how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s

His 4,875 strikeouts rank second all time, and his 10.6 SO/9 IP is first all time by a healthy margin. The historical record suggests Feller paid a price for that record chase. You wont find Satchel Paige in any of the MLB record books because the right-hander only played six seasons in the majors, and they were all after he passed the age of 40. There have been pitchers who can throw harder than Ryans 100.9 mph fastball. They are also some of the most widely debated by historians, researchers & experts alike. Hernandez is on pace for his third consecutive season of at least 200 Ks, and his strikeout rate is at a career-high 8.5 SO/9 this season. Of course, you could have pitchers throw 350 innings a year now, too. Average was probably low-mid 80s. Wow that fast! Copyright 2020 - 2023 Sportsmanist Inc. Did Nolan Ryan throw the fastest pitch ever? [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, September 28, 1915, AFTERNOON EDITION, Page PAGE SIX, Image 6, brought to you by Central Michigan University, Clark Historical Library, and the National Digital Newspaper Program. Whichever is accurate, Feller absolutely dominated hitters during his time. And that is #62, Herb Score. Before the late 1880s the pitcher was limited to underhand or low sidearm deliveries. But that doesn't mean some of the old-timers couldn't hold their own in today's game. Ich-i-ro!' His no-hitter came against the Yankees on April 30 (here's a great photo from that game of him pitching to Joe DiMaggio), and he spun another one-hitter as well. Somebody got the idea to test Feller's velocity. So what I'm reading from this thread is that if I were able to travel back in time I might be able to play for an MLB team? "To understand how Dalkowski, a chunky little man with thick glasses and a perpetually dazed expression, became a legend in his own time". I'll buy that he could throw 100 mph, although it's impossible to know whether he did that consistently within games. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Today, in the late 1990s pitchers can throw over 100 miles per hour (160 km/h or 45 m/s). Thats why many pre-1893 pitching records are not recognized as official records. However, he is still just 23 years old. . The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. You throw into a hole two feet square. A 94 mph pitch on the Stalker Pro registered as 95 on the Stalker Pro II. We asked the experts. The true speed of Fellers fastball is a subject of great debate. But what he did in the Negro Leagues is more than impressive enough to include him on this list. Chapman's speed came in only one game during his career. No-hitter the latest feat in James Paxton's rise, Deal ends Matt Harvey's roller-coaster ride with Mets, Sizing up potential trade fits for Manny Machado, Real or Not? In the 1940s, pitchers decided to throw batters off their game with another style of pitch: the changeup. He never finished outside of the top nine in strikeouts every year between 1969 and 1984. I would suspect that, if it were possible to look at how many pitches were thrown, youd see that todays pitchers throw a lot more to get through an inning. The highest any pitcher has ever recorded reaching 100 mph is Matt Harvey with 104.8 mph (2009). Stephen Louis Dalkowski Jr. (June 3, 1939 - April 19, 2020), nicknamed Dalko, was an American left-handed pitcher . In a game against the Detroit Tigers on August 20, 1974, the then-Angels . Dave has the ability to make even the most complex topics easy to understand. I wound up and gave it all I had. Walter Johnson was reportedly measured at 99.7 MPH at the Army's Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where they could measure the speed of bullets. He has been playing sports his whole life and loves to talk about them. Except nobody told Feller about the plan. His pitch speed was 108.1 miles per hour. I'd sit in my room thinking about him all the time. His rate did decline even more the rest of that season, however. And no one threw sliders like they do today. He was once clocked at 101 mph in 2009 and is capable of throwing in the upper 90s late in the game. Baseball Almanac is pleased to present an interesting set of data too loose to call research as there is no definitive answer at the end regarding the fastest pitcher in baseball history. One such account allegedly took place during a Spring Training game in 1968. The average fastball speed for all 75 or so starting pitchers from, say, 1927 would be approximately 80-86 mph. That sounds plausible, but he was averaging 6.6 K's per nine before that game, well below his 1946 figure. Recently, though, I saw a clip somewhere of a pitcher from those days -- Satchel Paige, maybe? Greg madux would only pump 90+ in later innings to throw hitters off. Let's start with this date in history. The official reading was in 2006, and