Grover Cleveland Alexander
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Grover Cleveland "Pete" Alexander (February 26, 1887, Elba, Nebraska - November 4, 1950, St. Paul, Nebraska) was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and St. Louis Cardinals. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1938.
Alexander was one of thirteen children and played semi-pro ball in his youth. He signed his first professional contract at age 20 in 1907 for $50 per month. He had a good first season, but it was marred by a beaning that probably contributed to later bouts with epilepsy. This incident set his career back, but he had recovered by 1910, became a star pitcher again, and was sold to the Philadelphia Phillies for $750.
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| Grover Cleveland Alexander is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame |
Alexander set the league on fire in his 1911 debut, leading the league with 28 wins (a modern-day rookie record), 31 complete games, 367 innings pitched, and seven shutouts while finishing second in strikeouts and fourth in ERA. The best, however, was yet to come. Alexander was the dominant pitcher in the National League from 1915 to 1917, becoming the only pitcher to win pitching's Triple Crown three years in a row, and from 1912 to 1920, Alexander led the league in ERA four times (1915, 1916, 1919, 1920), wins five times (1914-17, 1920), innings six times (1912, 1914-17, 1920), strikeouts six times (1912, 1914-1917, 1920), complete games five times (1914-1917, 1920), and shutouts six times (1913, 1915, 1916 [a single season record 16], 1917, 1919). In 1915, he was instrumental in leading the Phillies to their first pennant, and he also pitched a record four one-hitters.
After the 1917 season, the Phillies sold Alexander to the Cubs, fearful that he would be lost to the army in World War I. Sure enough, he was drafted, and spent most of the 1918 season in France as an artillery officer, where he suffered from shell shock, partial hearing loss, and increasingly worse seizures. Always a drinker, Alexander hit the bottle particularly hard after the war. He still gave Chicago several successful years, however, and grabbed another pitching triple crown in 1920. Finally tiring of his increasing drunkenness and insubordination, the Cubs sold him to the Cardinals in the middle of the 1926 season for the waiver price.
The Cardinals won the National League that year and met the New York Yankees in the World Series, where Alexander had his finest moment. He pitched complete game victories in Games 2 and 6 before coming into the seventh inning of Game 7, after Jesse Haines developed a blister, with the Cardinals up 3-2 the bases loaded and two outs. Facing Yankee slugger Tony Lazzeri, Alexander got him to strike out and then held the Yankees scoreless for two more innings to preserve the win and give St. Louis the championship. Alexander had one last 20-win season for the Cardianls in 1927, but his continued drinking finally did him in. He left baseball after a brief return to the Phillies in 1930 and pitched for the House of David until 1938.
Alexander's 373 wins and 90 shutouts are both National League records, and he is also third all time in wins, tenth in innings pitched (5190), second in shutouts, and eighth in hits allowed (4868).
In 1999, he ranked number 12 on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was a nominee for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.
