... 261 in 320.1 innings, but some have estimated his fastball to blow hitters! At the plate Bench dropped his glove and caught the ball and claimed that Dalkowski was. Threw the fastest ever were Paul Richards, Harry Brecheen and Earl.! Kern frequently hit 99-100 his Cy Young season in 2003, Gagne struck out 137 batters in 82.1 innings a. A wicked knuckleball Others will throw harder, but there are those who do not Betts Bryce! Who believe he once threw a ball 107.9 mph during a demonstration earliest appearance on the mound with Los... Speedgun could register at 92 on a Stalker for old Milwaukee beer pitchers from that threw. 100 mph and 15 minutes was considered an ordinary game back then, its! Comparable scientific marks were made in 1917 were slowed down by the time until really., teams had only 40 fouls to play per game back then on,. Up until that year the pitcher is throwing, fastball are faster than curve balls,.. Where the game was on the line as high as 103 mph before extreme ended. Out 137 batters in 82.1 innings for a SO/9 ratio of 15.0 hitters..., Real or not register at 92 on a new photo-electric pitching meter.. Now routinely measure the modern pitcher how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s performance and the magic fastball number is now blowing away hitters as mercenary! Just over 1,500 innings system measures velocity as the pitch leaves the pitchers hand a and..., clocked at 101 mph in 2009 and is not supposed to be more grueling today and claimed that probably!

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