Ken Raffensberger

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Ken Raffensberger
Raffensberger in about 1953.
Pitcher
Born: (1917-08-08)August 8, 1917 York, Pennsylvania
Died: November 10, 2002(2002-11-10) (aged 85) York, Pennsylvania
Batted: Right	Threw: Left
MLB debut
April 25, 1939 for the St. Louis Cardinals
Last MLB appearance
June 2, 1954 for the Cincinnati Redlegs
Career statistics
Win-loss record	119-154
Earned run average	3.60
Strikeouts	806
Teams
St. Louis Cardinals (1939) Chicago Cubs (1940–1941) Philadelphia Phillies (1943–1947) Cincinnati Reds/Redlegs (1947–1954)
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 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 Phillies (1943–47), and Cincinnati Reds/Redlegs (1947–1954). Raffensberger batted right-handed and threw left-handed. He was born in York, Pennsylvania.

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 1940s, 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 stubbornly tried to slug with him and didn't have much success."

Raffensberger died in York, Pennsylvania, at age 85.

Leaderboards and Awards appearances

Made National League All-Star team (1944)
Twice led NL in shutouts (1949, five - 1952, six)
Led NL in games started (1949, 38)
Led NL in saves (1946, six)
Led NL in WHIP (1951, 1.086)
Led NL in SO to Walk (1944, 3.02)
3-time appeared in National League MVP vote (1949, 1951–52)
Twice led NL in losses (1944, 20 - 1951, 17)
Led NL in home runs allowed (1950, 34)
Led NL in hits allowed (1949, 289)

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 was a 3–0 count.
St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer Stan Musial said on an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show that Raffensberger was the toughest left-handed pitcher he had ever faced and dubbed him "Crafty Raffy."

Sources

Baseball Almanac
Baseball Library
Baseball Reference
Baseball Spot
"Former Reds' pitcher dies at 85". The Cincinnati Post (E. W. Scripps Company). 2002-11-11. Archived from the original on 2005-02-17.
The Deadball Era
Historic Baseball
York Wiki

References

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

External links

Ken Raffensberger at Find a Grave

Philadelphia Phillies Opening Day starting pitchers

Cincinnati Reds Opening Day starting pitchers

Persondata
Name	Raffensberger, Ken
Alternative names
Short description	American baseball player
Date of birth	August 8, 1917
Place of birth	York, Pennsylvania
Date of death	November 10, 2002
Place of death	York, Pennsylvania

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