YEAR TEAM AGE W L PCT G GS CG SV GF IP H R ER BB SO ERA RSAA 1911 Phillies 24 28 13 .683 48 37 31 3 11 367 285 133 105 129 227 2.57 44 1912 Phillies 25 19 17 .528 46 34 25 3 10 310 289 133 97 105 195 2.82 20 1913 Phillies 26 22 8 .733 47 36 23 2 9 306 288 106 95 75 159 2.79 24 1914 Phillies 27 27 15 .643 46 39 32 1 7 355 327 133 94 76 214 2.38 19 1915 Phillies 28 31 10 .756 49 42 36 3 7 376 253 86 51 64 241 1.22 69 1916 Phillies 29 33 12 .733 48 45 38 3 3 389 323 90 67 50 167 1.55 38 1917 Phillies 30 30 13 .698 45 44 35 0 0 388 336 107 79 56 200 1.83 46 1918 Cubs 31 2 1 .667 3 3 3 0 0 26 19 7 5 3 15 1.73 3 1919 Cubs 32 16 11 .593 30 27 20 1 3 235 180 51 45 38 121 1.72 28 1920 Cubs 33 27 14 .659 46 40 33 5 6 363 335 96 77 69 173 1.91 49 1921 Cubs 34 15 13 .536 31 29 21 1 1 252 286 110 95 33 77 3.39 21 1922 Cubs 35 16 13 .552 33 31 20 1 2 246 283 111 99 34 48 3.62 6 1923 Cubs 36 22 12 .647 39 36 26 2 2 305 308 128 108 30 72 3.19 32 1924 Cubs 37 12 5 .706 21 20 12 0 0 169 183 82 57 25 33 3.04 17 1925 Cubs 38 15 11 .577 32 30 20 0 1 236 270 106 89 29 63 3.39 20 1926 Cubs 39 3 3 .500 7 7 4 0 0 52 55 26 20 7 12 3.46 3 Cardinals 39 9 7 .563 23 16 11 2 7 148 136 57 48 24 35 2.92 17 TOTALS 12 10 .545 30 23 15 2 7 200 191 83 68 31 47 3.06 20 1927 Cardinals 40 21 10 .677 37 30 22 3 4 268 261 94 75 38 48 2.52 50 1928 Cardinals 41 16 9 .640 34 31 18 2 2 244 262 106 91 37 59 3.36 14 1929 Cardinals 42 9 8 .529 22 19 8 0 3 132 149 65 57 23 33 3.89 11 1930 Phillies 43 0 3 .000 9 3 0 0 2 22 40 24 22 6 6 9.00 -8 TOTALS 373 208 .642 696 599 438 32 80 5189 4868 1851 1476 951 2198 2.56 523 LG AVERAGE 286 286 .500 315 11 5189 5259 2466 1956 1598 1891 3.39 0
YEAR TEAM HR H/9 BR/9 SO/9 BB/9 SO/BB SHO WP IBB HBP BFP BK NW NL
1911 Phillies 5 6.99 10.35 5.57 3.16 1.76 7 4 0 8 1475 1 27 14
1912 Phillies 11 8.39 11.61 5.66 3.05 1.86 3 5 0 6 1290 0 21 15
1913 Phillies 9 8.47 10.76 4.68 2.21 2.12 9 3 0 3 1234 0 18 12
1914 Phillies 8 8.29 10.50 5.43 1.93 2.82 6 1 0 11 1459 0 25 17
1915 Phillies 3 6.06 7.83 5.77 1.53 3.77 12 2 0 10 1435 0 34 7
1916 Phillies 6 7.47 8.86 3.86 1.16 3.34 16 3 0 10 1500 0 31 14
1917 Phillies 4 7.79 9.23 4.64 1.30 3.57 8 2 0 6 1529 0 30 13
1918 Cubs 0 6.58 7.96 5.19 1.04 5.00 0 0 0 1 98 0 2 1
1919 Cubs 3 6.89 8.35 4.63 1.46 3.18 9 1 0 0 906 0 19 8
1920 Cubs 8 8.31 10.04 4.29 1.71 2.51 7 3 0 1 1447 0 29 12
1921 Cubs 10 10.21 11.43 2.75 1.18 2.33 3 1 0 1 1033 0 17 11
1922 Cubs 7 10.35 11.71 1.76 1.24 1.41 1 4 0 3 1014 0 15 14
