Amos Rusie
Encyclopedia
Amos Wilson Rusie nicknamed "The Hoosier Thunderbolt", was an American
right-handed pitcher
in Major League Baseball
during the late 19th century. He had a 10-season career in the National League
(NL), which consisted of one season with the Indianapolis Hoosiers
in , eight with the New York Giants
from to , and one with the Cincinnati Reds
in .
He is best known for the speed in which he pitched a baseball. The velocity of his fastball
was unknown, but it has been estimated that he threw it in the mid to upper 90s. He led the league in strikeout
s five times, and won 20 or more games eight times. Though he did throw hard, he did not have good control of pitches, leading the league in walks
five times, is seventh all-time among the career pitching leaders in that category, and in 1890 he walked 289, the all-time single-season record.
One of his fastballs struck future Hall of Fame
Hughie Jennings
in the head rendering him comatose for a period of four days before recovering. This incident was a catalyst for officials to change the distance from the pitching rubber to home plate from 50 feet (15.2 m) to the current 60 feet (18.3 m), 6 inches. This ruling was made effective for the season, right at the peak of Amos Rusie’s pitching prowess. The distance change did not hinder Rusie's effectiveness, leading the league in strikeouts three straight seasons afterward, while also winning what later would be known as the pitching triple crown in . For his accomplishments, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977 by the Veterans Committee
.
, to mason
and plasterer
William Asbury Rusie and his wife Mary Donovan. When he was still young, his family moved to nearby Indianapolis
, Indiana
, where he eventually quit school to work in a factory. It was during this time, when he was playing for a Semi-professional
Indianapolis baseball team named the "Sturm Avenue Never Sweats," that scouts first took notice of the speed with which he threw a baseball, and his effectiveness as a pitcher when he shutout
touring National League
baseball teams, the Boston Beaneaters
and the Washington Senators.
In , at the age of 18, Rusie signed with the Burlington Babies of the Central Interstate League
. However, he signed shortly thereafter by the Indianapolis Hoosiers of the NL, and made his major league debut on May 9 in a 2–13 loss to the Cleveland Blues
, pitching in relief
of starting pitcher
Jim Whitney
. In 33 games pitched
during the 1889 season, he posted a 12–10 win–loss record, he started 22, completed
19, and recorded one shutout. Although his fastball was difficult to hit, he did not have good control of it, walking 116 batters in 225 innings pitched
, although he struck out 109 and led the league with 11 games finished
.
, who had joined the New York Giants
of the newly formed Players' League (PL). Instead evenly splitting pitching duties Mickey Welch
, another future Hall of Fame player, as Keefe had done the preceding five seasons, he appeared in 73 games to Welch's 37.
Rusie quickly became sensation amongs fans, media, and society due to the combination of his pitching velocity and physical size at 6 in 1 in (1.85 m), 200 pounds (90.7 kg), which was considered large for the era. The fans began calling him the "Hoosier Thunderbolt", while famed vaudeville
act Weber
and Fields
used his name, a paperback book, Secrets of Amos Rusie, The World's Greatest Pitcher, How He Obtained His Incredible Speed on Balls, was available for a quarter, a drink was named after him, and received a message from the popular performer Lillian Russell
.
On May 9, the Giants defeated the Boston Beaneaters by a score of 16–3; doing so by committing no errors
, very rare for the era, and Rusie allowing just 6 hits
. Three days later, on May 12, was on the winning side of a pitching duel with future Hall of Famer Kid Nichols
, in a game that ended with a home run
by the Giants' Mike Tiernan
in the 13th inning. The home run was described as "tape measure" hit, which sailed over the outfield fence and landed onto an adjacient baseball field, Brotherhood Park
, where a PL game was being played at the same time, causing fans of both parks to cheer.
Rusie's completed the season with 67 games pitched
, 62 games started
, 56 complete games, four shutouts, 548.2 innings pitched, 2.56 earned run average
(ERA), and a league-leading total of 341 strikeouts, the highest seasonal total he would have in his career. Due to the lack of control of his pitches, however, he also led the league with 289 walks, the all-time record for a season, and tossed 36 wild pitch
es, another total that topped the league. The Giants finished in sixth place among the eight NL teams, while Rusie won 29 games and had a league-leading 34 losses. As a hitter, he had a successful season with .278 batting average
in 284 at bat
s, 13 doubles
, six triples
, and he scored 31 runs
. Rusie married May Smith in Muncie, Indiana
on November 8, 1890, in the Delaware County
Clerk's Office.
