| King Cole | |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | |
| Born: April 15, 1886 Toledo, Iowa |
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| Died: January 6, 1916 (aged 29) Bay City, Michigan |
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| Batted: Right | Threw: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| October 6, 1909 for the Chicago Cubs | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 20, 1915 for the New York Yankees | |
| Career statistics | |
| Pitching Record | 56-27 |
| Earned run average | 3.12 |
| Strikeouts | 298 |
| Teams | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Leonard Leslie "King" Cole (April 15, 1886 in Toledo, Iowa – January 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.
| Preceded by Christy Mathewson |
National League ERA Champion 1910 |
Succeeded by Christy Mathewson |