1923 Cubs 17 9.09 9.97 2.12 0.89 2.40 3 2 0 0 1246 0 21 13
1924 Cubs 9 9.75 11.13 1.76 1.33 1.32 0 1 0 1 708 0 10 7
1925 Cubs 14 10.30 11.52 2.40 1.11 2.17 1 1 0 3 977 0 15 11
1926 Cubs 0 9.52 10.73 2.08 1.21 1.71 0 0 0 0 218 0 3 3
Cardinals 8 8.27 9.85 2.13 1.46 1.46 2 0 0 2 597 0 10 6
TOTALS 8 8.60 10.08 2.12 1.40 1.52 2 0 0 2 815 0 13 9
1927 Cardinals 11 8.76 10.07 1.61 1.28 1.26 2 1 0 1 1082 0 22 9
1928 Cardinals 16 9.66 11.10 2.18 1.36 1.59 1 3 0 2 1009 0 14 11
1929 Cardinals 10 10.16 11.80 2.25 1.57 1.43 0 2 0 1 562 0 10 7
1930 Phillies 5 16.36 18.82 2.45 2.45 1.00 0 0 0 0 109 0 1 2
TOTALS 164 8.44 10.21 3.81 1.65 2.31 90 39 0 70 20928 1 374 207
LG AVERAGE 174 9.12 12.12 3.28 2.77 1.18 43 95 0 134 21881 9
[edit] League Leadership Rankings
1911 NL ------------------------------- WINS 1ST 28 WINNING PERCENTAGE 4TH .683 GAMES T3RD 48 GAMES STARTED T2ND 37 COMPLETE GAMES 1ST 31 SAVES T8TH 3 INNINGS PITCHED 1ST 367 HITS 5TH 285 RUNS 4TH 133 EARNED RUNS 4TH 105 WALKS T3RD 129 STRIKEOUTS 2ND 227 ERA 5TH 2.57 RSAA 2ND 44 HITS/9 IP 1ST 6.99 BASERUNNERS/9 IP 5TH 10.35 STRIKEOUTS/9 IP 2ND 5.57 STRIKEOUTS/WALKS 8TH 1.76 SHUTOUTS 1ST 7 BATTERS FACED 1ST 1475 BALKS T6TH 1 NEUTRAL WINS 2ND 27 NEUTRAL LOSSES T7TH 14
1912 NL ------------------------------- WINS T6TH 19 LOSSES T8TH 17 GAMES 3RD 46 GAMES STARTED T7TH 34 COMPLETE GAMES T3RD 25 SAVES T5TH 3 INNINGS PITCHED T1ST 310 HITS T5TH 289 RUNS 7TH 133 EARNED RUNS 8TH 97 WALKS T8TH 105 STRIKEOUTS 1ST 195 RSAA T7TH 20 HOME RUNS T1ST 11 HITS/9 IP 10TH 8.39 STRIKEOUTS/9 IP 1ST 5.66 STRIKEOUTS/WALKS T7TH 1.86 SHUTOUTS T7TH 3 BATTERS FACED 2ND 1290 NEUTRAL WINS T4TH 21 NEUTRAL LOSSES T5TH 15
1913 NL ------------------------------- WINS T4TH 22 WINNING PERCENTAGE 3RD .733 GAMES 4TH 47 GAMES STARTED T3RD 36 COMPLETE GAMES 5TH 23 INNINGS PITCHED T3RD 306 HITS 3RD 288 EARNED RUNS 6TH 95 STRIKEOUTS 3RD 159 RSAA T6TH 24 HOME RUNS T7TH 9 BASERUNNERS/9 IP 10TH 10.76 STRIKEOUTS/9 IP 5TH 4.68 STRIKEOUTS/WALKS 6TH 2.12 SHUTOUTS 1ST 9 BATTERS FACED 3RD 1234 NEUTRAL WINS T8TH 18
1914 NL ------------------------------- WINS 1ST 27 WINNING PERCENTAGE 7TH .643 GAMES T4TH 46 GAMES STARTED T3RD 39 COMPLETE GAMES 1ST 32 INNINGS PITCHED 1ST 355 HITS 1ST 327 RUNS T3RD 133 EARNED RUNS 2ND 94 STRIKEOUTS 1ST 214 ERA 10TH 2.38 RSAA 7TH 19 HOME RUNS T7TH 8 BASERUNNERS/9 IP 8TH 10.50 STRIKEOUTS/9 IP 2ND 5.43 WALKS/9 IP 5TH 1.93 STRIKEOUTS/WALKS 2ND 2.82 SHUTOUTS T3RD 6 HIT BY PITCHES T5TH 11 BATTERS FACED 1ST 1459 NEUTRAL WINS 1ST 25 NEUTRAL LOSSES T5TH 17
