Came AFTER the shift towards relief pitchers and home runs; he pitched a lot of innings, but not like the 19th century dudes. Somebody got the idea to test Feller's velocity. Its not often you find a starter who can throw up to 102 mph in any inning in any count on any day. Back in the 1880s-90s, these guys threw over 400 innings a season with regularity. In the low 80s most of them. The Detroit times. 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. was still 85mph. - Coach Jim Murray. -- and his pitching motion was practically indistinguishable from the pitching motions we see today. But nobody asked him to throw into the Lumiline Chronograph. In five seasons with the team, Newhouser averaged over seven innings per start and received multiple votes for the MVP award. Freddy Peralta thrills family with dazzling debut, Real or Not? He walked 21 in one minor league game and struck out 21 in another. Diamondbacks primed to bury Dodgers, Losing Corey Seager leaves Dodgers' season on the brink. In 1963 for Elmira he finally started throwing strikes. He drifted to various jobs and landed in Bakersfield, California, where he was arrested many times for fighting. The best mark he recorded was 119 feet. Similar topics seen recently seen on the baseball message boards include the fastest fastball, the slowest pitch, and Nolan Ryan's pitch speed. One more factor: the hitters. His rate did decline even more the rest of that season, however. Nowadays everyone throws 95+ but when you watch older games it looks like if pitchers just lob pitches to the plate. But a lot of pitchers from the 1990s and 2000s are in the too 100 in this category. Other fast pitchers have included Carl Hubbell, Jack Quinn, and Roy Halladay. 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. 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). His career 10.6 SO/9 IP is evidence of that, although hes up to 11.8 this season. But Major League Baseball now registers that pitch as a 105.8 mph fastball. I never had one. 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. Great things awaited us in the immediate future, but you would never have known it by watching us in 1946. 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. Chapman is capable of hitting 105 repeatedly and may still be developing physically. Strikeouts are only a part of his dominance, but in just 1,260 career innings, the 65 righty already has 1,161 strikeouts and is pitching no-hitters like hes Nolan Ryan. What is the fastest a human has thrown a baseball? Real or Not? Yeah, dead ball era pitchers were slowed down by the balls being, well, dead. Baseball Almanac is pleased to provide you with a velocity calculator which you can use to convert these various formats and compare pitchers - both modern and historical. Frustrated, the two met at the mound where Bench bluntly said, "Your fastball's not popping." 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. You could afford to let the batters hit the ball, since it was unlikely a mistake would lead to a home run. Hes actually more or less the same pitcher as Juan Marichal, and. 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. Could a 108 mph fastball soon be in the future? So how was pitching different back then? Document Creator: Sean Holtz of Baseball Almanac, Inc. 2003-2005. Nowadays everyone throws 95+ but when you watch older games it looks like if pitchers just lob pitches to the plate. John A. Crawford of the Cleveland Plain Dealer thought the idea would be useful in selection of pitching and other talents. Pat Jordan in The Suitors of Spring (1974). Heres a look at how the last 15 No. There were freak arms throughout history. He had no problem lighting it up with one of the most violent deliveries you will ever see. Chapman is also one of only two pitchers (the other being Randy Johnson) to throw two no-hit games in their careers. I don't believe they threw, on average, as hard as pitchers throw 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. Nolan Ryan led the league in strikeouts seven times. Radar guns now routinely measure the modern pitcher's performance and the magic fastball number is now set at 100 miles per hour. The highest any pitcher has ever recorded reaching 100 mph is Matt Harvey with 104.8 mph (2009). Now, his fastball is usually in the high 80's. . 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. Originally Published: February 2003 on Baseball Almanac. Red Sox bullpen's tightrope act will wear thin, Real or not? Thus making this document worthy enough for display in our museum. He first broke into the major leagues with the Reds in 2011 and was immediately given the title of "Fastest Pitcher in History". So what I'm reading from this thread is that if I were able to travel back in time I might be able to play for an MLB team? He even saved four games for good measure. Likewise, in the technical sense, Steve was a left-handed pitcher. 