After the demise of the PL following the 1890 season, the Giants absorbed many of the players who had been on the crosstown rivals' roster. Future Hall of Famers Roger Connor
, Jim O'Rourke, Buck Ewing
, Tim Keefe simply returned to the team, as well as George Gore
, while John Ewing, and Danny Richardson
were new signings, solidifying both a powerful hitting line-up and a solid pitching rotation for the 1891 season. While the upgraded Giants improved their final standings by finishing in third place among eight teams in the NL, and had a four game lead over the Chicago Colts
on June 16 when Rusie held them scoreless, and were 2.5 games behind the Colts on September 19, they were 13 games back at the close of the season.
After having been on the losing end of no-hitter
by Tom Lovett
of the Brooklyn Bridegrooms
on June 22, Rusie returned the favor by throwing one of his own against them just over a month later on July 31. After winning both games of doubleheader
against the Bridegrooms on September, Rusie and several other star players were rested for the remainder of the season, a five-game series against the Boston Beaneaters
. Rusie's 337 strikeouts and 262 bases on balls led the league for the second consecutive year, and his six shutouts marked the first time he led the league in that category. His record improved to 33-20.
In 1894, Rusie won pitching’s triple crown. He led the league in wins, going 36-13, strikeouts with 195, and a league best ERA of 2.78 (especially spectacular considering the league average that year was 5.32). After the conclusion of the 1894 regular season, a Pittsburgh sportsman named William C. Temple sponsored a trophy for the winner between the regular season 1st and 2nd place teams in the National League. The runner-up Giants swept the Baltimore Orioles, who featured Hall of Famers John McGraw
and Wilbert Robinson
, 4-0. Amos Rusie was virtually untouchable in the Temple Cup
, giving up only one earned run while winning two complete games and compiling a 0.50 ERA; if that was not enough, he even batted .429. Amos Rusie’s win total that year was fourth best since the modern pitching distance of 60’-6” was established.
Amos Rusie won his last strikeout crown in the 1895 campaign with 201. However, he finished with a mediocre (by Rusie's standards) 23 wins and 23 losses. After a bitter contract dispute with Giants' owner Andrew Freedman
, Rusie responded by publicly thumbing his nose at Freedman, which was the 19th century variant of the middle finger. He was fined $200 (he made only $2,500 a year). Rusie refused to play until Freedman returned his money and ended up holding out for the entire 1896 season. It was a fiasco for baseball; fans boycotted and the press railed against the owners. Owners implored Rusie and Freedman to compromise; neither would budge. The holdout was finally settled just prior to the 1897 season, as the owners collaborated for recoupment of the garnished wages, as well as a $5,000 settlement. This was partially out of respect for Rusie. However, the primary motivator was the threat of legal action against the reserve clause
had his case gone to court.
Following the 1898 season, a combination of hearing damage from a line drive to the head, arm trouble, and personal problems kept him out of baseball for two years. In 1900, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds
for Christy Mathewson
. In 1901, Rusie pitched poorly in three games before retiring. He finished his career with 245 wins, 174 losses, 1934 strikeouts and a 3.07 ERA.
Rusie was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
right-handed pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
during the late 19th century. He had a 10-season career in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
(NL), which consisted of one season with the Indianapolis Hoosiers
St. Louis Maroons/Indianapolis Hoosiers
300px|thumb|right|1888 Indianapolis HoosiersThe St. Louis Maroons were a professional baseball club based in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1884-1886. The club, established by Henry Lucas, were the one near-major league quality entry in the Union Association, a league that lasted only one season, due...
in , eight with the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
from to , and one with the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
in .
He is best known for the speed in which he pitched a baseball. The velocity of his fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
was unknown, but it has been estimated that he threw it in the mid to upper 90s. He led the league in strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s five times, and won 20 or more games eight times. Though he did throw hard, he did not have good control of pitches, leading the league in walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
five times, is seventh all-time among the career pitching leaders in that category, and in 1890 he walked 289, the all-time single-season record.
One of his fastballs struck future Hall of Fame
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
Hughie Jennings
Hughie Jennings
Hugh Ambrose Jennings was a Major League Baseball player and manager from 1891 to 1925. Jennings was a leader, both as a batter and as a shortstop, with the Baltimore Orioles teams that won National League championships in 1894, 1895, and 1896. During the three championship seasons, Jennings had...
in the head rendering him comatose for a period of four days before recovering. This incident was a catalyst for officials to change the distance from the pitching rubber to home plate from 50 feet (15.2 m) to the current 60 feet (18.3 m), 6 inches. This ruling was made effective for the season, right at the peak of Amos Rusie’s pitching prowess. The distance change did not hinder Rusie's effectiveness, leading the league in strikeouts three straight seasons afterward, while also winning what later would be known as the pitching triple crown in . For his accomplishments, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977 by the Veterans Committee
Veterans Committee
The Veterans Committee is the popular name of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Committee to Consider Managers, Umpires, Executives and Long-Retired Players, a committee of the U.S...