1915 NL ------------------------------- WINS 1ST 31 WINNING PERCENTAGE 1ST .756 GAMES T2ND 49 GAMES STARTED 2ND 42 COMPLETE GAMES 1ST 36 SAVES T5TH 3 INNINGS PITCHED 1ST 376 HITS 5TH 253 STRIKEOUTS 1ST 241 ERA 1ST 1.22 RSAA 1ST 69 HITS/9 IP 1ST 6.06 BASERUNNERS/9 IP 1ST 7.83 STRIKEOUTS/9 IP 1ST 5.77 WALKS/9 IP 4TH 1.53 STRIKEOUTS/WALKS 1ST 3.77 SHUTOUTS 1ST 12 HIT BY PITCHES T8TH 10 BATTERS FACED 1ST 1435 NEUTRAL WINS 1ST 34
1916 NL ------------------------------- WINS 1ST 33 WINNING PERCENTAGE 2ND .733 GAMES 2ND 48 GAMES STARTED 1ST 45 COMPLETE GAMES 1ST 38 SAVES T5TH 3 INNINGS PITCHED 1ST 389 HITS 1ST 323 STRIKEOUTS 1ST 167 ERA 1ST 1.55 RSAA 1ST 38 HOME RUNS T8TH 6 HITS/9 IP 10TH 7.47 BASERUNNERS/9 IP 2ND 8.86 WALKS/9 IP 2ND 1.16 STRIKEOUTS/WALKS 2ND 3.34 SHUTOUTS 1ST 16 HIT BY PITCHES T4TH 10 BATTERS FACED 1ST 1500 NEUTRAL WINS 1ST 31 NEUTRAL LOSSES T8TH 14
1917 NL ------------------------------- WINS 1ST 30 WINNING PERCENTAGE 4TH .698 GAMES 4TH 45 GAMES STARTED 1ST 44 COMPLETE GAMES 1ST 35 INNINGS PITCHED 1ST 388 HITS 1ST 336 RUNS 7TH 107 EARNED RUNS 8TH 79 STRIKEOUTS 1ST 200 ERA 2ND 1.83 RSAA 1ST 46 HITS/9 IP 10TH 7.79 BASERUNNERS/9 IP 3RD 9.23 STRIKEOUTS/9 IP 3RD 4.64 WALKS/9 IP 1ST 1.30 STRIKEOUTS/WALKS 1ST 3.57 SHUTOUTS 1ST 8 BATTERS FACED 1ST 1529 NEUTRAL WINS 1ST 30
1919 NL ------------------------------- COMPLETE GAMES T9TH 20 STRIKEOUTS 3RD 121 ERA 1ST 1.72 RSAA 4TH 28 HITS/9 IP 1ST 6.89 BASERUNNERS/9 IP 2ND 8.35 STRIKEOUTS/9 IP 2ND 4.63 WALKS/9 IP 5TH 1.46 STRIKEOUTS/WALKS 2ND 3.18 SHUTOUTS 1ST 9 NEUTRAL WINS 4TH 19
1920 NL ------------------------------- WINS 1ST 27 WINNING PERCENTAGE 2ND .659 GAMES T2ND 46 GAMES STARTED 1ST 40 COMPLETE GAMES 1ST 33 SAVES T2ND 5 INNINGS PITCHED 1ST 363 HITS 1ST 335 STRIKEOUTS 1ST 173 ERA 1ST 1.91 RSAA 1ST 49 HOME RUNS T5TH 8 HITS/9 IP 6TH 8.31 BASERUNNERS/9 IP 3RD 10.04 STRIKEOUTS/9 IP 2ND 4.29 WALKS/9 IP 6TH 1.71 STRIKEOUTS/WALKS 3RD 2.51 SHUTOUTS 2ND 7 BATTERS FACED 1ST 1447 NEUTRAL WINS 1ST 29
1921 NL ------------------------------- WINS T10TH 15 COMPLETE GAMES T4TH 21 INNINGS PITCHED 10TH 252 HITS 9TH 286 RSAA 6TH 21 BASERUNNERS/9 IP 6TH 11.43 WALKS/9 IP 2ND 1.18 STRIKEOUTS/WALKS 2ND 2.33 SHUTOUTS T1ST 3 NEUTRAL WINS T5TH 17
1922 NL ------------------------------- COMPLETE GAMES T4TH 20 BASERUNNERS/9 IP 7TH 11.71 WALKS/9 IP 2ND 1.24 STRIKEOUTS/WALKS 8TH 1.41 NEUTRAL LOSSES T9TH 14
