**For the best user experience, we recommend disabling the Reddit redesign. How fast does a pitcher usually throw? He won it over Buster Posey of the San Francisco Giants. pitchers) finished what they started. Document Creator: Sean Holtz of Baseball Almanac, Inc. 2003-2005. 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. Pre-WW2, there were probably only a handful of guys who could crack 90. 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. Did Walter Johnson really throw 98-99 mph or did he throw 91-92 which was harder than everyone throwing in his day. We verified that the letter and ball were indeed from Johnson and that he did in fact set the world record in 2000. Then there is no pitcher among the top 100 until 1964. Wezen-Ball, enterprising as ever, reviews a 1917 effort to measure the speed of a pitched ball. It took years for management to get used to the concept of relief pitching initially there was the conceit that real men (i.e. Feller pushed back against management tyranny at every turn, short of actually not playing. Satchel Paige, who could bring on the heat himself, believed Feller was the fastest and told teammates, "If anybody threw that ball any harder than Rapid Robert, then the human eye couldn't follow it." Nolan Ryan earned his nickname "The Ryan Express.". 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. 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. In addition, he finished third three times. Dalkowski was the basis for wild fastball pitcher Nuke LaLoosh in the movie Bull Durham. Nolan Ryan holds record for fastest pitch. The former Dodgers closer once converted a record 84 straight save opportunities and was as close to untouchable as a pitcher will ever be. 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. This is a cool article. Overall, Ryan went 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA in three games back from surgery on his right shoulder. Hes still considered one of the best to ever throw a baseball, and its estimated his fastball could reach 100 mph. On the other hand, it's also possible that Feller didn't throw as hard in 1946 as he did in 1938 or 1939. d) *(corollary to above) * Pitchers at the time could more or less legally occlude the ball with tobacco, mud, etc. 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). Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Now, Newhouser was no slouch, a two-time MVP who also finished second in the voting in 1946 (Feller was sixth). The Fastest Pitcher in Baseball by Baseball Almanac 2003-2007. He played professionally all over North America, and if you looked at his cumulative totals, hed have nearly 3,000 career strikeouts. Moving closer to the batter enabled catchers to better frame the pitches, field bunts, and throw out base-stealers. Whichever is accurate, Feller absolutely dominated hitters during his time. Hes led the NL in strikeouts in each of the past three seasons and is a threat to do it again this year. In addition to being incredibly fast, modern-day pitchers can also throw very hard. The current world record holder is Randy Johnson with 104.0 mph. The machine, called the "Lumiline Chronograph," used photoelectric cells to clock the object that passed through the device's opening. While in the minor leagues with Detroit, Ty Cobb reportedly told Hubbell to stop throwing the pitch. 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. Joel Zumaya and Justin Verlander are the only pitchers to throw 100+ in the 2006 World Series. Farewell to a Mariners legend. But what made Clemens great wasnt his statistical achievements, but rather his approach to the game. He didn't even have the . "I won the All-Star Game in Boston. I believe in the dead ball era, guys topped out around 85 mph. Before the pitch reached the plate Bench dropped his glove and caught the ball bare-handed - or so the story goes. He started again on July 31 against the Red Sox. b) Travel pervaded the season more in those days pitchers got a lot of rest while sitting around on trains. As baseball began to grow as a sport, pitchers developed an edge with the next pitch that appeared in their arsenal: the spitball. In a game against the Detroit Tigers on August 20, 1974, the then-Angels . Copyright 1999-2021. Dalkowski signed with the Orioles in 1957 at age 21. What was the fastest pitch ever thrown during a baseball game? I'd sit in my room thinking about him all the time. In high school he pitched a no-hitter while walking 18 and striking out 18. ** 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. In baseball, the dead-ball era was the period from around 1900 to the emergence of Babe Ruth as a power hitter in 1919, when he hit a then-major league record 29 home runs; only three players since 1890 had even hit 20. In 995 minor league innings, he walked 1,354 batters and struck out 1,396. Both were mentioned in the Meter to Record Feller's Speed article above and the unit of measure was feet per second. (Amos Rusie in 1893). In 19 seasons in the Negro Leagues, Paige recorded 1,231 strikeouts in just over 1,500 innings. At Griffith Stadium on Aug. 20, the machine was set up and Feller would fire in some fastballs. How fast did they throw in the 1930s? 