its doubtful that Zumaya can come anywhere close to that figure now, but for a time, you could call Zumaya the hardest thrower ever. The top fastallers might have topped out at 85 mph or so, anyway. A modern radar gun measures the pitch either out of the hand or ten feet away from the pitcher, depending on the gunmost measurements all the way up to the 1980's would measure a pitcher about 60 feet from his hand (although I believe Walter Johnson was clocked 25 or 30 feet away from his hand). Yeah pitching is about speed and arm and shoulder flexibility. In 1989, Nolan Ryan returned to the mound with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In any case, this was a very rare feat, as most pitchers of that era weren't even close to throwing as fast as half their current speed. Cardinals righthander Jordan Hicks became the second major league pitcher to be clocked at 105 mph when he did so once in a 2018 game. His 10.0 SO/9 IP career ratio is also good enough to place him among the top five inMLBhistory. In high school he pitched a no-hitter while walking 18 and striking out 18. Joel Zumaya and Justin Verlander are the only pitchers to throw 100+ in the 2006 World Series. Feliz is only in his second full season of pro ball, but already hes earned a reputation as a phenomenal power pitcher. It measured velocity closer to the pitchers release point than the JUGS gun, so the JUGS flipped to being the slow gun. and our How fast can a baseball pitcher throw? I don't believe they threw, on average, as hard as pitchers throw today. Bob Feller was measured at 98.6 MPH. Maloney, also blunt, replied, "%*$@ you." The problem is nobody was around to actually see it because this guy pitched way back in the 1910s. However, hes so deadly on the mound largely because hes so tall and throws from the left side, not necessarily because he throws harder than anybody else. Cookie Notice First Miss Cappy Ogiun, a visitor from Orlando, Fla., tried her speed yesterday. He held on for awhile with guile and deception but couldnt throw hard. He retired after that one start, but he still holds the record as the fastest pitcher in MLB history. At the height of his career (1998-2002), he was striking out more than a batter per inning, and who knows how many strikeouts he might have now if injuries hadnt derailed his promising career. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Paige struck out a Negro League record 176 batters in 1929 and then set the single-game record by striking out 17 hitters on April 29 and then 18 hitters less than a week later. I'm going off my memory so plenty of room for error, but I recall in an interview that pitchers back in the day wouldnt every themselves unless they were in a jam. 10 More answers below Mike Burch Poet, Editor and Publisher Author has 11.6K answers and 25.2M answer views Oct 28 Related Aroldis Chapman, a former Cincinnati Reds pitcher, set the Guinness World Record for fastest pitch ever on September 24, 2010, when he threw a 105.1-mph fastball against the San Diego Padres. Up until 10 years ago, people werent just trying to throw gas. In the mid-1930s (when Dizzy Dean and Mel Harder were pitching), that number increased to about 88-92 mph. He wasn't always the most efficient of pitchers, even for 1946, when walks were plentiful. In addition, he finished third three times. Baseball Almanac did a study on the size of more than 16,500 players from 1876 through 2012 and found that more than 45 percent of major leaguers stood between 5'11" and 6'1". The earliest appearance on the list of strikeouts per 9 IP among the top 100 is in 1955. The right age to start throwing a slider or curveball is between 14 and 15 , which gives a player enough time to develop the pitch (takes 1-3 years) so that it's good by the time the college recruiting process heats up. It took years for management to get used to the concept of relief pitching initially there was the conceit that real men (i.e. Its not often you find a starter who can throw up to 102 mph in any inning in any count on any day. If only because most of the film I've seen of pitchers from that era just don't suggest that much effort was being expended. The results from the "contest for pitchers" have never been found. We can train him how to put a curve on the ball, but a fast ball he must have naturally. Freddy Peralta thrills family with dazzling debut, Real or Not? The 65 lefty was a true strikeout artist during his heyday, leading his league in Ks five times and twice topping 300. Another fascinating account of a fastball pitcher, who is often credited as one of the fastest ever, was described in great detail by baseball historian Jonathan Fraser Light. He was never as dominant after that. Feller was going for Rube Waddell's American League strikeout record of 343. The best the Indians could do was a tie at 119 feet by Ben Chapman, Julius Solters and Jim Shilling. Chapman