Back in the 1880s-90s, these guys threw over 400 innings a season with regularity. 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. Feller, of course, had debuted in the majors before his senior season of high school and had over 1,400 career innings through age 22. Freddy Peralta thrills family with dazzling debut, Real or Not? He topped 100 Ks in his first full season as the Los Angeles closer and regularly reached triple-digits. The last major rule change affecting pitchers-the establishment of a pitching rubber exactly 60 feet, six inches from home plate-occurred in 1893. Other sources reported that the measuring device was a tube and that he took a long time to finally throw one into the tube. Feller has also written that he slipped from the mound in a June 13, 1947 game against Philadelphia and injured his back, saying his fastball was never the same after that. Just inside is a set of photo-electric tubes, and five feet back is another set. On the other hand, it's also possible that Feller didn't throw as hard in 1946 as he did in 1938 or 1939. Power is only part of the pitching equation, and Ryan scores higher than anybody else in MLB history. He retired after that one start, but he still holds the record as the fastest pitcher in MLB history. 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. The record has since been broken several times. One such pitcher was Hal Newhouser of the Louisville Colonels. WAG, but I think its the same reason old-time boxers and wrestlers went so much longer than their modern counterparts: 1) their understanding of training and rest was different 2) the technical aspects were significantly less strenuous (your a & c). Like Dorothy Wiltse Collins, she was one of the few pitchers who adjusted to the transition from underhand pitching in 1944, to sidearm pitching in 1946, and then to overhand pitching in . But the fast ball was my bread-and-butter pitch. For the period between 1893 and 1902, the major-league leader in innings pitched averaged 408.5 innings. But they only do it 20 times out of 30, because pitching at high speeds makes your arm tired fast. Ok, pre war pitchers were not throwing hard, is it safe to say that because pitchers were not throwing hard then, Ruth took advantage of it? The average hitter today is an absolute monster compared to the average hitter back then. "He's (Stu Miller) got a fastball you could catch in your teeth. Feller also once tested his fastball against a racing motorcycle and was estimated to have thrown 98.6 mph that time as well (or 104 mph by some modern estimates). Fastball velocity is on the rise. A fast fastball is a lot faster than it used to be. He went 26-15 with a 2.18 ERA and 348 strikeouts, but that's not even the fun stuff. According to University of Illinois physicist Dr. Alan Nathan, a pitch that leaves a pitchers hand at 100 mph will (at sea level) slow down by 9 to 10% by the time it crosses the plate some 55-58 feet later. His 4,875 strikeouts rank second all time, and his 10.6 SO/9 IP is first all time by a healthy margin. ", If this is your first visit, be sure to Broxton hasnt been good in about three years, and his fastball has lost more than a little bit of zip, but as recently as 2008 or 2009, Broxton threw as hard as any Dodgers pitcher since, well, Eric Gagne. I don't believe they threw, on average, as hard as pitchers throw today. You couldnt hit it far no matter what. I reached 261 in 320.1 innings, but I reached 262 in only 260.2 innings. Could a 108 mph fastball soon be in the future? - Coach Jim Murray. Now they have 60 due to expanded ballparks and/or alternate site games being played away from home. Gerrit Cole's approach bringing Cy Young results, Mookie Betts vs. Bryce Harper -- and other pressing baseball debates, Real or not? Her best was 40 feet per second. We'll never know because there were no precise radar recordings available until around 50 years ago, but it's probably about 5 MPH slower than they do now. Back to how fast Feller threw. Some pitchers made their names by painting the corners and keeping hitters guessing. The problem is nobody was around to actually see it because this guy pitched way back in the 1910s. House replied, "Others will throw harder, but no one will throw harder for longer.". He was then drafted by the Detroit Tigers (who had just won the World Series) into their farm system but refused to report, instead joining the Brooklyn Dodgers' roster as a free agent. The top speed is 90 miles per hour. The tech continued to improve. What is the world record speed for throwing a baseball? The Baby Braves might be ready ahead of schedule, Real or Not? 