Ken Raffensberger

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Ken Raffensberger
Pitcher
Born: August 8, 1917
York, Pennsylvania
Died: November 10, 2002 (aged 85)
York, Pennsylvania
Batted: Right Threw: Left
MLB debut
April 25, 1939
for the St. Louis Cardinals
Final game
June 2, 1954
for the Cincinnati Redlegs
Career statistics
Pitching record     119-154
Earned run average     3.60
Strikeouts     806
Teams
Career highlights and awards
  • National League All-Star: 1944
  • 2-time National League shutout leader
  • Three times received MVP votes. (1949, 1951, 1952)

Kenneth David (Ken) Raffensberger (August 8, 1917 - November 10, 2002) was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1939 through 1954, he played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1939), Chicago Cubs (1940-41), Philadelphia Blue Jays/Phillies (1943-47), and Cincinnati Reds/Redlegs (1947-1954). Raffensberger batted right-handed and threw left-handed. He was born in York, Pennsylvania.

Contents

[edit] Career

In a 15-season career, Raffensberger posted a win-loss record of 119-154 with 806 strikeouts and a 3.60 ERA in 2151.2 innings pitched. His career winning percentage was .463, despite being an all-star and having an above average career ERA (3.60).

He started his career as a fastball pitcher, particularly gaining success with his rising fastball. Towards the later end of his career, however, starting in the early 40s, he developed a dependable forkball to complement his fastball, slow curve, and change. He had one of the widest ranges of deliveries in the majors, ranging from underhand to overhand and a variety of side arm and three-quarter deliveries in between. [1] Stan Musial said in 1964 of Raffensberger:

Raffy had nothing except slow stuff, and a forkball, but, with changing speeds and control, he made those pitches seem so fat when they weren't... I stbbornly tried to slug with him and didn't have much success."

Raffensberger died in York, PA, at age 85.

[edit] Leaderboards and Awards appearances

[edit] Quotations

  • I didn't go along with it... I never believed in throwing at a guy, Raffensberger said, after Phillies manager Ben Chapman had instructed his pitchers to throw the ball at Jackie Robinson when there were two strikes in the count.
  • St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer Stan Musial said on an Ed Sullivan Show appearance that Raffensberger was the toughest left-handed pitcher he had ever faced and dubbed him "Crafty Raffy."

[edit] See also

[edit] Sources

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers: An Historical Compendium of Pitching,Pitchers, and Pitches. Bill James and Rob Neyer. 2004.