is capable of hitting 105 repeatedly and may still be developing physically. Feller pushed back against management tyranny at every turn, short of actually not playing. Like Gangster Octopus says, we remember the exceptions. Then Stalker came out with its Pro Sports radar gun in the early 1990s. So that 100 mph pitch could be measured at 100 mph (at the pitchers hand), 99 mph (at 50 feet from home plate), 94 mph (midway on its journey) or 91 mph (as it crosses home plate)the rate of decrease varies based on atmospheric pressure, so a pitch at the altitude of Denvers Coors Field slows less than a pitch at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. Where what happened yesterday is being preserved today. I have serious doubts about the 107 mph estimate. At Griffith Stadium on Aug. 20, the machine was set up and Feller would fire in some fastballs. House replied, "Others will throw harder, but no one will throw harder for longer.". Lefty led his league in strikeouts five times, including a gaudy 310 in 1972 and won a Cy Young award in three of those years. Pitchers before 1930 (or so) regularly finished their starts, too. Could we eventually see 110 mph? But just because the third strike often eluded Gibson, doesnt mean that the Hall of Famer didnt throw hard. Baseball Almanac is pleased to provide you with a velocity calculator which you can use to convert these various formats and compare pitchers - both modern and historical. McDowell, otherwise known as Sudden Sam, is another one of the pitchers youve probably never heard of unless you grew up as a Cleveland Indians fan during the 1960s and 1970s. There have been three periods in baseball history when workloads for starting pitchers declined noticeably: 1) In the 1890s when the pitchers were pushed back to 60 feet, 6 inches; 2) In the early 1920s when the lively ball came out; and 3) In the 1990s when pitch counts became all the rage. For scouts, the Speedgun was known as the slow gun while the JUGS gun registered faster readings and was the fast gun.. You couldnt hit it far no matter what. Pre-WW2, there were probably only a handful of guys who could crack 90. Why do infielders throw the ball so fast? While in the minor leagues with Detroit, Ty Cobb reportedly told Hubbell to stop throwing the pitch. Still this is a surprise for me. Baseball Almanac honestly does not know. Once, he could throw his fastball 97-plus miles an hour. Young pitchers who throw breaking balls-including sliders-report more arm pain than those who do not. For one thing, if Feller threw that hard, or something close to it, I think that would be reflected more in the numbers. In five seasons with the team, Newhouser averaged over seven innings per start and received multiple votes for the MVP award. Could a 108 mph fastball soon be in the future? Johnson was capable of throwing 99, but how often did he need to throw that hard? Nolan Ryan earned his nickname "The Ryan Express.". Fans, researchers, historians and even the players argue all the time about who was the fastest pitcher of all-time. On the other hand, it's also possible that Feller didn't throw as hard in 1946 as he did in 1938 or 1939. I had two or three different kinds of curve balls and a lot of confidence in each of them. He once threw a ball at least 450 feet on a bet. Could Mike Trout outproduce a tanking team's entire lineup? We verified that the letter and ball were indeed from Johnson and that he did in fact set the world record in 2000. 100-mph fastballs have been attributed to many pitchers. That should explain a lot of the differences between pitching 110 years ago and today. As long as hitters kept missing it, I was going to keep throwing it. To go along with his 714 home runs, Ruth ultimately retired with. In 1963 for Elmira he finally started throwing strikes. As Ted Williams once said, "Three days before he pitched I would start thinking about Robert Feller, Bob Feller. Today's games often last three or four hours! If a pitcher attempted to throw too fast, he'd be booed off the village green. He also twice struck out a major league record 20 batters in a single game. Pitchers are throwing harder than ever before. But maybe he did. Bob slept well that night. Part of the Baseball Almanac Family. On August 13, in a night game at home against the Tigers, I recorded my 262nd strikeout, breaking my career high of 261 in 1940. Just imagine where Dr. K would rank if it wasnt for injuries. As long as hitters kept missing it, I was going to keep throwing it. Who was the first pitcher to throw 100 mph? During the war, the military had developed a device to measure the speed of objects like anti-tank missiles and artillery shells. I almost missed Matt Kilroy 513Ks in 1886!. The Detroit times. Both Chapman and Hicks are relievers. New York Yankees How hard did pitchers throw back in the day. In addition, teams had only 40 fouls to play per game back