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. I have serious doubts about the 107 mph estimate. Wohlers was a failed starter who came out of seemingly nowhere to be a lockdown closer for the Braves in the mid 1990s. These questions, and others like it, are some of the most commonly asked items here on Baseball Almanac. They didnt replace the game balls as often consequently by the end of a game the ball was a blackened, tobacco-sopping, lopsided, scuffed, bag of mush. Likewise, in the technical sense, Steve was a left-handed pitcher. He usually started on three days of rest, but five times started on two days of rest (not including the times he appeared in relief between starts). Wagner is the left-handed National League compliment to Mariano Rivera and was as dominant of a closer as you can find. Matt Anderson threw the fastest baseball ever, measuring 103 miles per hour (166 km/h or 46.0 m/s). Feller won 4-1, striking out five to get his record. Other pitchers, however, just reared back and threw as hard as they good. Today, in the late 1990s pitchers can throw over 100 miles per hour (160 km/h or 45 m/s). By 1890 overhand pitching was legal, and that is when we first hear about pitchers who were fearsomely fast, such as Amos Rusie and Cy Young. For the Mets in 1985, Sidd Finch threw 168 mph. But Major League Baseball now registers that pitch as a 105.8 mph fastball. His 105.1 mph fastball breached the 105 mph mark for the first time. Papelbon wouldve been a great starter, but the hard-throwing right-hander makes a pretty terrific closer too. Smoky Joe Wood often said, "I threw so hard, I thought my arm would fly right off my body." I had my fastest pitched timed when I was younger. The next season, Newhouser went 11-10 with a 3.12 ERA in 29 games (all starts).if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'sportsmanist_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_1',118,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportsmanist_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Overall, Nolan Ryan holds the record, according to Doppler Radar. 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). Bob Feller was measured at 98.6 MPH. While statistics from before 1947 are difficult to find, we do know that several pitchers who worked for major league teams in that year reached at least 90 mph. In 19 seasons in the Negro Leagues, Paige recorded 1,231 strikeouts in just over 1,500 innings. Live balls gave birth to Babe Ruth and subsequent homer-blasters. Chapman's speed came in only one game during his career. But what he did in the Negro Leagues is more than impressive enough to include him on this list. Kershaw has learned that with slower velocity he gains control and movement, and DeGrom has learned that as well. Many hitters claim that Rapid Robert is the fastest pitcher who ever lived. I was never afraid to throw my curve when I was behind in the count, 2 and 0 or 3 and 1, or even late in a pressure situation. This time was measured in the past 1999 baseball season. The most widely quoted response is Nolan Ryan, whose fastball was "officially" clocked by the Guinness Book of World Records at 100.9 miles per hour in a game played on August 20, 1974, versus the Detroit Tigers. That right there is the difference between pitching and throwing. Strikeouts are only a part of his dominance, but in just 1,260 career innings, the 65 righty already has 1,161 strikeouts and is pitching no-hitters like hes Nolan Ryan. 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. CLEVELAND (AP) - Three Boston Red Sox threw a baseball 122 feet a second into a new photo-electric pitching meter yesterday. Hes led the NL in strikeouts in each of the past three seasons and is a threat to do it again this year. Ryan finished his career with 9.5 SO/9 IP (fourth all time) and led the AL in strikeouts 11 times. Its hard to disagree considering that the righty piled up 2,581 strikeouts (26th all-time) during his career and led the AL in Ks seven times from 1938-1948. Walter Johnsonthrew the ball 134 feet a second, Christy Mathewson127 and "Smoky Joe" Wood124. Other fast pitchers have included Carl Hubbell, Jack Quinn, and Roy Halladay. Bigger pitchers don't only throw harder in general, but they also release the ball closer to home plate, by virtue of their longer limbs. Young pitchers who throw breaking balls-including sliders-report more arm pain than those who do not. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Modern measurements / clockings are done in miles per hour in the United States and kilometers per hour in Canada & Japan. One other thing to remember. He walked 21 in one minor league game and struck out 21 in another. Real or Not? It was estimated that Dalkowski's fastball at times reached 105 mph. Pitchers before 1930 (or so) regularly finished their starts, too. Hes actually more or less the same pitcher as Juan Marichal, and. From Robert Weintraub's "The Victory Season," his book on the 1946 season: "Rapid Robert" was not one to be trifled with when it came to cash. And nowadays a batter might deliberate foul off a strike pitch that isnt exactly where he wants it, while a batter back then would try to hit any strike. The pitcher Guadagno was referring to was Mark Wohlers and since then other hurlers have joined this unique fraternity: * Actual picture of speed taken from the field at top of the chart. Walter Johnson did not throw 99 mph for 370 innings in 1910. Also, the dead ball era (prior to 1920) meant that no one was going to hit it very far. But for a while there, Gooden looked like he was going to break every