.
Early life
Rusie was born on May 30, 1871 in Mooresville, IndianaMooresville, Indiana
Mooresville is a town in Brown Township, Morgan County, Indiana, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 9,326. It was founded in 1824 by Samuel Moore, a Quaker from North Carolina.-Geography:Mooresville is located at ....
, to mason
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
and plasterer
Plasterer
A plasterer is a tradesman who works with plaster, such as forming a layer of plaster on an interior wall or plaster decorative moldings on ceilings or walls...
William Asbury Rusie and his wife Mary Donovan. When he was still young, his family moved to nearby Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, where he eventually quit school to work in a factory. It was during this time, when he was playing for a Semi-professional
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
Indianapolis baseball team named the "Sturm Avenue Never Sweats," that scouts first took notice of the speed with which he threw a baseball, and his effectiveness as a pitcher when he shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
touring National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
baseball teams, the Boston Beaneaters
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
and the Washington Senators.
In , at the age of 18, Rusie signed with the Burlington Babies of the Central Interstate League
Central Interstate League
The Central Interstate League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1888-1889.-Former Teams:The following are former teams that made up the Central Interstate League:*Bloomington Reds, 1888*Burlington Babies, 1889...
. However, he signed shortly thereafter by the Indianapolis Hoosiers of the NL, and made his major league debut on May 9 in a 2–13 loss to the Cleveland Blues
Cleveland Spiders
The Cleveland Spiders were a Major League Baseball team which played between 1887 and 1899 in Cleveland, Ohio. The team played at National League Park from 1889 to 1890 and at League Park from 1891 to 1899.- 1887-1891 :...
, pitching in relief
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
of starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
Jim Whitney
Jim Whitney
James Evans "Grasshopper Jim" Whitney was a former professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher over parts of ten seasons with the Boston Red Caps/Beaneaters, Kansas City Cowboys, Washington Nationals, Indianapolis Hoosiers and Philadelphia Athletics . He was the National League...
. In 33 games pitched
Games pitched
In baseball statistics, games pitched is the number of games in which a player appears as a pitcher; a player who is announced as the pitcher must face at least one batter, although exceptions are made if the pitcher announced in the starting lineup is injured before facing a batter, perhaps while...
during the 1889 season, he posted a 12–10 win–loss record, he started 22, completed
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
19, and recorded one shutout. Although his fastball was difficult to hit, he did not have good control of it, walking 116 batters in 225 innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
, although he struck out 109 and led the league with 11 games finished
Games finished
In baseball statistics, a relief pitcher is credited with a game finished if he is the last pitcher to pitch for his team in a game. A starting pitcher is not credited with a GF for pitching a complete game...
.
1890–1892
The Hoosiers disbanded at the conclusion of the 1889 season, and on March 22, 1890, he, along with many of his teammates, were transferred to the New York Giants by the league to strengthen the NL's largest market. Coming into the 1890 season, Rusie filled the starting position that was vacated by future Hall of Famer Tim KeefeTim Keefe
Timothy John "Tim" Keefe , nicknamed "Smiling Tim" and "Sir Timothy", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominating pitchers of the 19th century and posted impressive statistics in one category or another for almost every season he pitched...
, who had joined the New York Giants
New York Giants (PL)
In 1890, the short-lived Players' League included a team called the New York Giants. This baseball team was managed by Hall of Famer Buck Ewing, and they finished third with a record of 74-57. Besides Ewing, who was also a catcher on this team, the roster several former members of the National...
of the newly formed Players' League (PL). Instead evenly splitting pitching duties Mickey Welch
Mickey Welch
Michael Francis Welch Born as Michael Francis Walsh , nicknamed "Smiling Mickey", was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the third pitcher to accumulate 300 career victories. Welch was born in Brooklyn, New York, and played 13 seasons in the major leagues, three with the Troy Trojans, and 10...
, another future Hall of Fame player, as Keefe had done the preceding five seasons, he appeared in 73 games to Welch's 37.