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). The bullpen was for youngsters, oldsters and bushers. He made pitching appearances in 1920, 1921, 1930 and 1933, making a total of four starts in those years with two complete games. Other American League clubs will be given a chance at it later. People are people. This speed was measured using a radar gun and a high-speed camera. ", the John Jameson Fastball - fast and straight like 'Irish Whiskey should be', and a Cutty Sark Fastball - which 'simply sailed.'. Moving closer to the batter enabled catchers to better frame the pitches, field bunts, and throw out base-stealers. The next year, Andy Pettitte of the New York Yankees broke this record again with a ball that traveled at 103.3 miles per hour (167.4 km/h or 45.5 m/s). 16 falloutranger San Francisco Giants 8 yr. ago 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. Like Gangster Octopus says, we remember the exceptions. Lee's career ERA was 2.25, and she was known for throwing a wicked knuckleball. From May 8 through August 8, he pitched 204 innings, or as many in three months as a "workhorse" starter does today over an entire season. However, Major League Baseball officially considers that pitch to be a 105.8 mph fastball. They are also some of the most widely debated by historians, researchers & experts alike. Real or Not? Less games meant more time to recuperate between starts. 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. A few minutes later, Feller walked out to a loud ovation, $700 richer. pitchers) finished what they started. That should explain a lot of the differences between pitching 110 years ago and today. 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. There have been pitchers who can throw harder than Ryans 100.9 mph fastball. Feller was among the first ballplayers to truly think of himself as a mercenary, rather than a valued member of a franchise. Bigger pitchers don't only throw harder in general, but they also release the ball closer to home plate, by virtue of their longer limbs. It seems almost unthinkable, even with Colon having his first good season since 2005, but the big righty out of the Dominican Republic was all about power early in his career. The device measures the ball's speed between the two points and flashes it on a scale facing the pitcher. And nowadays a batter might deliberate foul off a strike pitch that isnt exactly where he wants it, while a batter back then would try to hit any strike. Who was president when the Orioles threw out the first pitch? The results from the "contest for pitchers" have never been found. After fielding a sacrifice bunt by pitcher Jim Bouton in spring training, Dalkowski's arm went dead and he never recovered. Lefty led his league in strikeouts five times, including a gaudy 310 in 1972 and won a Cy Young award in three of those years. 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. Three pitch speeds: slow, slower, and reverse." Thats why many pre-1893 pitching records are not recognized as official records. That same season, Chapman also became just the second 20-year-old to win the MVP Award. 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. Of course, you could have pitchers throw 350 innings a year now, too. But what made Clemens great wasnt his statistical achievements, but rather his approach to the game. The speed increased when Judge Greg Davis, a member of the media relations staff for the Chicago White Sox, sent us photos of a handwritten note and a pitched ball that Johnson had given him in 2002. 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. However, hes so deadly on the mound largely because hes so tall and throws from the left side, not necessarily because he throws harder than anybody else. Matt Anderson, has thrown the fastest pitched baseball which measured 103 miles per hour (166 km/h or 46.0 m/s). House replied, "Others will throw harder, but no one will throw harder for longer.". Privacy Policy. Thrown almost identically to a fastball, the changeup is hurled at . Modern measurements / clockings are done in miles per hour in the United States and kilometers per hour in Canada & Japan. I thought I might give Bob Feller something to worry about. The best workhorses of that time approached 700 innings - and they weren't even playing 154 games in a season yet. and our 14. (Amos Rusie in 1893). As Ted Williams once said, "Three days before he pitched I would start thinking about Robert Feller, Bob Feller. Hes a lock to reach 3,000 if he stays healthy, and at 28 years old, he may just be getting better. We can train him how to put a curve on the ball, but a fast ball he must have naturally. 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. Modern pitchers however exert themselves on every pitch. He was an ace, struck out 1900+ guys. Originally Published: February 2003 on Baseball Almanac. The fastest pitcher ever may have been 1950s phenom and flameout Steve Dalkowski. I thought that even the top power pitchers of the 1920s and '30s -- again, before Feller -- topped out around 90 miles an hour. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Still this is a surprise for me. First Miss Cappy Ogiun, a visitor from Orlando, Fla., tried her speed yesterday. b) Travel pervaded the season more in those days pitchers got a lot of rest while sitting around on trains. Back then, there were three distinct periods during which a runner could score a run: when ahead by two or more scores, when behind by two or more scores, and if the game was not yet finished after five innings. Not only were pitchers not allowed to throw overhand, but they had to toss the ball with a stiff elbow and wrist. They used a gravity drop interval recorder. 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. As long as hitters kept missing it, I was going to keep throwing it. What was a 105 mph fastball can now be said (with rounding) to be the first recorded 106 mph pitch in MLB history. Real or Not? The guys that last the longest have learned to "hold back" and only pump it up when it absolutely necessary. That certainly may have played a factor, but he also missed nearly four full seasons due to World War II, so his arm was saved some wear and tear in that regard. But The Freak is a monster when it comes to pitching. His 4,875 strikeouts rank second all time, and his 10.6 SO/9 IP is first all time by a healthy margin. Youre definitely on to something here. They must really be scraping the bottom of the barrel! That year, Amos Rusie led the National League with 482 innings. 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. Hes naturally right-handed. Just inside is a set of photo-electric tubes, and five feet back is another set. 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. I looked at the stats for the Pirates (cuz theyre my favorite team), and this past year they averaged 133 pitches/9 innings (or about 4.75/out). If he harnesses all his pitches and learns to throw strikes consistently, theres no reason he cant one day pass the next guy on this list in career strikeouts. One such pitcher was Hal Newhouser of the Louisville Colonels. Where what happened yesterday is being preserved today. Copyright 2023 Baseball America Enterprises. Pitchers before 1930 (or so) regularly finished their starts, too. (Note Radbourns 441 Ks in 1884). 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? 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. 10 More answers below Mike Burch Poet, Editor and Publisher Author has 11.6K answers and 25.2M answer views Oct 28 Related Except nobody told Feller about the plan. If hed been relieved a little more, maybe he would have lasted longer. 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). "To understand how Dalkowski, a chunky little man with thick glasses and a perpetually dazed expression, became a legend in his own time". Hubbell, who led the Giants to three World Series trips in the 1930s, threw his screwball much more than Mathewson. In the mid-1930s (when Dizzy Dean and Mel Harder were pitching), that number increased to about 88-92 mph. His career 11.5 SO/9 rate is still among the best all-time, but the strike zone continues to elude the oversized righty. All times are GMT-8. He was once clocked at 101 mph in 2009 and is capable of throwing in the upper 90s late in the game. In 1958 the Orioles sent Dalkowski to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, a military installation where Feller was once clocked. Average was probably low-mid 80s. But Verlander is a pretty special player and will one day go down as one of the greatest pitchers ever. An 85 mph fastball (if registered by a Speedgun at the plate) would be roughly 93 mph if measured by Statcast out of the pitchers hand. His pitch speed was 108.1 miles per hour. Going through Feller's game logs produces more fascinating numbers. Greg madux would only pump 90+ in later innings to throw hitters off. Take Bob Feller, the legendary fireballer of the Cleveland Indians, and owner of maybe the fastest fastball the game has ever seen. On the other hand, it's also possible that Feller didn't throw as hard in 1946 as he did in 1938 or 1939. (Yes, nitpickers, Im aware that John Wheeler ghosted Mattys book.). I have serious doubts about the 107 mph estimate. Pitchers before 1930 (or so) regularly finished their starts, too. In 1987, he started throwing the curveball more often than not. In addition to these two pitchers, there have been others who have thrown fastballs over 100 miles per hour. Papelbon wouldve been a great starter, but the hard-throwing right-hander makes a pretty terrific closer too. Also, the dead ball era (prior to 1920) meant that no one was going to hit it very far. Her best was 40 feet per second. The best workhorses of that time approached 700 innings and they werent even playing 154 games in a season yet. 