The pitchers in this quiz share the distinction of being the only post-war hurlers (those who played their entire careers since 1946) with a particular career accomplishment. What is it?
Rk | Player |
---|---|
1 | Frank Baumann |
2 | Gene Brabender |
3 | Nino Espinosa |
4 | Art Fowler |
5 | Dave Freisleben |
6 | Mark Gardner |
7 | Mike LaCoss |
8 | Ramon Martinez |
9 | Frank Pastore |
For bonus points, Art Fowler is also in a group with Jack Quinn, Dutch Leonard, Dizzy Trout, Nolan Ryan and Goose Gossage as the only live-ball era pitchers with a certain game accomplishment. What is that feat?
Looks like I’ve got a stumper. The key to this quiz was in noticing that all of these pitchers had a similar number of career complete games. They, in fact, are the only pitchers to go undefeated in 15 or more complete games over an entire career. Clayton Kershaw with 11 wins and Kyle Lohse with 10 top the list for active pitchers who have never lost a CG. The bonus quiz answer is after the jump.
Ramon Martinez, with 37 complete game wins, tops our list. Mark Gardner pitched 9 no-hit innings for the Expos and lost the game, but still made this list because he was relieved in the 10th inning against the Dodgers (two days later, the Expos got another 9 no-hit innings … and a win on Dennis Martinez‘s perfect game).
Art Fowler makes the bonus quiz list with several other pitchers who lasted into their forties. They are the only 40-something pitchers to pitch to a teenage catcher, in these games.
Game | Pitcher | Pitcher Age | Catcher | Catcher Age |
1927-07-11 | Jack Quinn | 44.010 | Jimmie Foxx | 19.262 |
1951-09-29 | Dutch Leonard | 42.188 | Harry Chiti | 18.317 |
1957-09-11 | Dizzy Trout | 42.074 | Frank Zupo | 18.013 |
1963-04-29 | Art Fowler | 40.300 | Ed Kirkpatrick | 18.203 |
1991-06-21 | Nolan Ryan | 44.141 | Ivan Rodriguez | 19.206 |
1991-07-12 | Goose Gossage | 40.007 | Ivan Rodriguez | 19.227 |
Wonder what might have happened had the young catcher made a mound visit to say he’d seen something awry in his pitcher’s mechanics. My guess is he gets some heat next time he calls for a breaking ball.