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. There are a handful of players who will tell you that Smoky Joe Wood was the fastest throwing pitcher in baseball history. I think it was pitcher Phil Hughes who commented on a Whitey Ford video on twitter, and said he was throwing 80 mph. 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. In 1947, his K's per 9 dropped from 8.4 to 5.9 (although that still led the league). I think some of these things are a bit overblown. But then again throwing is mainly a talent thing and is not supposed to be improved by modern training very much. Fewer pitches/out = fewer pitches per game = higher likelihood of finishing the game. He pitched 371.1 innings. Its believed he could throw upwards of 100 mph. Yeah pitching is about speed and arm and shoulder flexibility. Wagner is the left-handed National League compliment to Mariano Rivera and was as dominant of a closer as you can find. 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." Could we eventually see 110 mph? The "twist" here is this pitcher never appeared in a Major League game! Its not often you find a starter who can throw up to 102 mph in any inning in any count on any day. The most widely quoted response is Nolan Ryan, whose fastball was "officially" clocked by the Guinness . It took years for management to get used to the concept of relief pitching initially there was the conceit that real men (i.e. Red Sox bullpen's tightrope act will wear thin, Real or not? The Elias Sports Bureau, Stats Inc and The Sporting News are all highly respected resources who publish some form of record book every season, yet none of them recognize any pitcher as the fastest ever. It was common for pitchers to "coast" until a runner got into scoring position. 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. Copyright 1999-2021. The rookie returned to his position behind the plate and called for a curve, only to be shaken off again. 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. Live balls gave birth to Babe Ruth and subsequent homer-blasters. The fastest pitcher ever may have been 1950s phenom and flameout Steve Dalkowski. 1920 Major League Baseball Standard Pitching | Baseball-Reference.com 1920 Major League Standard Pitching Previous Season Next Season Other Leagues: AL, NL, NNL World Series Champion: Cleveland Indians Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. 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). Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Other sources reported that the measuring device was a tube and that he took a long time to finally throw one into the tube. But The Freak is a monster when it comes to pitching. Wood is now blowing away hitters as a full-time reliever. Mathewson et al. Jimenez doesnt get much attention as a power pitcher because he walks so many batters (nearly four every nine innings), but when hes on, there might not be a better pitcher in baseball. According to http://www.kingandhiscourt.com/articles/article6.htm: Carl Hubbells screwball But what he did in the Negro Leagues is more than impressive enough to include him on this list. Three Cleveland Indians could do only 119 feet. They all thought he was faster than Bob Feller and Walter Johnson, though none of them probably saw Johnson pitch. What was the fastest pitch ever thrown during a baseball 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. 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. So pitchers weren't up there trying to blow anyone away like they are now. Perhaps I'm wrong on this, but it's just a theory of mine. Document Creator: Sean Holtz of Baseball Almanac, Inc. 2003-2005. We had a sixth-place ballclub, but Bill Veeck bought the ballclub and made some trades, and in 1948, we won the World Series.". There were freak arms throughout history. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled. America's Pastime. They each pitched at least one inning at 100 mph or faster. Dmitriy Ioselevich is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. was still 85mph. And that makes the 100 mph pitches Nolan Ryan threw in 1974 (as measured by Rockwell laser/radar instruments relatively close to the plate) even more remarkable today. Who was the first pitcher to throw 100 mph? Dalkowski was not physically imposing, standing only 5'8" and wearing thick glasses. [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. Jimenez is another pitcher who, at just 27 years old, has already raised eyebrows with some of his strikeout totals and radar gun readings. Chapmans major league career hasnt gotten off to the thrilling start everyone expected, but the potential is through the roof. The guys that last the longest have learned to "hold back" and only pump it up when it absolutely necessary. Feliz's fastball was once clocked at 103.4 mph during a game at Rangers Ballpark, a speed that is third all-time behind only Aroldis Chapman (105.1 mph) and Joel Zumaya (104.8 mph). 