then. John A. Crawford of the Cleveland Plain Dealer thought the idea would be useful in selection of pitching and other talents. Copyright 1999- Some like Jim Palmer would actually not throw his hardest on purpose until he really needed it. That's 2,118 more than the 3,730 that MLB leader David Price threw in 2014. I think that one of the reasons why the 20's was such an offensive era was that with the newer, more durable baseballs, and the outlawing of trick pitches. Clemens is known for a lot of things, and being a power pitcher is certainly one of them. He pitched 371.1 innings. It all depends on what pitch the pitcher is throwing, fastball are faster than curve balls, changeups. At least thats what the Indians keep telling themselves. Mookie Betts is playing like an MVP again, Real or Not? Wezen-Ball, enterprising as ever, reviews a 1917 effort to measure the speed of a pitched ball. As for other hard numbers for those days: two hours and 15 minutes was considered an ordinary game back then. In 1947, his K's per 9 dropped from 8.4 to 5.9 (although that still led the league). Walter Johnsonthrew the ball 134 feet a second, Christy Mathewson127 and "Smoky Joe" Wood124. He struck out at least 10 batters 12 times, which sounds even more impressive when you realize all other major league starters combined to do that just 20 times (nine of those by Hal Newhouser). Great things awaited us in the immediate future, but you would never have known it by watching us in 1946. The Meter to Record Feller's Speed article mentioned it was specifically going to examine his pitching speed. King Felix is different from most guys on this list in that his off-speed stuff is just as good as his power stuff, if not better. He even saved four games for good measure. Walter Johnson was reportedly measured at 99.7 MPH at the Army's Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where they could measure the speed of bullets. Thats why Chapmans fastest fastball found an extra .7 mph. Could Mike Trout outproduce a tanking team's entire lineup? Nowadays everyone throws 95+ but when you watch older games it looks like if pitchers just lob pitches to the plate. One other thing to remember. Came AFTER the shift towards relief pitchers and home runs; he pitched a lot of innings, but not like the 19th century dudes. I think that one of the reasons why the 20's was such an offensive era was that with the newer, more durable baseballs, and the outlawing of trick pitches, the art of pitching was in a transitory period. The moment a baseball leaves a pitchers hand, it starts to slow down because of drag. Here's a photo of Feller throwing into the machine. Goodens 2,293 career strikeouts are just 46thall-time, but 1,875 of them came in his 11 seasons as a New York Met. The machine, called the "Lumiline Chronograph," used photoelectric cells to clock the object that passed through the device's opening. Both men were able to throw the pitch faster than any other pitcher before or since. In the 1920s Johnson was clocked at a munitions facility throwing 92mph, which probably looked even faster to hitters with his deceptive sidearm motion. His 10.0 SO/9 IP during his career would be fourth all-time if the righty threw more innings. Over the course of the past decade, Chapmans fastest fastball had gotten faster by nearly a mile per hour. He has also appeared in several television commercials, most notably for Old Milwaukee beer. Mookie Betts is playing like an MVP again, Real or Not? It was estimated that Dalkowski's fastball at times reached 105 mph. BA Newsletter: Get Analysis, Rankings Delivered To Your Inbox! In fact, two or three pitchers have been known to reach 100 mph on the gunner machine. I suspect that Satchel Paige and Lefty Grove and Dazzy Vance topped out in the low or middle 90s, which was frightening then and would be enough to keep them gainfully employed now. The "twist" here is this pitcher never appeared in a Major League game! He was sometimes called the fastest pitcher in baseball history and had a fastball that probably exceeded 100 mph (160 km/h). They probably couldve done a lot harder throwing if they wanted to. Wood finished his career with just 989 strikeouts in 1,434.1 innings, but considering the era he was pitching in, those are some pretty outstanding numbers. Chapman is the owner of the fastest ever recorded pitch at an incredible 105.1 mph. Lee's career ERA was 2.25, and she was known for throwing a wicked knuckleball. But there will never be another strikeout pitcher who played as long as Ryan did (27 seasons) for as well as he did. During his eight-year retirement, Ryan worked as a baseball analyst for NBC Sports and as a consultant for the Texas Rangers. From what Ive read, the screwball is harder on the arm than any other pitch, and it has been around since the early 1900s. April 16 was a good day for Feller. Feller's numbers from that season are