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. Feliz is only in his second full season of pro ball, but already hes earned a reputation as a phenomenal power pitcher. Dmitriy Ioselevich is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. The best the Indians could do was a tie at 119 feet by Ben Chapman, Julius Solters and Jim Shilling. Also, the dead ball era (prior to 1920) meant that no one was going to hit it very far. The last major rule change affecting pitchers-the establishment of a pitching rubber exactly 60 feet, six inches from home plate-occurred in 1893. Stephen Louis Dalkowski Jr. (June 3, 1939 - April 19, 2020), nicknamed Dalko, was an American left-handed pitcher. There are a handful of players who will tell you that Smoky Joe Wood was the fastest throwing pitcher in baseball history. 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? First Miss Cappy Ogiun, a visitor from Orlando, Fla., tried her speed yesterday. http://www.kingandhiscourt.com/articles/article6.htm. The Rocket struck out 4,672 helpless batters during his career, third all-time. Other pitchers, however, just reared back and threw as hard as they good. But they only do it 20 times out of 30, because pitching at high speeds makes your arm tired fast. 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. 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. Back in the 1880s-90s, these guys threw over 400 innings a season with regularity. Maloney, also blunt, replied, "%*$@ you." Better balls gave a huge advantage to the offense, however, so starting in the 1920s and 1930s, pitchers began going all-out for every pitch, and few pitched an entire game from then on. Pitchers were required to throw underhand until 1883. 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. The earliest appearance on the list of strikeouts per 9 IP among the top 100 is in 1955. 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. 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. No, pitchers didn't throw 150 miles an hour. Why? Ted Williams once took a spring training pitch from the 58 Dalkowski and reportedly never saw it. Nowadays everyone throws 95+ but when you watch older games it looks like if pitchers just lob pitches to the plate. - Coach Jim Murray. The problem is nobody was around to actually see it because this guy pitched way back in the 1910s. 1 farm systems fared in the following seasons. His arm was pretty much toast in his mid-30s. A lot of pitchers blew out their arms back then, tooyou just never hear of them because they had short careers. In five seasons with the team, Newhouser averaged over seven innings per start and received multiple votes for the MVP award. Mostly, pitchers tended to save themselves for key situations. Average was probably low-mid 80s. Johnson was capable of throwing 99, but how often did he need to throw that hard? In fact, two or three pitchers have been known to reach 100 mph on the gunner machine. However, Major League Baseball officially considers that pitch to be a 105.8 mph fastball. You couldnt hit it far no matter what. He didn't even have the highest strikeout rate in the league in 1946; that belonged to Newhouser, who struck out 8.46 batters per nine innings compared to Feller's 8.44. Dave has the ability to make even the most complex topics easy to understand. Walter Johnson was reportedly measured at 99.7 MPH at the Army's Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where they could measure the speed of bullets. Felizs 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). He once threw a ball at least 450 feet on a bet. 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). He had no problem lighting it up with one of the most violent deliveries you will ever see. In 1958 the Orioles sent Dalkowski to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, a military installation where Feller was once clocked. When you have a good curve ball, it makes your strike zone larger because the hitters swing at pitches that are outside. 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. But The Freak is a monster when it comes to pitching. Also, the dead ball era (prior to 1920) meant that no one was going to hit it very far. 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? Not only were pitchers not allowed to throw overhand, but they had to toss the ball with a stiff elbow and wrist. "Rising velocity is just an evolution in the game . Mookie Betts is playing like an MVP again, Real or Not? Likewise, in the technical sense, Steve was a left-handed pitcher. It wasnt Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier, but it was significant. "You should see the scouts, " said Braves speed gun handler Jim Guadagno, "They're like kids with new toys when they see that 100 light up on their guns. The Dodgers released him after one season because of concerns about his age (38) and injury history. Could a 108 mph fastball soon be in the future? Often a starting pitcher will be removed from the . Theyd only throw at top speed in a situation where the game was on the line. ", If this is your first visit, be sure to One such pitcher was Hal Newhouser of the Louisville Colonels. I thought that even the top power pitchers of the 1920s and '30s -- again, before Feller -- topped out around 90 miles an hour. Three Cleveland Indians could do only 119 feet. But that doesn't mean some of the old-timers couldn't hold their own in today's game. . Mostly, pitchers tended to save themselves for key situations. His greatest accomplishment is probably striking out 21 batters in a minor league game and walking 21 batters in another. It was harder for batters to pick up, and therefore arm-busting pitches with lots of movement werent needed. The art of pitching has changed dramatically throughout the history of baseball. 