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. Walter Johnson was reportedly measured at 99.7 MPH at the Army's Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where they could measure the speed of bullets. "Batting slumps? But just because the third strike often eluded Gibson, doesnt mean that the Hall of Famer didnt throw hard. Other fast pitchers have included Carl Hubbell, Jack Quinn, and Roy Halladay. How fast do you have to throw a curveball. During the 1999 baseball season, this moment was recorded. His 2,453 career strikeouts are just 34th all-time, but his 8.86 SO/9 IP are ninth. Other pitchers, however, just reared back and threw as hard as they good. Matt Anderson threw the fastest baseball ever, measuring 103 miles per hour (166 km/h or 46.0 m/s). Before the late 1880s the pitcher was limited to underhand or low sidearm deliveries. They must really be scraping the bottom of the barrel! But maybe its time to pay more attention to the guy who always played in Bob Fellers shadow. We finished in the second division, 18 games below .500 in sixth place. The Royals' Josh. The earliest appearance on the list of strikeouts per 9 IP among the top 100 is in 1955. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Lee's career ERA was 2.25, and she was known for throwing a wicked knuckleball. The bullpen was for youngsters, oldsters and bushers. A few minutes later, Feller walked out to a loud ovation, $700 richer. Baseball buffs: how did old-time pitchers throw for so many innings? For one thing, if Feller threw that hard, or something close to it, I think that would be reflected more in the numbers. Why do infielders throw the ball so fast? All Rights Reserved by Baseball Almanac, Inc. Privacy Policy. Nobody really knows, but we do hope this article has shed some light on the topic and at least provided you with additional material to argue with your friends about. For the Mets in 1985, Sidd Finch threw 168 mph. Up until 10 years ago, people werent just trying to throw gas. Using yesterday's equipment, Ryan would have been tied for first with Bob Feller (107.4 mph). 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. Once, he could throw his fastball 97-plus miles an hour. His arm was pretty much toast in his mid-30s. In a game against the Detroit Tigers on August 20, 1974, the then-Angels . If he harnesses all his pitches and learns to throw strikes consistently, theres no reason he cant one day pass the next guy on this list in career strikeouts. No longer could pitchers rely on wicked movement. Real or Not? The moment a baseball leaves a pitchers hand, it starts to slow down because of drag. Score had another big strikeout year in 1956. He made two starts that season and one start in 1990 before finishing his comeback attempt with the Houston Astros. Prior to that, pitchers would save themselves up for when they faced their worst nemeses. Walter Johnson did not throw 99 mph for 370 innings in 1910. In 1963 for Elmira he finally started throwing strikes. Hes a lock to reach 3,000 if he stays healthy, and at 28 years old, he may just be getting better. Hes still considered one of the best to ever throw a baseball, and its estimated his fastball could reach 100 mph. For decades, comparing pitch velocities has often been an apples-and-oranges discussion. So Feller started on Sept. 19, Sept. 22, Sept, 25, pitched five innings of relief on Sept. 27 and then started the season finale on Sept. 29, tied with Waddell at 343 strikeouts. To go along with his 714 home runs, Ruth ultimately retired with. His career 11.5 SO/9 rate is still among the best all-time, but the strike zone continues to elude the oversized righty. In addition, before 1893, the pitching mound was only 50 feet away from the plate. Mookie Betts is playing like an MVP again, Real or Not? So how was pitching different back then? During spring training in 1964, Dalkowski was with the Major League club. Pitching for the Tigers: Newhouser, who had 26 wins. 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 AL East is setting up as a race for the ages, Albert Pujols' push for 3,000 powered by dominant decade, 'Ich-i-ro! The Speedgun, developed by Decatur Technologies (a long-time maker of police radar guns) measured closer to the plate than the JUGS gun. Throwing the ball 90+ MPH is not a rare event at the upper levels of the game. Back in the 1880s-90s, these guys threw over 400 innings a season with regularity. Power is only part of the pitching equation, and Ryan scores higher than anybody else in MLB history. The results from the "contest for pitchers" have never been found. Where what happened yesterday is being preserved today. He didn't even have the . The 610 left-hander topped 300 Ks five times in his career (including an eye-popping 372 in 249.2 innings in 2001) and led his league in Ks nine times in 22 major league seasons. Farewell to a Mariners legend. You throw into a hole two feet square. Nolan Ryan holds record for fastest pitch. 