Rusie quickly became sensation amongs fans, media, and society due to the combination of his pitching velocity and physical size at 6 in 1 in (1.85 m), 200 pounds (90.7 kg), which was considered large for the era. The fans began calling him the "Hoosier Thunderbolt", while famed vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
act Weber
Joe Weber (vaudevillian)
Joe Weber born Joseph Morris Weber was a vaudevillian who, along with Lew Fields, formed the comedy team of Weber and Fields....
and Fields
Lew Fields
Lew Fields , born as Moses Schoenfeld, was an American actor, comedian, vaudeville star, theatre manager and producer....
used his name, a paperback book, Secrets of Amos Rusie, The World's Greatest Pitcher, How He Obtained His Incredible Speed on Balls, was available for a quarter, a drink was named after him, and received a message from the popular performer Lillian Russell
Lillian Russell
Lillian Russell was an American actress and singer. She became one of the most famous actresses and singers of the late 19th century and early 20th century, known for her beauty and style, as well as for her voice and stage presence.Russell was born in Iowa but raised in Chicago...
.
On May 9, the Giants defeated the Boston Beaneaters by a score of 16–3; doing so by committing no errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
, very rare for the era, and Rusie allowing just 6 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
. Three days later, on May 12, was on the winning side of a pitching duel with future Hall of Famer Kid Nichols
Kid Nichols
Charles Augustus Nichols , better known as Kid Nichols, was a Major League Baseball pitcher. Admired for his steadfast consistency year-in and year-out, Nichols won 361 games, the 7th highest total in major league history...
, in a game that ended with a home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
by the Giants' Mike Tiernan
Mike Tiernan
Michael Joseph Tiernan , nicknamed "Silent Mike", was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball who played exclusively for the New York Giants from 1887 to 1899. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, his debut game was on April 30, 1887. His final game was played on July 31, 1899...
in the 13th inning. The home run was described as "tape measure" hit, which sailed over the outfield fence and landed onto an adjacient baseball field, Brotherhood Park
Brotherhood Park
Brotherhood Park is a former baseball ground located in Cleveland, Ohio. The ground was home to the Cleveland Infants of the Players League in 1890.-References:...
, where a PL game was being played at the same time, causing fans of both parks to cheer.
Rusie's completed the season with 67 games pitched
Games pitched
In baseball statistics, games pitched is the number of games in which a player appears as a pitcher; a player who is announced as the pitcher must face at least one batter, although exceptions are made if the pitcher announced in the starting lineup is injured before facing a batter, perhaps while...
, 62 games started
Games started
In baseball statistics, games started indicates the number of games that a pitcher has started for his team. A pitcher is credited with starting the game if he faces the first opposing batter...
, 56 complete games, four shutouts, 548.2 innings pitched, 2.56 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
(ERA), and a league-leading total of 341 strikeouts, the highest seasonal total he would have in his career. Due to the lack of control of his pitches, however, he also led the league with 289 walks, the all-time record for a season, and tossed 36 wild pitch
Wild pitch
In baseball, a wild pitch is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, perhaps even the batter-runner on strike three or ball four, to advance.A wild pitch usually...
es, another total that topped the league. The Giants finished in sixth place among the eight NL teams, while Rusie won 29 games and had a league-leading 34 losses. As a hitter, he had a successful season with .278 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
in 284 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s, 13 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, six triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and he scored 31 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
. Rusie married May Smith in Muncie, Indiana
Muncie, Indiana
Muncie is a city in Center Township, Delaware County in east central Indiana, best known as the home of Ball State University and the birthplace of the Ball Corporation. It is the principal city of the Muncie, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 118,769...
on November 8, 1890, in the Delaware County
Delaware County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 118,769 people, 47,131 households, and 29,692 families residing in the county. The population density was 302 people per square mile . There were 51,032 housing units at an average density of 130 per square mile...
Clerk's Office.
After the demise of the PL following the 1890 season, the Giants absorbed many of the players who had been on the crosstown rivals' roster. Future Hall of Famers Roger Connor
Roger Connor
Roger Connor was a 19th century Major League Baseball player, born in Waterbury, Connecticut. Known for being the player whom Babe Ruth succeeded as the all-time home run champion, Connor hit 138 home runs during his 18-year career, and his career home run record stood for 23 years after his...
, Jim O'Rourke, Buck Ewing
Buck Ewing
William "Buck" Ewing was a Major League Baseball player and manager, and is widely regarded as the best catcher of his era and is often argued to be the best player of the 19th century...
, Tim Keefe simply returned to the team, as well as George Gore
George Gore
George F. Gore , nicknamed "Piano Legs", was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for fourteen seasons, eight for the Chicago White Stockings, five for the New York Giants, one for the St. Louis Browns of the National League , and the New York Giants of the Players League...