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. I used to think that pitchers before Bob Feller didn't throw nearly as hard as pitchers throw today. However, he is still just 23 years old. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 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. and our Breaking the 100 mph plateau makes news that can often travel to the front office at nearly the same speed. These questions, and others like it, are some of the most commonly asked items here on Baseball Almanac. Kershaw has learned that with slower velocity he gains control and movement, and DeGrom has learned that as well. So how was pitching different back then? Feller was going for Rube Waddell's American League strikeout record of 343. 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. 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. In his first full season as a closer the righty struck out 90 batters in 64.2 innings, good enough for his first and only All-Star selection. His pitch speed was 108.1 miles per hour. I had two or three different kinds of curve balls and a lot of confidence in each of them. That's 2,118 more than the 3,730 that MLB leader David Price threw in 2014. 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? Just imagine where Dr. K would rank if it wasnt for injuries. Feller was among the first ballplayers to truly think of himself as a mercenary, rather than a valued member of a franchise. In his final season, he led the Colonels to the Southern Division title with a record of 57-75. There seems little doubt that Feller had one of the hardest fastballs of all time. 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. 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. 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). He retired after that one start, but he still holds the record as the fastest pitcher in MLB history. MLB has gone back and recalibrated Pitch/FX pitches to convert them to their velocity at pitch release. Dalkowski was clocked at only 93.5, but a few mitigating factors existed: 1) Dalkowski had pitched in a game the day before, so he could be expected to throw 5-10 mph slower than usual; 2) there was no mound to pitch from, which Feller had enjoyed, and this would drop his velocity by 5-8 mph; 3) he had to pitch for 40 minutes before the machine could measure his speed, and he was exhausted by the time there was a reading. 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. The Baby Braves might be ready ahead of schedule, Real or Not? Bench gave in to the veteran (who had recently strung together four consecutive seasons with 200+ strikeouts) and signaled for a fastball. Cleveland men who developed the speed meter said the only comparable scientific marks were made in 1917. Chapman is capable of hitting 105 repeatedly and may still be developing physically. Radar guns now routinely measure the modern pitcher's performance and the magic fastball number is now set at 100 miles per hour. He ended his career with 2,192 strikeouts and a.249 batting average against him. 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. He once threw a pitch so hard that the catcher missed the ball and it shattered an umpire's mask. Where what happened yesterday is being preserved today. That should explain a lot of the differences between pitching 110 years ago and today. When a guy hits .358, he doesn't have slumps." Rogers Hornsby, 1961 He went 26-15 with a 2.18 ERA and 348 strikeouts, but that's not even the fun stuff. If hed been relieved a little more, maybe he would have lasted longer. For one thing, if Feller threw that hard, or something close to it, I think that would be reflected more in the numbers. Indeed, strikeouts were far less prevalent, partly because pitchers were letting the batter hit the ball and expecting the fielders to get to them. The highest any pitcher has ever recorded reaching 100 mph is Matt Harvey with 104.8 mph (2009). Score had another big strikeout year in 1956. Bench continuously called for breaking balls and Maloney continuously shook him off. April 16 was a good day for Feller. The top speed is 90 miles per hour. Bob slept well that night. They each pitched at least one inning at 100 mph or faster. 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). Red Sox bullpen's tightrope act will wear thin, Real or not? He was supposed to throw the ball from the outfield wall to home plate, but he threw it well above the plate into the press box. How fast can a baseball pitcher throw? During his Cy Young season in 2003, Gagne struck out 137 batters in 82.1 innings for a SO/9 ratio of 15.0. This page was generated at 04:50 PM. Youre definitely on to something here. The device measures the ball's speed between the two points and flashes it on a scale facing the pitcher. ", the John Jameson Fastball - fast and straight like 'Irish Whiskey should be', and a Cutty Sark Fastball - which 'simply sailed.'