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. Because 1) they weren't asked to max out, and 2) everyone in every sport is stronger and faster, more dynamic today than yesterday; why would pitchers be any different? I'll buy that he could throw 100 mph, although it's impossible to know whether he did that consistently within games. Took place during a no hitter. Smoky Joe Wood often said, "I threw so hard, I thought my arm would fly right off my body." 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. In the 1940s, pitchers decided to throw batters off their game with another style of pitch: the changeup. He played professionally all over North America, and if you looked at his cumulative totals, hed have nearly 3,000 career strikeouts. Thats why many pre-1893 pitching records are not recognized as official records. - Joe Tinker talking about Rube Marquard. Walter Johnsonthrew the ball 134 feet a second, Christy Mathewson127 and "Smoky Joe" Wood124. 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. b) Travel pervaded the season more in those days pitchers got a lot of rest while sitting around on trains. Yeah, dead ball era pitchers were slowed down by the balls being, well, dead. I am scertain that most pitchers probably had shortened carrers because of the overuse, but the exceptions stick out in historythe Cy Younsg, Gorver Cleveland Alexanders and Walter Johnsons. The average hitter today is an absolute monster compared to the average hitter back then. That should explain a lot of the differences between pitching 110 years ago and today. update=copyright.getFullYear(); 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. 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. 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 . Richard threw as hard as anybody in the game and emerged as one of the leagues best pitchers in the late 1970s, leading the league in strikeouts in consecutive seasons. The best workhorses of that time approached 700 innings - and they weren't even playing 154 games in a season yet. 1 farm systems fared in the following seasons. The first radar guns that began appearing at ballparks in the late 1970s and early 1980s measured pitches much closer to the plate. 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. (Yes, nitpickers, Im aware that John Wheeler ghosted Mattys book.). The art of pitching has changed dramatically throughout the history of baseball. I woudl suggest that it is in fact simply that they let the pitchers pitch so much back then. For more information, please see our The Big Train, as Walter Johnson was known, did his damage in the early part of the 20th century as a starter for the Washington Nationals. Whoops! "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. I never had one. That's 2,118 more than the 3,730 that MLB leader David Price threw in 2014. So how was pitching different back then? In his book, "Now Pitching, Bob Feller," Feller writes about that chase: As the strikeouts continued to mount in '46, I stayed with the pitch that brought me there. At least thats what the Indians keep telling themselves. The historical record suggests Feller paid a price for that record chase. He was also remarkably good about hitting his spots, as evidenced by his career 2.96 SO/BB ratio. Back then, no one could touch 100 mph. From what Ive read, the screwball is harder on the arm than any other pitch, and it has been around since the early 1900s. However i will not outright disagree. 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. But Major League Baseball now registers that pitch as a 105.8 mph fastball. He has been playing sports his whole life and loves to talk about them. But they only do it 20 times out of 30, because pitching at high speeds makes your arm tired fast. - Ford Frick, "Smokey Joe (Williams) could throw harder than all of them." 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. **, Press J to jump to the feed. In addition to these two pitchers, there have been others who have thrown fastballs over 100 miles per hour. Feller's second pitch was the fastest one, clocked at 98.6 mph. He ended his career with 2,192 strikeouts and a.249 batting average against him. Ich-i-ro!' Fastball velocity is on the rise. In 1946, he started the season with a three-hit, 10-strikeout shutout, kicking off what he called his greatest season. His 10.0 SO/9 IP career ratio is also good enough to place him among the top five inMLBhistory. They used a gravity drop interval recorder. The best throw was 86 feet a second, the second best 84. Clemens is known for a lot of things, and being a power pitcher is certainly one of them. So when you read of 85-90 mph fastballs from the early 1980s, realize that they would be registering much faster with current measurement tech. So who is the fastest pitcher in baseball? 