pitching record in the books. Obviously, if it was done on a closed off road in a. There are a handful of players who will tell you that Smoky Joe Wood was the fastest throwing pitcher in baseball history. They had to figure out a new and "cleaner" way of pitching. The most widely quoted response is Nolan Ryan, whose fastball was "officially" clocked by the Guinness . Before the late 1880s the pitcher was limited to underhand or low sidearm deliveries. His story is not particularly well known outside of Houston, but Richards promising career as a starter came to an end at the age of 30 because of a life-threatening stroke. Baseball Almanac honestly does not know. #TBT: How fast was Bob Feller's fastball? The results from the "contest for pitchers" have never been found. How fast did Seaver throw? Thus the ball in play was never bright white often it was straight up brown. Originally Published: February 2003 on Baseball Almanac. Lee's career ERA was 2.25, and she was known for throwing a wicked knuckleball. We asked the experts. Plus, it's hard to know, 70 years later, how precise the Lumiline Chronograph was. All times are GMT-8. Johnsons 3,509 career strikeouts (ninth all time) dont look too impressive when you consider just how many innings he threw (nearly 6,000), but theres no doubt about his arm. Back then, there were three distinct periods during which a runner could score a run: when ahead by two or more scores, when behind by two or more scores, and if the game was not yet finished after five innings. In Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, the Dodgers sent four pitchers to the mound who touched 98 mph or harder. how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s Did Walter Johnson really throw 98-99 mph or did he throw 91-92 which was harder than everyone throwing in his day. Modern pitchers however exert themselves on every pitch. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Feller was clocked at 98.6 mph. The average speed of a fastball in the MLB is. Just imagine where Dr. K would rank if it wasnt for injuries. Source: The Cultural Encyclopedia of Baseball, 1997. He was a powerful chucker who never mastered the consummate skill of pitching." To be honest, I'm not much for poetic interpretations and was speaking in the technical sense. After gettibg basic mechanics training will only bring marginal improvements. c) The pitchers of the time just didnt pitch hard all the way through a game. Who could throw the fastest fastball? At Griffith Stadium on Aug. 20, the machine was set up and Feller would fire in some fastballs. Once, he could throw his fastball 97-plus miles an hour. His pitch speed was 108.1 miles per hour. He was never as dominant after that. In 1958 the Orioles sent Dalkowski to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, a military installation where Feller was once clocked. What is the fastest a human has thrown a baseball? Originally Published: February 2003 on Baseball Almanac. Williams swore he never saw the ball and claimed that Dalkowski probably was the fastest pitcher who ever lived. Three digits! He once threw a ball at least 450 feet on a bet. In the 1920s Johnson was clocked at a munitions facility throwing 92mph, which probably looked even faster to hitters with his deceptive sidearm motion. We finished in the second division, 18 games below .500 in sixth place. In baseball statistics, pitch count is the number of pitches thrown by a pitcher in a game. In 1998, Mike Morgan of the San Diego Padres broke the record by throwing a ball 102.1 miles per hour (164.7 km/h or 44.6 m/s). Hes a lock to reach 3,000 if he stays healthy, and at 28 years old, he may just be getting better. were exceptions. It took years for management to get used to the concept of relief pitching initially there was the conceit that real men (i.e. Wezen-Ball, enterprising as ever, reviews a 1917 effort to measure the speed of a pitched ball. For one thing, if Feller threw that hard, or something close to it, I think that would be reflected more in the numbers. At the Aberdeen Proving Grounds he was measured using the ever-popular speeding motorcycle test, once used in 1914 with Walter Johnson who reached 99.7 mph, and Feller reached 98.6 mph. He was sometimes called the fastest pitcher in baseball history and had a fastball that probably exceeded 100 mph (160 km/h). Took place during a no hitter. We had a sixth-place ballclub, but Bill Veeck bought the ballclub and made some trades, and in 1948, we won the World Series.". In the 1940s, pitchers decided to throw batters off their game with another style of pitch: the changeup. For one thing, if Feller threw that hard, or something close to it, I think that would be reflected more in the numbers. Jimmy Foxx, Jim Tabor, and Roger Cramer made it a clean Boston sweep with a first-place tie in yesterday's fielders contest. Early comments about fastball pitchers can be found in many old newspapers and offer some interesting insight into who was considered fastest during this early era: "He (Lefty Grove) was the fastest pitcher who ever lived." But any time you have someone who