King Cole (baseball)

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King Cole
King Cole
Pitcher
Born: April 15, 1886
Toledo, Iowa
Died: January 6, 1916 (aged 29)
Bay City, Michigan
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
October 6, 1909
for the Chicago Cubs
Final game
September 20, 1915
for the New York Yankees
Career statistics
Pitching Record     56-27
Earned run average     3.12
Strikeouts     298
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Leonard Leslie "King" Cole (April 15, 1886 in Toledo, IowaJanuary 6, 1916) was a baseball player in the early twentieth century. He started his baseball career as a pitcher with the Chicago Cubs in 1909. In 1910, he led the National League with a record of 20-4 and helped win a National League Pennant for the Cubs. His 20-4 record is the best winning percentage (.866) for a Cub pitcher in the twentieth Century. Cole was traded to Pittsburgh, and then to the New York Yankees On October 2, 1914, Cole gave up a double to Babe Ruth—Ruth's first hit in the major leagues.

In 1915, Cole was diagnosed with tuberculosis, and died shortly after the end of the 1915 season.

Ring Lardner wrote about Cole in articles for The Sporting News. Lardner compiled the stories into the Alibi Ike stories, making Cole a baseball immortal.

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Preceded by
Christy Mathewson
National League ERA Champion
1910
Succeeded by
Christy Mathewson