, while John Ewing, and Danny Richardson
Danny Richardson
Daniel Richardson , was an American professional baseball player who played second base in the Major Leagues from 1884-1894...
were new signings, solidifying both a powerful hitting line-up and a solid pitching rotation for the 1891 season. While the upgraded Giants improved their final standings by finishing in third place among eight teams in the NL, and had a four game lead over the Chicago Colts
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
on June 16 when Rusie held them scoreless, and were 2.5 games behind the Colts on September 19, they were 13 games back at the close of the season.
After having been on the losing end of no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
by Tom Lovett
Tom Lovett
Thomas Joseph Lovett was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played all or part of six seasons in Major League Baseball between 1885 and 1894....
of the Brooklyn Bridegrooms
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
on June 22, Rusie returned the favor by throwing one of his own against them just over a month later on July 31. After winning both games of doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
against the Bridegrooms on September, Rusie and several other star players were rested for the remainder of the season, a five-game series against the Boston Beaneaters
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. Rusie's 337 strikeouts and 262 bases on balls led the league for the second consecutive year, and his six shutouts marked the first time he led the league in that category. His record improved to 33-20.
1893–1898
With the pitching area being moved back in 1893, Rusie’s strikeout total dropped from 288 to 208. Still he was league leader. The 1893 campaign was a truly extraordinary one for Amos Rusie. He had 50 complete games out of 52 starts and went 33-21.John McGraw
John McGraw may refer to:* John McGraw , , New York lumber tycoon, and one of the founding trustees of Cornell University* John McGraw , , Governor of Washington state from 1893–1897...
and Wilbert Robinson
Wilbert Robinson
Wilbert Robinson , nicknamed "Uncle Robbie", was an American catcher, coach and manager in Major League Baseball...
, 4-0. Amos Rusie was virtually untouchable in the Temple Cup
Temple Cup
The Temple Cup was a trophy awarded to the winner of a best-of-seven, post-season championship series in the National League, from 1894–1897. The 30-inch-high silver cup was donated by coal, citrus, and lumber baron William Chase Temple, the owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates at the time...
, giving up only one earned run while winning two complete games and compiling a 0.50 ERA; if that was not enough, he even batted .429. Amos Rusie’s win total that year was fourth best since the modern pitching distance of 60’-6” was established.
Amos Rusie won his last strikeout crown in the 1895 campaign with 201. However, he finished with a mediocre (by Rusie's standards) 23 wins and 23 losses. After a bitter contract dispute with Giants' owner Andrew Freedman
Andrew Freedman
Andrew Freedman was the owner of the New York Giants of the National League from through . He also served as a director of the Wright Company, established in 1909 to market the Wright brothers' airplanes in the United States. In 1895 Freedman purchased the franchise from Cornelius C. Van Cott...
, Rusie responded by publicly thumbing his nose at Freedman, which was the 19th century variant of the middle finger. He was fined $200 (he made only $2,500 a year). Rusie refused to play until Freedman returned his money and ended up holding out for the entire 1896 season. It was a fiasco for baseball; fans boycotted and the press railed against the owners. Owners implored Rusie and Freedman to compromise; neither would budge. The holdout was finally settled just prior to the 1897 season, as the owners collaborated for recoupment of the garnished wages, as well as a $5,000 settlement. This was partially out of respect for Rusie. However, the primary motivator was the threat of legal action against the reserve clause
Reserve clause
The reserve clause is a term formerly employed in North American professional sports contracts. The reserve clause, contained in all standard player contracts, stated that, upon the contract's expiration the rights to the player were to be retained by the team to which he had been signed...
had his case gone to court.
Following the 1898 season, a combination of hearing damage from a line drive to the head, arm trouble, and personal problems kept him out of baseball for two years. In 1900, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
for Christy Mathewson
Christy Mathewson
Christopher "Christy" Mathewson , nicknamed "Big Six", "The Christian Gentleman", or "Matty", was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire career in what is known as the dead-ball era...
. In 1901, Rusie pitched poorly in three games before retiring. He finished his career with 245 wins, 174 losses, 1934 strikeouts and a 3.07 ERA.
Rusie was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- Triple Crown
- List of Major League Baseball ERA champions
- List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions
- List of Major League Baseball wins champions
- Top 100 strikeout pitchers of all timeTop 100 strikeout pitchers of all timeIn baseball, a strikeout occurs when the batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. Strikeouts are associated with dominance on the part of the pitcher and failure on the part of the batter....
- Major League Baseball titles leadersMajor League Baseball titles leadersAt the end of each Major League Baseball season, the league leaders of various statistical categories are announced. Leading the league in a particular category is referred to as a title....
- List of Major League Baseball no-hitters
External links
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