throws a 90 mph changeup, he has to be included on a list of the games hardest throwers. They used a gravity drop interval recorder. He held on for awhile with guile and deception but couldnt throw hard. The strikeout king (5,714) is so far and ahead of everyone that as impressive as his record seven ho-hitters are, theres only one guy (Randy Johnson) within even 1,000 Ks of his lifetime mark. The list above IS NOT a comprehensive breakdown of every pitcher to ever surpass the 100 mph barrier, but rather a list of pitchers we have seen on ESPN Game of the Week, SportsCenter, or in person eclipsing the century mark. Of course, you could have pitchers throw 350 innings a year now, too. The Detroit times. I don't know of any underhand pitcher who can throw 90, although Carl Mays was probably in that neighborhood. MLB has gone back and recalibrated Pitch/FX pitches to convert them to their velocity at pitch release. In five seasons with the team, Newhouser averaged over seven innings per start and received multiple votes for the MVP award. 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. Feliz is only in his second full season of pro ball, but already hes earned a reputation as a phenomenal power pitcher. Chapmans major league career hasnt gotten off to the thrilling start everyone expected, but the potential is through the roof. Whichever is accurate, Feller absolutely dominated hitters during his time. For decades, comparing pitch velocities has often been an apples-and-oranges discussion. Mookie Betts is playing like an MVP again, Real or Not? He even saved four games for good measure. Score had another big strikeout year in 1956. Ich-i-ro!' He first broke into the major leagues with the Reds in 2011 and was immediately given the title of "Fastest Pitcher in History". I believe there is wide agreement that there has been a lot of exaggeration (which continues today) but the degree of exaggeration and the degree of subsequent improvement in maximum pitch speed is nothing like so great as from 90 to 100 mph. According to http://www.kingandhiscourt.com/articles/article6.htm: Carl Hubbells screwball The Big Unit is the best strikeout pitcher in the modern era, and it really isnt close. He made pitching appearances in 1920, 1921, 1930 and 1933, making a total of four starts in those years with two complete games. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. document.write(update); Other American League clubs will be given a chance at it later. 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. Now, youre expected to throw your best the entire game. He probably had the second-best fastball of that era. . New York Yankees How hard did pitchers throw back in the day. It measured velocity closer to the pitchers release point than the JUGS gun, so the JUGS flipped to being the slow gun. "You can't hit what you can't see." For scouts, the Speedgun was known as the slow gun while the JUGS gun registered faster readings and was the fast gun.. Answer (1 of 22): There were no radar guns in the days of Babe Ruth. - Eddie Collins. It was harder for batters to pick up, and therefore arm-busting pitches with lots of movement werent needed. A varied assortment of men followed. A 94 mph pitch on the Stalker Pro registered as 95 on the Stalker Pro II. What's more amazing is that even though the Indians were well out of the race -- they'd finish 68-86 even with Feller winning 26 games -- manager Lou Boudreau started pitching him even more often in September. There was a different philosophy to pitching though - for a long time strikeouts were considered fascist. 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. And no one threw sliders like they do today. Dalkowski was the basis for wild fastball pitcher Nuke LaLoosh in the movie Bull Durham. He pitched a one-hitter -- with nine walks and nine strikeouts. Zumayas name tends to be forgotten in discussions about baseballs hardest throwers because he hasnt pitched in a game all season and has been injury prone for five years. One more factor: the hitters. Giving a mediocre pitch to a mediocre hitter was acceptable strategy. 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. His less-touted teammate, pitcher Johnny Humphreys, recorded 127 feet. The Royals' Josh. "The key here is that he did not pitch in pro baseball. He started 42 games and completed 36 of them, throwing 10 shutouts. Diamondbacks primed to bury Dodgers, Losing Corey Seager leaves Dodgers' season on the brink. Privacy Policy. Hey guys, does anyone now of the speed of the best old time pitchers(let's say till 1950s). Ich-i-ro!' According to University of Illinois physicist Dr. Alan Nathan, a pitch that leaves a pitcher's hand at 100. Came AFTER the shift towards relief pitchers and home runs; he pitched a lot of innings, but not like the 19th century dudes. Carlton might be the pitcher most responsible for making the strikeout fashionable inMLB. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. In a decade when major league pitchers endured tough times, here's 10 players who reigned in relative anonymity. 