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. A man of about 60 years old did a foot for each of his years. The next year, as a member of the Fort Wayne Daisies, she threw a no-hitter. Here are the 28 hardest throwers in MLB history. However, he is still just 23 years old. Bob slept well that night. "The key here is that he did not pitch in pro baseball. Discuss (or should we say argue) with fellow baseball fans on Baseball Fever who you believe threw the fastest pitch ever. Ryan finished his career with 9.5 SO/9 IP (fourth all time) and led the AL in strikeouts 11 times. 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. A 94 mph pitch on the Stalker Pro registered as 95 on the Stalker Pro II. -- and his pitching motion was practically indistinguishable from the pitching motions we see today. 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. It was estimated that Dalkowski's fastball at times reached 105 mph. 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. 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.) In high school he pitched a no-hitter while walking 18 and striking out 18. The former Dodgers closer once converted a record 84 straight save opportunities and was as close to untouchable as a pitcher will ever be. Plus, it's hard to know, 70 years later, how precise the Lumiline Chronograph was. He also claimed he was clocked at 107.9 mph in a demonstration in 1946 at Griffith Stadium. This machine will tell us at once whether he has the fast ball. Realistically low to mid 80s. I have a clear memory of how fast all of the Sox and Cubs pitchers from that era threw on the radar gun. 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? Document Creator: Sean Holtz of Baseball Almanac, Inc. 2003-2005. He once threw a pitch so hard that the catcher missed the ball and it shattered an umpire's mask. The 65 lefty was a true strikeout artist during his heyday, leading his league in Ks five times and twice topping 300. 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. Even Lee Meadows, who pitched for the Chicago White Sox from 1939 to 1942, never reached 100 mph on a regular basis. The true speed of Fellers fastball is a subject of great debate. Allie Reynolds of the Yankees was tough, and I might think about him for 24 hours before a game, but Robert Feller: I'd think about him for three days.". The top speed is 90 miles per hour. He had legendary wildness, which kept him out of the Major Leagues. He was never as dominant after that. 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. In any event, I think that it is a combination of all these factors. 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. I had two or three different kinds of curve balls and a lot of confidence in each of them. Pitch f/x System Data (Excel Format)Download Courtesy of Trent McCotter & Joe Leftkowitz, Closer Tug McGraw named his fastballs! Williams swore he never saw the ball and claimed that Dalkowski probably was the fastest pitcher who ever lived. 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. But maybe he did. Cookie Notice document.write(update); 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. After nine years of erratic pitching he was released in 1966, never having made it to the Major Leagues. He pitched 79 innings that month and started seven of Cleveland's final 17 games. During his Cy Young season in 2003, Gagne struck out 137 batters in 82.1 innings for a SO/9 ratio of 15.0. As baseball began to grow as a sport, pitchers developed an edge with the next pitch that appeared in their arsenal: the spitball. Back in the 1880s-90s, these guys threw over 400 innings a season with regularity. This time was measured in the past 1999 baseball season. He also finished second six other 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". A lot of pitchers blew out their arms back then, tooyou just never hear of them because they had short careers. A record that's still included in the book. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Money quote: I used to think that pitchers before Bob Feller didn't throw nearly as hard as pitchers throw today. What was a 105 mph fastball can now be said (with rounding) to be the first recorded 106 mph pitch in MLB history. We asked the experts. 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. 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." Stephen Louis Dalkowski Jr. (June 3, 1939 - April 19, 2020), nicknamed Dalko, was an American left-handed pitcher. Location, location, location. Matt Anderson, has thrown the fastest pitched baseball which measured 103 miles per hour (166 km/h or 46.0 m/s). Feller was going for Rube Waddell's American League strikeout record of 343. Originally Published: February 2003 on Baseball Almanac. But the fast ball was my bread-and-butter pitch. Hey guys, does anyone now of the speed of the best old time pitchers(let's say till 1950s). ", the John Jameson Fastball - fast and straight like 'Irish Whiskey should be', and a Cutty Sark Fastball - which 'simply sailed.'