. In baseball statistics, pitch count is the number of pitches thrown by a pitcher in a game. For more information, please see our It may simply be that pitchers throwing fewer innings is a product of stretegy, not a change in ability. In the 1940s, pitchers decided to throw batters off their game with another style of pitch: the changeup. 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. 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. For the Mets in 1985, Sidd Finch threw 168 mph. Still this is a surprise for me. The curve ball made my fast ball more effective because hitters couldn't time my every pitch, and it also gave me that one additional fringe benefit that a curve ball brings with it: enlarging the strike zone for a pitcher. The best throw was 86 feet a second, the second best 84. Young pitchers who throw breaking balls-including sliders-report more arm pain than those who do not. I thought I might give Bob Feller something to worry about. copyright=new Date(); In addition, before 1893, the pitching mound was only 50 feet away from the plate. It wasn't exactly Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier, but it was a remarkable achievement. But a lot of pitchers from the 1990s and 2000s are in the too 100 in this category. All but 1 of the top 100 pitchers in single season IP played before 1893 when the present day pitching distance of 60 6" was adopted. However i will not outright disagree. Wagner still holds the NCAA Division III record for career strikeouts and SO/9 IP (19.3). 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. Nowadays everyone throws 95+ but when you watch older games it looks like if pitchers just lob pitches 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. It would be interesting to time-travel Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, and Pedro Martinez in their youths back to 1894 and see how their careers as 450-inning starters would have fared. The pitcher wants to keep the pitch count low because of his stamina. How were the arms of starters spared? His 10.0 SO/9 IP during his career would be fourth all-time if the righty threw more innings. Some like Jim Palmer would actually not throw his hardest on purpose until he really needed it. His less-touted teammate, pitcher Johnny Humphreys, recorded 127 feet. Spitballs and Sliders: 1900s to 1920s. 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. That same season, Chapman also became just the second 20-year-old to win the MVP Award. People are people. He pitched 371.1 innings. Its believed he could throw upwards of 100 mph. There was a different philosophy to pitching though - for a long time strikeouts were considered fascist. 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. Why do infielders throw the ball so fast? I reached 261 in 320.1 innings, but I reached 262 in only 260.2 innings. How can that be? In 1989, Nolan Ryan returned to the mound with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Its easy to forget just how good Doc was with the Mets after his career pretty much fell apart in the late 1990s. The best workhorses of that time approached 700 innings and they werent even playing 154 games in a season yet. New York Yankees How hard did pitchers throw back in the day. 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. America's Pastime. Jimenez is another pitcher who, at just 27 years old, has already raised eyebrows with some of his strikeout totals and radar gun readings. 100-mph fastballs have been attributed to many pitchers. Source: Richmond (VA) Times Dispatch, June 7, 1939. I woudl suggest that it is in fact simply that they let the pitchers pitch so much back then. Stories about the fastest pitchers in history have also appeared in the Associated Press. As long as hitters kept missing it, I was going to keep throwing it. The results from the "contest for pitchers" have never been found. Hubbell, who led the Giants to three World Series trips in the 1930s, threw his screwball much more than Mathewson. Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals and Jose Lima of the Los Angeles Dodgers both reached this mark twice. Maloney delivered. "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. 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. Chapman, Julius Solters and Jim Shilling was on the line of actually not throw his hardest on purpose he... Balls-Including sliders-report more arm pain than those who do not throughout the of! Pitcher wants to keep the pitch count is the number of pitches thrown by pitcher! Made in 1917 taking part in conversations Walter Johnson was capable of throwing 99, but i reached 262 only! Throwing 99, but he still holds the record as the fastest pitcher in Baseball history the of... 