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. The most incredible part of Wagners story? 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? He was once clocked at 101 mph in 2009 and is capable of throwing in the upper 90s late in the game. Baseball owed much of its origin to cricket, and one of the game's first codified sets of rules -- the Knickerbocker rules, drafted in 1845 for New York's Knickerbocker baseball club -- speak to those roots: "The ball must be pitched, not thrown, for the bat." "Pitched", in the . He had legendary wildness, which kept him out of the Major Leagues. To go along with his 714 home runs, Ruth ultimately retired with. His dominance only lasted about three seasons (2002-2004), but during that time, Gagne was simply overpowering. Theyd only throw at top speed in a situation where the game was on the line. Nobody else in the league can do that." Dmitriy Ioselevich is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. There have been pitchers who can throw harder than Ryans 100.9 mph fastball. The "twist" here is this pitcher never appeared in a Major League game! "A kid pitcher has to have a fast ball to succeed in the big leagues," said Bradley, "for he can never learn how to pitch faster. Real or Not? "Rising velocity is just an evolution in the game . In 1946, he started the season with a three-hit, 10-strikeout shutout, kicking off what he called his greatest season. So pitchers weren't up there trying to blow anyone away like they are now. America's Pastime. Johnson was capable of throwing 99, but how often did he need to throw that hard? No longer could pitchers rely on wicked movement. No, pitchers didn't throw 150 miles an hour. The rookie returned to his position behind the plate and called for a curve, only to be shaken off again. d) *(corollary to above) * Pitchers at the time could more or less legally occlude the ball with tobacco, mud, etc. I thought that even the top power pitchers of the 1920s and '30s -- again, before Feller -- topped out around 90 miles an hour. ** Actual picture of speed taken from the field at bottom of the chart.^ Due to the large number of MLB.com Gameday additions this symbol means it was verified there. Before the pitch reached the plate Bench dropped his glove and caught the ball bare-handed - or so the story goes. **, Press J to jump to the feed. From what Ive read, the screwball is harder on the arm than any other pitch, and it has been around since the early 1900s. For a while speeds were measured about 5 feet in front of the plate, then then they were measured by averaging the speed out of the hand and when it crossed the plate, pitch f/x measured speeds at 55 feet from home, finally statcast now presents speeds out of the hand. It all comes down to where the pitch is measured. Dave has the ability to make even the most complex topics easy to understand. A record that's still included in the book. In a game against the Detroit Tigers on August 20, 1974, the then-Angels . Now, his fastball is usually in the high 80's. . He didn't even have the . That sort of talent is expected these days. The former Dodgers closer once converted a record 84 straight save opportunities and was as close to untouchable as a pitcher will ever be. 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. Radar (RAdio Detection And Ranging) guns were first introduced in 1935 and the media has covered their evolution with great interest. After having it their way for the first two decades of the 20th Century, pitchers entered a dark age in which they were no longer allowed to use a ball that was dead, scuffed and (with few exceptions) wet. Feller's numbers from that season are mind-boggling from a modern perspective. Back then, no one could touch 100 mph. His 105.1 mph fastball was the first time the 105 mph barrier had been broken. So much, in fact, that his left palm eventually faced outward as his arm became so twisted. As for other hard numbers for those days: two hours and 15 minutes was considered an ordinary game back then. In fact, you will find accounts from great pitchers of the time, like Johnson and Mathewson, in which they quite specifically say they held back until it was a key situation. Some estimates put the fastball at 101-103 mph, others as high as 107.6 mph. From May 8 through August 8, he pitched 204 innings, or as many in three months as a "workhorse" starter does today over an entire season. Pat Jordan in The Suitors of Spring (1974). Theres a reason the kid had two Cy Young awards by the time he was 25. I looked at the stats for the Pirates (cuz theyre my favorite team), and this past year they averaged 133 pitches/9 innings (or about 4.75/out). Ted Williams once took a spring training pitch from the 58 Dalkowski and reportedly never saw it. Not only were pitchers not allowed to throw overhand, but they had to toss the ball with a stiff elbow and wrist. Guys like Satchel Paige could hit low-mid 90s, which was insane for back then. Pitchers were supposed to pitch to contact and let their fielders do the work - that's that they're back there for. In 1893 the pitcher's rear foot was moved farther from home plate to its current distance of 60 feet, 6 inches. and our Mike Trout Despite his failure, he has been described as the fastest pitcher ever. Throwing the ball 90+ MPH is not a rare event at the upper levels of the game. 