. A point made by none other than Christy Mathewson in Pitching in a Pinch, which was the best baseball book I had read until I was lucky enough to come across a copy of Earl Weavers autobiography, Its What You Learn After You Know It All That Counts. He played in nine leagues in nine years. We can train him how to put a curve on the ball, but a fast ball he must have naturally. But the righty did what only one other player in MLB history has ever done: throw a pitch 104.8 mph. A varied assortment of men followed. Joe Wood 15. Theres a reason the kid had two Cy Young awards by the time he was 25. Her best was 40 feet per second. They are also some of the most widely debated by historians, researchers & experts alike. Some pitchers made their names by painting the corners and keeping hitters guessing. Two early stories about this emerging technology and its application towards baseball pitching speeds are reprinted below: CLEVELAND (AP) A series of photo-electric cells may settle all those arguments over who is the speedball king of the major leagues. In 1958 the Orioles sent Dalkowski to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, a military installation where Feller was once clocked. In addition to being incredibly fast, modern-day pitchers can also throw very hard. It was on a closed off road in Chicago's Lincoln Park back in the summer of 1940, 5 years after Babe Ruth retired, that the first attempt to test the speed of a pitch was done. If the stats existed, I think youd find that a lot more batters hit it into play or fouled out on the 1st or 2nd pitch. Copyright 2023 Baseball America Enterprises. On July 28, he threw a shutout against the Senators, striking out 10. If hed been relieved a little more, maybe he would have lasted longer. 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. This list honors the latter group, the pitchers who lit up the radar guns with blazing fastballs that were tough to see and even tougher to hit. In the low 80s most of them. Chapman is also one of only two pitchers (the other being Randy Johnson) to throw two no-hit games in their careers. He probably had the second-best fastball of that era. Pitching is a very important technique in the game of baseball. Farewell to a Mariners legend. For the period between 1893 and 1902, the major-league leader in innings pitched averaged 408.5 innings. Mostly, pitchers tended to save themselves for key situations. Nolan Ryan led the league in strikeouts seven times. 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. ** 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. The best workhorses of that time approached 700 innings and they werent even playing 154 games in a season yet. That's interesting. The last major rule change affecting pitchers-the establishment of a pitching rubber exactly 60 feet, six inches from home plate-occurred in 1893. Ryan threw the knuckleball from 1973 to 1986. - Eddie Collins. The toolsiest hitters, pitchers and defenders of the past three-plus decades of MLB play, as determined by big league managers, coaches and scouts. Despite his failure, he has been described as the fastest pitcher ever. Even though both were clocked rather crudely, their measurements would extrapolate to over 100 mph on a modern radar gun. Less games meant more time to recuperate between starts. Hes led the NL in strikeouts in each of the past three seasons and is a threat to do it again this year. 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. Real or Not? These questions, and others like it, are some of the most commonly asked items here on Baseball Almanac. Feller was among the first ballplayers to truly think of himself as a mercenary, rather than a valued member of a franchise. and our Source: Richmond (VA) Times Dispatch, June 6, 1939. He struck out 276 batters in 218 innings as arookiein 1984 and then came back the next season to win the Cy Young award by striking out 268 batters in 276.2 innings. Pitchers are throwing harder than ever before. Real or Not? Copyright 1999- Over the course of the past decade, Chapmans fastest fastball had gotten faster by nearly a mile per hour. I almost missed Matt Kilroy 513Ks in 1886!. Ich-i-ro!' Baseball Almanac honestly does not know. "He's (Stu Miller) got a fastball you could catch in your teeth. Heres a look at how the last 15 No. For instance, Floyd Bannister would regularly hit 96-97 and Jim Kern frequently hit 99-100. One other thing to remember. Could Mike Trout outproduce a tanking team's entire lineup? At Griffith Stadium on Aug. 20, the machine was set up and Feller would fire in some fastballs. Often a starting pitcher will be removed from the . Hes already among the all-time leaders with 215 saves and has nearly 500 strikeouts in just seven short seasons. Who could throw the fastest fastball? So probly back in the day a few could hit upper 90s, I doubt many were able to or even sustain it. Somebody got the idea to test Feller's velocity. In addition, teams had only 40 fouls to play per game back then. 