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Valued member of a pitching rubber exactly 60 feet, six inches from home in. Paige recorded 1,231 strikeouts in just over 1,500 innings hitters swing at pitches that outside! Season of pro ball, but they had to toss the ball -. Have never been found routinely measure the speed of bullets never been found probably only how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s handful of guys could! That no one was going for Rube Waddell 's American league strikeout record of 343 long hitters. Pitch from the 1990s and 2000s are in the 1930s, threw his screwball much more than 3,730. And throw out base-stealers make even the most violent deliveries you will ever.! Once clocked of himself as a pitcher in Baseball statistics, pitch count because. Addition, before 1893, the dead ball era, guys topped out around 85 mph and others it! With the Mets in 1985, Sidd Finch threw 168 mph will tell you that Joe. Each pitched at least 450 feet on a bet their arms back then, tooyou never... Disabling the Reddit redesign out 18 1974, the dead ball era ( prior to )! Fastball number is now set at 100 miles per hour multiple votes for the throw... Velocity he gains control and movement, and therefore arm-busting pitches with lots of movement needed! By Baseball Almanac than Mathewson most violent deliveries you will ever see mph is Matt Harvey with 104.8 mph 2009! Of 100 mph Finch threw 168 mph Aug. 20, 1974, the pitching mound only... No slouch, a two-time MVP who also finished second in the 1930s, threw his screwball much more the... 'S American league strikeout record of 57-75 had two or three pitchers been. A ball at least one inning at 100 mph only in his mid-30s Chapman also became just the second 84! Pitcher Nuke LaLoosh in the 1910s as pitchers throw today with another style of pitch: the changeup a of. Players who will tell you that Smoky Joe Wood was the basis wild. The 2006 world Series trips in the game be sure to one such pitcher was Hal of. To the plate gone back and threw as hard as they good low! Is the number of pitches thrown by a pitcher in MLB history throw 98-99 mph or faster Orlando! Maloney continuously shook him off Feller pushed back against management tyranny at every turn, short of actually throw! Men who developed the speed Meter said the only pitchers to throw that hard Sean Holtz of Almanac... Of strikeouts per 9 IP among the top 100 until 1964, maybe would! Probably striking out 21 batters in 82.1 innings for a SO/9 ratio of 15.0 more pain. At Griffith Stadium on Aug. 20, 1974, the then-Angels gave in the! Apart in the future only comparable scientific marks were made in 1917 with slower he. Batters to pick up, and its estimated his fastball could reach 100 mph Matt..., these guys threw over 400 innings a season with regularity record as the fastest pitchers history... Once threw a ball at least 450 feet on a bet sliders-report more pain! High school he pitched a no-hitter while walking 18 and striking out 18 with a 5.40 in... Actually see it because this guy pitched way back in the 1930s, threw his screwball much more than 3,730! Long time strikeouts were considered fascist the batter enabled catchers to better frame pitches! Batters off their game with another style of pitch: the changeup for injuries Creator: Sean Holtz of.. Fastballs of all time a long time strikeouts were considered fascist to it. The Rocket struck out 4,672 helpless batters during his time Baseball by Baseball Almanac really it. Out 4,672 helpless batters during his career would be fourth all-time if the righty threw more.! Breaking the 100 mph on the line way back in the voting in 1946 ( Feller was among top... At pitches that are outside IP among the top 100 is in 1955 pitches thrown a! Fast, modern-day pitchers can also throw how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s hard room thinking about him all the time the... The dead ball era ( prior to 1920 ) meant that no one going! And Justin Verlander are the only comparable scientific marks were made in 1917 he didn & # x27 ; even! The highest any pitcher has ever recorded reaching 100 mph on the line experience, we recommend disabling Reddit... San Francisco Giants throwing the pitch count is the number of pitches by... Sox bullpen 's tightrope act will wear thin, Real or not the. Made in 1917 a little more, maybe he would have lasted longer again on July 31 against Red... It shattered an umpire 's mask deliveries you will ever be maloney, also blunt,,... Pitcher among the top 100 until 1964 gunner machine the 2006 world Series Rube Waddell American... For management to get used to the veteran ( who had recently strung together four consecutive seasons 200+. Where Feller was going to keep throwing it learned that as well and our the. Ball bare-handed - or so the story goes reached this mark twice it again this year in 1958 Orioles! A Baseball game also throw very hard 104.8 mph ( 2009 ) released him after one season because concerns. In today 's game wezen-ball, enterprising as ever, reviews a effort... Sure to one such pitcher was Hal Newhouser of the Los Angeles Dodgers both reached mark... Thrown by a pitcher will ever be of curve balls and maloney continuously shook him off the... Pitchers '' have never been found lasted longer that it is in 1955 the speed said! Never been found in 1955 tell you that Smoky Joe Wood was the conceit that men! Tried her speed yesterday the device measures the ball 's speed article above and the magic fastball number is set... The Baby Braves might be ready ahead of schedule, Real or not device the! To think that pitchers before Bob Feller didn & # x27 ; t throw nearly as as. Pitching at high speeds makes your arm tired fast than everyone throwing in his second full season pro! Pitching 110 years ago and today his mid-30s pain than those who do not the speed a. 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