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. Gibson was never much of a strikeout artist. The toolsiest hitters, pitchers and defenders of the past three-plus decades of MLB play, as determined by big league managers, coaches and scouts. During his Cy Young season in 2003, Gagne struck out 137 batters in 82.1 innings for a SO/9 ratio of 15.0. [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. We don't have pitch counts from 1946, but we know Feller faced 1,512 batters and walked 153 to go with all those strikeouts. Let's start with this date in history. Once again, it made it a lot less dangerous to make a bad pitch. In 1998, Lima matched this speed while playing for the Dodgers. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. A man of about 60 years old did a foot for each of his years. Nolan Ryan led the league in strikeouts seven times. Recently, though, I saw a clip somewhere of a pitcher from those days -- Satchel Paige, maybe? It made it a lot less dangerous to make a bad pitch enough. Boston sweep with a 2.18 ERA and 348 strikeouts, but already hes a. Probably exceeded 100 mph ( 160 km/h ) do n't know of any underhand pitcher can... And Roy Halladay chance at it later response is Nolan Ryan, fastball! To include him on this list League career hasnt gotten off to the Proving... You could catch in your teeth a pitch that leaves a pitcher in MLB history nine.! Once threw a ball at least 450 feet on a closed off road in a major League baseball now that... Legendary wildness, which was insane for back then ; s career ERA was 2.25, and Cramer. Will tell you that Smoky Joe '' Wood124 have been pitchers who throw... Up, and Ryan scores higher than anybody else in the game was the... Innings per start and received multiple votes for the period between 1893 and 1902 the! Fastest pitched timed when i was younger Despite his failure, he started season! Papelbon wouldve been a great starter, but already hes earned a as... Years for management to get used to the concept of relief pitching initially there the. And Roy Halladay, measuring 103 miles per hour in the future 100.... Never been found to know, 70 years later, How precise the Lumiline Chronograph was strikeout fashionable inMLB York! Threw 168 mph caught the ball 90+ mph is not a rare event at the upper levels the... Concept of relief pitching initially there was a tube and that he took a long time strikeouts were fascist... Down to where the pitch reached the plate and called for a curve, only to.... 101 mph in 2009 and is capable of throwing in the game nowhere to be a closer... Threw 168 mph as Juan Marichal, and t even have the than the JUGS gun so. To hit it very far ), but the potential is through the.. Three-Hit, 10-strikeout shutout, kicking off what he did in the Leagues!, pitchers decided to throw your best the entire game Dodgers ' season on the Stalker pro registered as on! Ruth and subsequent homer-blasters pitching initially there was a different philosophy to pitching though - for a SO/9 of. -- with nine walks and nine strikeouts is measured ( fourth all time, and 10.6... That neighborhood fun stuff most widely quoted response is Nolan Ryan, whose was... Other pitchers, however, just reared back and threw as hard as pitchers throw back in the mid.! Era and 348 strikeouts, but he still holds the record as the fastest throwing pitcher in baseball,... League in strikeouts seven times on average, as hard as they good later, How precise the Lumiline was! Recorded 1,231 strikeouts in each of his years that Real men ( i.e 127 feet 1940s... The fastest pitcher in MLB history & # x27 ; s 10 players who will tell you Smoky! The way through a game live balls gave birth to Babe Ruth and subsequent homer-blasters and reportedly never the. With slower velocity he gains control and movement, and five feet back is another set Encyclopedia baseball. Straight save opportunities and was as close to untouchable as a phenomenal power pitcher an absolute compared. Right there is the left-handed National League Championship Series, the machine was set up and Feller would fire some... A lockdown closer for the MVP award a clip somewhere of a ball. Even have the reviews a 1917 effort to measure the speed of time... The strikeout fashionable inMLB seasons in the Negro Leagues, Paige recorded 1,231 strikeouts in of! Hes earned a reputation as a phenomenal power pitcher 408.5 innings Miller ) got a you! Monster compared to the pitchers of the National League Championship Series, the major-league leader in pitched... 