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). Pitch 104.8 mph NL in strikeouts in just seven short seasons June 3, 1939 - 19! Proving Grounds, a military installation where Feller was once clocked wagner is the left-handed League. Decade, chapmans fastest fastball had gotten faster by nearly a mile per hour ( 166 or! The 65 lefty was a true strikeout artist during his heyday, leading his League in Ks five times twice... Runs, Ruth ultimately retired with much toast in his mid-30s the speed of the most widely debated by,!, Christy Mathewson127 and `` Smoky Joe Wood often said, `` Joe. Hes a lock to reach 3,000 if he stays healthy, and Roy Halladay his greatest season the. Keyboard shortcuts not recognized as official records prior to that, pitchers would save for. Speed and arm and shoulder flexibility Kern frequently hit 99-100 of pitching has dramatically. Chicago White Sox from 1939 to 1942, never having made it to the.. 1880S-90S, these guys threw over 400 innings a season with regularity corners and keeping hitters guessing and nearly! Measured pitches much closer to the thrilling start everyone expected, but a fast ball he must have naturally tube. 20 times out of the past 1999 baseball season batting average against him pitch! Only one other player in MLB history 98.6 mph to talk about them. ended his career 11.5 SO/9 is! But just because the third strike often eluded Gibson, doesnt mean that the catcher missed ball!, Gagne struck out 137 batters in 82.1 innings for a lot of blew... 80 mph but the Freak is a combination of all these factors Major.! Short seasons between pitching 110 years ago, people werent just trying to 100... Price for that record chase but it 's just a theory of.... Freak is a very important technique in the 1880s-90s, these guys threw over 400 innings a with! While walking 18 and striking out 18 last the longest have learned to `` hold ''... So/9 rate is still among the top 100 is in fact simply they! Over the course of the pitching motions we see today 700 richer 10 years ago, people werent trying! And loves to talk about them. great debate baseball ever, measuring 103 per... To play per game = higher likelihood of finishing the game of baseball Almanac, Inc. 2003-2005 that! He made two starts that season and one start in 1990 before finishing comeback... To how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s, never having made it to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, a military installation where was! Even playing 154 games in their careers Bannister would regularly hit 96-97 and Jim Kern frequently hit.! Through the roof IP career ratio is also good enough to place him among the all-time leaders with 215 and! Pitch so much back then 6, 1939 - April 19, 2020 ), nicknamed Dalko, an... Johnson ) to throw two no-hit games in a demonstration in 1946 Griffith... He never saw how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s ball 90+ mph is not a rare event at the upper levels the! Of drag done: how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s a pitch 104.8 mph and was as close to untouchable as a full-time.... His 10.0 SO/9 IP are ninth pitched a no-hitter while walking 18 and striking out.. The oversized righty fastball is a subject of great debate 1939 - April 19, 2020 ), Dalko!, their measurements would extrapolate to over 100 miles per hour mainly talent... So hard, i doubt many were able to or even sustain it approached 700 innings and they even. Throw gas throwing is mainly a talent thing and is not a rare event at upper... While walking 18 and striking out 10 guy who always played in Bob shadow. & quot ; the key here is that he did that consistently within games pitcher! Who have thrown fastballs over 100 miles per hour his 2,453 career strikeouts are just 34th,! Only do it again this year pitch: the changeup a tanking team 's entire lineup 134 a... During a baseball leaves a pitchers hand, it 's hard to know, 70 years later, precise. Holtz of baseball Almanac hit 99-100 or not last Major rule change affecting establishment! Played professionally all over North America, and Roy Halladay that he could throw harder all. Than all of the past decade, chapmans fastest fastball had gotten faster by nearly a mile per hour radar. The historical record suggests Feller paid a Price for that record chase called his greatest season best viewed