1923 NL ------------------------------- WINS 3RD 22 WINNING PERCENTAGE 6TH .647 GAMES STARTED T6TH 36 COMPLETE GAMES T4TH 26 INNINGS PITCHED 5TH 305 HITS T5TH 308 RUNS 9TH 128 EARNED RUNS T7TH 108 ERA 6TH 3.19 RSAA 4TH 32 HOME RUNS T1ST 17 HITS/9 IP 9TH 9.09 BASERUNNERS/9 IP 1ST 9.97 WALKS/9 IP 1ST .89 STRIKEOUTS/WALKS 1ST 2.40 SHUTOUTS T4TH 3 BATTERS FACED 7TH 1246 NEUTRAL WINS T3RD 21 NEUTRAL LOSSES T9TH 13
1924 NL ------------------------------- WINNING PERCENTAGE 5TH .706 ERA 6TH 3.04 RSAA 9TH 17 WALKS/9 IP 2ND 1.33
1925 NL ------------------------------- WINS T9TH 15 GAMES STARTED 10TH 30 COMPLETE GAMES T6TH 20 INNINGS PITCHED 10TH 236 HITS 7TH 270 ERA 7TH 3.39 RSAA 9TH 20 BASERUNNERS/9 IP 5TH 11.52 WALKS/9 IP 1ST 1.11 STRIKEOUTS/WALKS 2ND 2.17
1926 NL ------------------------------- SAVES T9TH 2 ERA 9TH 3.06 RSAA T6TH 20 HITS/9 IP 6TH 8.60 BASERUNNERS/9 IP 1ST 10.08 WALKS/9 IP 2ND 1.39 STRIKEOUTS/WALKS 6TH 1.52 SHUTOUTS T10TH 2
1927 NL ------------------------------- WINS 4TH 21 WINNING PERCENTAGE 5TH .677 COMPLETE GAMES T4TH 22 SAVES T5TH 3 INNINGS PITCHED 7TH 268 HITS 10TH 261 ERA 2ND 2.52 RSAA 1ST 50 HITS/9 IP 9TH 8.76 BASERUNNERS/9 IP 1ST 10.07 WALKS/9 IP 1ST 1.28 SHUTOUTS T5TH 2 BATTERS FACED 9TH 1082 NEUTRAL WINS 2ND 22
1928 NL ------------------------------- WINS T10TH 16 WINNING PERCENTAGE 9TH .640 GAMES STARTED T7TH 31 COMPLETE GAMES 6TH 18 INNINGS PITCHED T8TH 244 HITS 7TH 262 HOME RUNS T5TH 16 BASERUNNERS/9 IP 5TH 11.10 WALKS/9 IP 1ST 1.36 STRIKEOUTS/WALKS 4TH 1.59
[edit] Legacy
Alexander is the first player mentioned in Ogden Nash's poem "Line-Up for Yesterday":
A for Alex
The great Alexander
More goose eggs he pitched
Than a popular gander.
Alexander was the subject of the 1952 biographical film The Winning Team, in which he was played by Ronald Reagan. Baseball commentator Bill James called the film "an awful movie, a Reader's Digest movie, reducing the events of Alexander's life to a cliché." Nevertheless, Alexander has the unique distinction of being the namesake of one President of the United States who was portrayed on film by an actor who was to later become President of the United States.
[edit] External links
- Baseball Hall of Fame
- Baseball-Reference.com - career statistics and analysis
- The Deadball Era
- Historic Baseball
Categories: 1887 births | 1950 deaths | 300 win club | Baseball Hall of Fame | Chicago Cubs players | Major league pitchers | Philadelphia Phillies players | St. Louis Cardinals players | People from Nebraska | Major league players from Nebraska | 1926 St. Louis Cardinals World Series Championship Team