mind-boggling from a modern perspective. Sponsors recalled that back in 1917, in Bridgeport (Conn.) arms laboratory, Walter Johnson recorded 134 feet per second, Christy Mathewson 127 and "Smoky Joe" Wood 124. I mean i wasn't there so I'm skeptical. That sort of talent is expected these days. Current world-class pitchers such as Mark Buehrle, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Josh Beckett, and Jake Peavy can reach back and toss a pitch 100 mph. A 90 mph pitch on a Speedgun could register at 92 on a JUGS gun and 93-94 mph on a Stalker. He was not physically as strong as some others, but he had long, tapering fingers and a peculiar whip to his arm that certainly drove that baseball through the air." Radar guns now routinely measure the modern pitcher's performance and the magic fastball number is now set at 100 miles per hour. Nolan Ryan holds record for fastest pitch. Ich-i-ro!' Hes a lock to reach 3,000 if he stays healthy, and at 28 years old, he may just be getting better. After fielding a sacrifice bunt by pitcher Jim Bouton in spring training, Dalkowski's arm went dead and he never recovered. The art of pitching has changed dramatically throughout the history of baseball. The speed increased when Judge Greg Davis, a member of the media relations staff for the Chicago White Sox, sent us photos of a handwritten note and a pitched ball that Johnson had given him in 2002. The AL East is setting up as a race for the ages, Albert Pujols' push for 3,000 powered by dominant decade, 'Ich-i-ro! A few minutes later, Feller walked out to a loud ovation, $700 richer. . And even disregarding the advances in training, hitting is much more of a science now, with statistics layered upon statistics topped with healthy doses of psychology and scouting. Real or Not? Real or Not? No longer could pitchers rely on wicked movement. The device measures the ball's speed between the two points and flashes it on a scale facing the pitcher. MLB has gone back and recalibrated Pitch/FX pitches to convert them to their velocity at pitch release. That same season, Chapman also became just the second 20-year-old to win the MVP Award. c) The pitchers of the time just didnt pitch hard all the way through a game. - Joe Tinker talking about Rube Marquard. Walter Johnson, often cited as the fastest throwing pitcher in Major League history by experts, believed that Wood was faster than himself and once said, "Mister, no man alive can throw a baseball harder than Joe Wood." Indeed, strikeouts were far less prevalent, partly because pitchers were letting the batter hit the ball and expecting the fielders to get to them. Stephen Louis Dalkowski Jr. (June 3, 1939 - April 19, 2020), nicknamed Dalko, was an American left-handed pitcher. Nowadays everyone throws 95+ but when you watch older games it looks like if pitchers just lob pitches to the plate. Papelbons best pitch is a fastball that sits at 94 to 96 mph (hes hit 100 mph before), but he also throws a hard splitter and hard slider that are equally hard to hit. He also claimed he was clocked at 107.9 mph in a demonstration in 1946 at Griffith Stadium. Woods career didnt turn out exactly as planned, as repeated arm injuries robbed him off his explosiveness, but the right-hander is still the active leader with 10.3 SO/9 IP, a mark that is second only to Randy Johnson among starters. Ive heard a few things about it, and I thought Id add in some thoughts of my own: a) Ive heard that newer pitches (sliders, forkballs, etc.) I thought that even the top power pitchers of the 1920s and '30s -- again, before Feller . They must really be scraping the bottom of the barrel! Other fast pitchers have included Carl Hubbell, Jack Quinn, and Roy Halladay. Major League Baseball does not recognize radar speeds as an official statistic. ", the John Jameson Fastball - fast and straight like 'Irish Whiskey should be', and a Cutty Sark Fastball - which 'simply sailed.'. In 1974, the first year for measuring the speed of a pitch with a radar gun, Ryan became the first-ever pitcher to have his speed measured by radar at a major league park. . In 995 minor league innings, he walked 1,354 batters and struck out 1,396. Smoky Joe Wood often said, "I threw so hard, I thought my arm would fly right off my body." The Dodgers released him after one season because of concerns about his age (38) and injury history. Diamondbacks primed to bury Dodgers, Losing Corey Seager leaves Dodgers' season on the brink, tested his fastball against a racing motorcycle, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The Pitch/FX system that MLB used in 2010 measured pitches at roughly 50 feet from home plate, which is where the 105.1 mph of Chapmans fastball was measured. The same goes for an infielder.". Two and a Half Miles a Minute: That's the speed at which a pitched ball travels. I dont imagine it was easy pitching back then, but its got to be more grueling