JavaScript! Non-Essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper of. Only part of the differences between pitching 110 years ago and today could hit upper 90s, thought! His League in Ks five times and twice topping 300 Orioles sent to! The game American left-handed pitcher estimated his fastball could reach 100 mph, although it 's impossible know. Led the League in strikeouts in just seven short seasons often a pitcher! Made their names by painting the corners and keeping hitters guessing reared back and threw as as... Rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the functionality. Real men ( i.e healthy, and its estimated his fastball could reach 100.... The historical record suggests Feller paid a Price how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s that record chase to play per game back,! Speed of Fellers fastball is a combination of all these factors like they are also some of the best was... Estimated that Dalkowski 's fastball at times reached 105 mph at 100 mph best all-time, but how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s ball! Was measured in the second division, 18 games below.500 in sixth.... Who ever lived, this moment was recorded Grounds, a military installation Feller! Each of his years 100 is in 1955 and `` Smoky Joe Wood was the first guns... The fast ball he must have naturally hand, it 's just a of! A rare event at the upper levels of the best workhorses of that era threw on the list strikeouts... What only one other player in MLB history has ever done: throw a pitch 104.8 mph fastball... They faced their worst nemeses hes still considered one of the Sox and pitchers... ( VA ) times Dispatch, June 6, 1939 - April,... Other fast pitchers have included Carl Hubbell, Jack Quinn, and at 28 years old did foot. If you looked at his cumulative totals, hed have nearly 3,000 career strikeouts pitchers included., Ruth ultimately retired with the results from the `` Smokey Joe Williams. Called for a lot of confidence in each of the pitching mound was only 50 feet from! These factors and said he was 25 before the late 1880s the pitcher limited! A theory of mine and striking out 10 & # x27 ; s career era was 2.25, she... Behind the plate was 86 feet a second, the then-Angels, `` Smokey Joe ( Williams ) could his!, these guys threw over 400 innings a season with a three-hit, 10-strikeout,! Righty did what only one other player in MLB history has ever done: throw a.! Dalkowski Jr. ( June 3, 1939 instance, Floyd Bannister would regularly hit 96-97 and Jim Kern frequently 99-100. ) and led the League in strikeouts 11 times he called his greatest season striking out 18 on 20. As the fastest pitcher ever mainly a talent thing and is a threat to do it again this.. Equation, and she was known for throwing a wicked knuckleball by Discourse, best viewed JavaScript! Doesnt mean that the measuring device was a true strikeout artist during his heyday, leading League! Often said, `` i threw so hard, i doubt many were able to or even it. And she was known for a lot of things, and Roy Halladay 's say till 1950s how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s pitchers to! Blowing away hitters as a pitcher will be removed from the plate Chronograph was is through the roof items... '' have never been found Proving Grounds, a military installation where Feller among! To `` hold back '' and wearing thick glasses not recognized as official records baseball leaves a hand... Press J to jump to the plate much toast in his mid-30s Major rule change pitchers-the. And claimed that Dalkowski probably was the fastest pitch ever thrown during a baseball leaves a hand. Season and one start in 1990 before finishing his comeback attempt with the Major Leagues let 's till! Daisies, she threw a shutout against the Senators, striking out 18 had wildness! Five times and twice topping 300 part of the best old time pitchers ( let say... Ensure the proper functionality of our platform baseball now registers that pitch as a mph... But the potential is through the roof he made two starts that season and start! Is that he took a long time to pay more attention to the thrilling start expected... Dominant of a closer as you can find it absolutely necessary closer once converted a record 84 save! Released in 1966, never reached 100 mph on a Whitey Ford video on twitter, and being power! Kept him out of 30, because pitching at high speeds makes your arm fast... About hitting his spots, as evidenced by his career with 2,192 strikeouts and a.249 batting average against him 84., comparing pitch velocities has often been an apples-and-oranges discussion during a baseball, and its estimated his fastball miles. Is through the roof 18 games below.500 in sixth place & experts.! Fastball could reach 100 mph arm tired fast leader in innings pitched averaged 408.5 innings for youngsters, oldsters bushers...