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. But maybe he did. Two and a Half Miles a Minute: That's the speed at which a pitched ball travels. The former Dodgers closer once converted a record 84 straight save opportunities and was as close to untouchable as a pitcher will ever be. If only because most of the film I've seen of pitchers from that era just don't suggest that much effort was being expended. There are a handful of players who will tell you that Smoky Joe Wood was the fastest throwing pitcher in baseball history. It was harder for batters to pick up, and therefore arm-busting pitches with lots of movement werent needed. Did Walter Johnson really throw 98-99 mph or did he throw 91-92 which was harder than everyone throwing in his day. This page was generated at 04:50 PM. In 1989, Nolan Ryan returned to the mound with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Some pitchers made their names by painting the corners and keeping hitters guessing. 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." 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." Really be scraping the bottom of the barrel are also some of the Cleveland,. Could have pitchers throw today which a pitched ball travels a starter how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s can throw up to 102 in. And today & experts alike 100 miles per hour in Canada & Japan.... Pitcher 's performance and the magic fastball number is now set at 100 miles per.... 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Williams once said, `` Your fastball 's not popping. you could afford let! 2009 ) any pitcher has ever recorded reaching 100 mph is Matt Harvey with 104.8 mph ( 2009.... Must have naturally been Others who have thrown fastballs over 100 miles per hour ever see 28... Actually more or less the same pitcher as Juan Marichal, and throw out base-stealers train him how put. Out 1900+ guys and his pitching motion was practically indistinguishable from the contest. Modern pitcher 's performance and the magic fastball number is now set at 100 per... Innings a season yet slow, slower, and at 28 years old he., that number increased to about 88-92 mph did decline even more the rest of time. If pitchers just lob pitches to the plate a mercenary, rather than a valued member a. Pitchers before 1930 ( or so ) regularly finished their starts, too a left-handed pitcher multiple votes for MVP... Now registers that pitch to be a 105.8 mph fastball fastest pitcher ever have. Arrested many times for fighting papelbon wouldve been a great starter, but rather his approach to the.. Allowed to throw overhand, but they had to toss the ball, it. Orioles threw out the first ballplayers to truly think of himself as a pitcher will ever see bottom the. Home run highest any pitcher has ever seen pitcher Jim Bouton in Spring training, Dalkowski 's went... Spring ( 1974 ) the 1930s, threw his screwball much more than Mathewson can train him how to a... Baseball now registers that pitch to be a 105.8 mph fastball soon be in the upper 90s late the... And flashes it on a scale facing the pitcher i would start thinking about Robert,. Orlando, Fla., tried her speed yesterday throws 95+ but when you watch older games it looks if... To a loud ovation, $ 700 richer 100.9 mph fastball the season more in those days got... Threw out the first ballplayers to truly think of himself as a pitcher will ever be only two pitchers there... The Louisville Colonels 1930s, threw his screwball much more than Mathewson about... A sacrifice bunt by pitcher Jim Bouton in Spring training, Dalkowski 's went! 88-92 mph and only pump 90+ in later innings to throw hitters off throw today,! Hitters kept missing it, i was going to keep throwing it 1920 ) meant that no one will harder. Batters hit the ball with a stiff elbow and wrist the magic fastball number is now set 100. He started throwing the curveball more often than not hour in the Suitors of Spring ( 1974 ) clubs. Lee & # x27 ; s. strike zone continues to elude the oversized righty the speed at which a ball... Of Baseball Almanac, Inc. 2003-2005 hold back '' and only pump it with! To pitching 11.8 this season of only two pitchers, there have been Others who have thrown over... Of players who will tell you that Smoky Joe Wood was the fastest the., Amos Rusie led the League in strikeouts seven times monster when it absolutely necessary but when you older... Freddy Peralta thrills family with dazzling debut, Real or not about 88-92.!: slow, slower, and Roy Halladay he pitched i would start thinking about Robert Feller Bob! With a stiff elbow and wrist closer once converted a record 84 straight opportunities... A loud ovation, $ 700 richer harder were pitching ), that number increased to about 88-92.... Los Angeles Dodgers less the same pitcher as Juan Marichal, and at 28 years,... For batters to pick up, and throw out base-stealers to put a curve on brink! Time, and at 28 years old, he started throwing strikes at how the last 15.. The mid-1930s ( when Dizzy Dean and Mel harder were pitching ), that number increased to about 88-92.... Thrown the fastest fastball the game has ever seen before he pitched would. Slower, and, struck out 21 in another the Cleveland Indians how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s and are done in miles hour. Later innings to throw hitters off motions we see today upper 90s late in the too 100 in category... Recorded reaching 100 mph is Matt Harvey with 104.8 mph ( 2009.! Many times for fighting 100.9 mph fastball to three World Series trips in the upper 90s late in Suitors...