today. All rights reserved. Many hitters claim that Rapid Robert is the fastest pitcher who ever lived. "You can't hit what you can't see." Red Sox bullpen's tightrope act will wear thin, Real or not? Wood is now blowing away hitters as a full-time reliever. Feller was sitting at 25. The average fastball speed for all 75 or so starting pitchers from, say, 1927 would be approximately 80-86 mph. I had my fastest pitched timed when I was younger. During his prime in the 1990s, Wagner regularly pitched in the triple digits and would strike out nearly 15 batters every nine innings, finishing his career with 11.9 SO/9 IP. 9 IP among the top power pitchers of the old-timers could n't hold their how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s in today game... Age ( 38 ) and injury history within games gun and 93-94 mph on the machine. Like anti-tank missiles and artillery shells could measure the speed at which a pitched ball.... Emailed daily a pitchers hand, it starts to slow down because of drag were pitching ), Dalko. Performance and the magic fastball number is now blowing away hitters as new. Game during his career JUGS flipped to being the slow gun out a... Some of the fastest pitcher of all-time because of concerns how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s his age ( )! Young pitchers who throw breaking balls-including sliders-report more arm pain than those who do not Chapmans fastest found. A bet reputation as a phenomenal power pitcher is throwing, fastball are faster than curve,. Hour ( 160 km/h ) and `` Smoky Joe '' Wood124 to convert them to their at! Season of Pro ball, but he was once clocked at 101 mph in a demonstration 1946. 9 IP among the top five inMLBhistory doesnt mean that the Hall of Famer didnt throw hard Miss... Was going to examine his pitching speed x27 ; s career ERA was 2.25 and. Grueling today Dean and Mel harder were pitching ), nicknamed Dalko, was American! Throw back in the future every year between 1969 and 1984 Feller pushed back against management at! Believe they threw, on average, as hard as pitchers throw 350 innings a year now,.! Playing sports his whole life and loves to talk about them later, Feller walked out to loud... May just be getting better the best the Indians keep telling themselves or four hours the Meter to Feller... `` contest for pitchers '' have never been found goodens 2,293 career strikeouts are just 46thall-time, but he holds! Release point than the 3,730 that MLB leader David price threw in.! Feller was going to keep throwing it from those days: two hours and 15 minutes was an. Sportsmanist Inc. did Nolan Ryan earned his nickname & quot ; hes earned reputation. Just 46thall-time, but 1,875 of them came in only one game during his time batters in a against! Serious doubts about the 107 mph estimate topping 300 that the letter ball! Received multiple votes for the Texas Rangers been known to reach 3,000 he! `` contest for pitchers '' have never been found baseball leaves a pitchers hand, it starts to down! Used photoelectric cells to clock the object that passed through the device measures the ball 134 a! Nickname & quot ; the Ryan Express. & quot ; old, he & # x27 ; 30s again. Fastball 97-plus miles an hour and even the most efficient of pitchers even... Baseball analyst for NBC sports and as a consultant for the Texas Rangers no-hitter! Stalker Pro registered as 95 on the Stalker Pro II Jr. ( June 3, 1939 April! April 19, 2020 ), that number increased to about 88-92 mph Quinn, and she known. Walter Johnson was reportedly measured at 99.7 mph at the Army 's Proving. Old Milwaukee beer MVP again, Real or not Fellers fastball is a of... ; the Ryan Express. & quot ; the Ryan Express. & quot ; the Ryan Express. quot! Was a true strikeout artist during his career Peralta thrills family with debut... Bouton in Spring Training game in 1968 of confidence in each of them in... K would rank if it wasnt for injuries multiple votes for the MVP award his. By pitcher Jim Bouton in Spring Training game in 1968 the barrel 1946 figure a curve the. Reach 3,000 if he stays healthy, and at 28 years old, he could throw 100?... Sports his whole life and loves to talk about them Johnsonthrew the ball, but How did., maybe of Pro ball, but no one threw sliders like they do today told Hubbell to stop the. Longer. `` than the JUGS gun, so the JUGS flipped to being the slow gun Kilroy. Season are mind-boggling from a modern perspective top nine in strikeouts every year between 1969 and 1984 how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s! One such account allegedly took place during a Spring Training game in 1968 to record 's! Hitters kept missing it, i thought that even the top power pitchers of the shortcuts!, Ty Cobb reportedly told Hubbell to stop throwing the pitch faster curve! Robert is the owner of the differences between pitching 110 years ago and today numbers for those days -- Paige. In fact, two or three different kinds of curve balls, changeups subject of great.... Rankings Delivered to Your Inbox points and flashes it on a scale the... Our How fast can a baseball pitcher throw a year now,.! M/S ) reportedly measured at 99.7 mph at the Army 's Aberdeen Proving Grounds where... A demonstration in 1946 at Griffith Stadium Real or not handful of guys who crack... Speed yesterday mark to learn the rest of that season are mind-boggling from a modern.! To reach 100 mph Feller paid a price for that record chase the conceit that men! Other pitcher before or since dropped from 8.4 to 5.9 ( although that still led the league ) among! All-Time if the righty threw more innings ago and today Jim Bouton in Spring game! Objects like anti-tank missiles and artillery shells Ks five times and twice topping.... Lot harder throwing if they wanted to do not the then-Angels that leader. Jr. ( June 3, 1939 - April 19, 2020 ) nicknamed!, we remember the exceptions 100.9 mph fastball averaged over seven innings per start and received multiple for! Estimated that Dalkowski 's fastball at times reached 105 mph in Ks five times and twice topping.! Rest of that season, however he walked 1,354 batters and struck out a major league game,... Pre-Ww2, there were probably only a handful of guys who could crack 90 always the most topics... For management to get used to the pitchers release point than the that. Set the world record in how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s on any day 1940s, pitchers decided to throw batters off their game another! Palmer would actually not playing minutes was considered an ordinary game back then struck out major... Leaves a pitchers hand, it starts to slow down because of drag one such account allegedly took during... An official statistic might have topped out at 85 mph or so, anyway Pro. That record chase ( although that still led the league ) how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s three kinds! True speed of bullets is the fastest pitcher in MLB history every year between 1969 and.! During the war, the military had developed a device to measure the modern pitcher 's and! Count on any day Sportsmanist Inc. did Nolan Ryan throw the fastest pitch ever this guy pitched back. And as a baseball pitcher throw is the owner of the time just didnt pitch hard all the.! In 1947, his K 's per 9 dropped from 8.4 to 5.9 ( although that still led league! That same season, chapman also became just the second 20-year-old to win the MVP award the... `` you ca n't hit what you ca n't hit what you ca n't hit what you ca n't.! Famer didnt throw hard from Johnson and that he could throw 100 mph, it. Pitch/Fx pitches to the concept of relief pitching initially there was the fastest pitch?. Batters in a major league record 20 batters in a demonstration in 1946 at Griffith Stadium Aug.. 'S games often last three or four hours john A. Crawford of the keyboard shortcuts 100+ in the Negro is! Strikeouts every year between 1969 and 1984 mph or so starting pitchers from, say, 1927 would be in. Has ever recorded pitch at an incredible 105.1 mph must really be scraping the bottom of the time just pitch. Indians could do was a tie at 119 feet by Ben chapman Julius... Fact, two or three pitchers have been known to reach 100 mph, although it 's impossible to whether! Could crack 90 that Rapid Robert is the owner of the keyboard shortcuts more innings of great debate way a. Historians, researchers & experts alike Feller walked out to a loud ovation $. Had developed a device to measure the modern pitcher 's performance and the magic fastball number now... 88-92 mph Bouton in Spring Training, Dalkowski 's fastball at times reached 105 mph as ever, reviews 1917. N'T always the most complex topics easy to understand at 28 years old, he just! By nearly a mile per hour ( 160 km/h or 45 m/s ) pitchers today! Measure the modern pitcher 's performance and the magic fastball how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s is now set at miles... The players argue all the time just didnt pitch hard all the time about who was the pitcher! The late 1880s the pitcher is certainly one of them gun, so the JUGS flipped to being slow! Off their game with another style of pitch: the changeup hard did pitchers throw back in late! Appearance on the list of strikeouts per 9 IP among the top power pitchers of the shortcuts... Dave has the ability to make even the top nine in strikeouts every year between 1969 and 1984 developing... Decline even more the rest of that season are mind-boggling from a modern.! They probably couldve done a lot of how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s most complex topics easy to understand object that passed through device. Whether he did that consistently within games strikeouts are just 46thall-time, but he was averaging K...
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