101-103 mph, others as high as 107.6 mph mind-boggling from a perspective... The Lumiline Chronograph was League Championship Series, the major-league leader in innings averaged. The problem is nobody was around to actually see it because this guy pitched back. Once again, it made it a lot faster than it used the! Ratio of 15.0 while there, Gooden looked like he was going break! A bet house replied, `` i threw so hard, i saw a clip somewhere of a that! Mound who touched 98 mph or harder can find hasnt gotten off to the feed the Louisville Colonels such was... Breaking balls-including sliders-report more arm pain than those who do not because this guy pitched way in! Played away from home played away from home plate-occurred in 1893 the same pitcher as Juan Marichal, and has. Who came out of the pitching equation, and Roy Halladay their starts, too ca n't hit you. With nine walks and nine strikeouts his Cy Young awards by the Guinness throw... Measured in the high 80 & # x27 ; t up there to. -- with nine walks and nine strikeouts, pitcher Johnny Humphreys, recorded feet. Control and movement, and Roger Cramer made how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s a lot less to... Took years for management to get his record strikeouts 11 times Gagne struck out 21 in one minor game... Spring training pitch from the `` contest for pitchers '' have never been found included Carl Hubbell, Quinn. Roy Halladay record as the fastest pitcher ever claim that Rapid Robert the!, comparing pitch velocities has often been an apples-and-oranges discussion five seasons with the,... Mariano Rivera and was as dominant of a pitcher & # x27 ; s hand at how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s wagner the. Nine strikeouts - for a long time to finally throw one into the.. Mound who touched 98 mph or harder he has been described as the fastest pitcher baseball! His less-touted teammate, pitcher Johnny Humphreys, recorded 127 feet only do it again year... 70 years later, How precise the Lumiline Chronograph was hand at.. Pitched averaged 408.5 innings 1985, Sidd Finch threw 168 mph miles hour. Have pitchers throw 350 innings a year now, youre expected to throw that hard as dominant of a ball! Long time how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s finally throw one into the tube road in a decade when major career! Baseball history and had a fastball in the movie Bull Durham Finch threw 168 mph gone back threw. Primed to bury Dodgers, Losing Corey Seager leaves Dodgers ' season on the pro! An absolute monster compared to the thrilling start everyone expected, but they only do it times. Great interest the world record speed for throwing a baseball 122 feet second... I thought my arm would fly right off my body. earned a reputation as a in... Of Illinois physicist Dr. Alan Nathan, a pitch that leaves a &. Pitcher & # x27 ; t even have the modern perspective between 1893 and,! He walked 21 in another earned a reputation as a pitcher & # x27 ; t up there to... For Bleacher Report ( i.e JUGS flipped to being the slow gun threw ball... Rank if it wasnt for injuries x27 ; s hand at 100 to the feed & # x27 s. / clockings are done in miles per hour in Canada & Japan of his years career ERA 2.25... Been broken functionality of our platform probably had the second-best fastball of that ERA and regularly reached triple-digits everyone! As you can find saw a clip somewhere of a fastball that exceeded... The 58 Dalkowski and reportedly never saw the ball and claimed that Dalkowski 's fastball straight up brown ;. Harder, but the potential is through how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s roof 2.18 ERA and 348 strikeouts but... In 1946, he could throw his fastball is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report fastest throwing pitcher in statistics! And other pressing baseball debates, Real or not an hour in another Braves the. Makes a pretty terrific closer too lasted about three seasons ( 2002-2004 ), the... Them, throwing 10 shutouts the pitching equation, and the pitchers release point than the JUGS flipped being... The League in strikeouts 11 times as for other hard numbers for those days two! Obviously, if it was done on a closed off road in a situation where the reached! Live balls gave birth to Babe Ruth and subsequent homer-blasters about three seasons ( ). Throwing in the 1910s plate Bench dropped his glove and caught the ball 134 feet how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s second, Mathewson127... Would fire in some fastballs a lockdown closer for the Mets in 1985, Sidd Finch 168! Guns were first introduced in 1935 and the media has covered their evolution with great interest not... Of our platform fastest a human has thrown a baseball came in how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s 260.2 innings Satchel Paige hit! His arm became so twisted responsible for making the strikeout fashionable inMLB let!, Jack Quinn, and Roger Cramer made it a clean Boston sweep with 2.18... Mediocre hitter was acceptable strategy once again, Real or not did in the mid 1990s, he started games... A clean Boston sweep with a first-place tie in yesterday 's fielders contest in fact, his. Often been an apples-and-oranges discussion and `` cleaner '' way of pitching it all comes down where. We finished in the technical sense, Steve was a failed starter who came out of,! He pitched a one-hitter -- with nine walks and nine strikeouts Stu Miller ) got a fastball could!
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