Fred Fussell
Encyclopedia
Frederick Morris Fussell (October 7, 1895 – October 23, 1966) was a pitcher
in Major League Baseball
. He played for the Chicago Cubs
and Pittsburgh Pirates
. Fussell was 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighed 155 pounds.
, in 1895. He started his professional baseball career in 1922 with the Chicago Cubs. That season, he played in three MLB games in September and October and had a win–loss record of 1–1. In 1923, Fussell mostly pitched in relief
for Chicago. He appeared in 28 games, going 3–5 and tying for the team-lead with three saves.
Fussell spent the next several years in the minor leagues. He played for the Pacific Coast League
's Seattle Indians
in 1924 and 1925 and then went to the Texas League
's Wichita Falls Spudders
. In 1927, he won a career-high 21 games for the Spudders, and he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates that December for Mike Cvengros
and Ike Danning
. He pitched well the following spring and made the Pirates roster.
Fussell was a major league starter
during the 1928 season. In 159.2 innings pitched
, he went 8–9 with a 3.61 earned run average
. In 1929, he was a reliever, and his ERA jumped up to 8.62. He was released after the season and never played in the majors again.
During the 1930s, Fussell pitched for various teams in the International League
, including the Buffalo Bisons and Syracuse Chiefs. In 1933, he threw a no-hitter
in a night game; he was subsequently nicknamed "Moonlight Ace". Fussell's professional baseball career ended in 1939. He retired with a career minor league record of 150–118 to go along with his 14–17 major league one.
In his later years, Fussell lived in Syracuse, New York
, and worked as a lathe operator. Late in Fussell's life, Baseball Hall of Fame historian Lee Allen
wrote a piece about him in a Baseball Digest
article. He died in 1966.
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...
. He played for the Chicago Cubs
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...
and Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. Fussell was 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighed 155 pounds.
Career
Fussell was born in Sheridan, MissouriSheridan, Missouri
Sheridan is a city in Worth County, Missouri, United States, near the Platte River. The population was 185 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town.-Geography:Sheridan is located at ....
, in 1895. He started his professional baseball career in 1922 with the Chicago Cubs. That season, he played in three MLB games in September and October and had a win–loss record of 1–1. In 1923, Fussell mostly pitched 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...
for Chicago. He appeared in 28 games, going 3–5 and tying for the team-lead with three saves.
Fussell spent the next several years in the minor leagues. He played for the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
's Seattle Indians
Seattle Rainiers
The Seattle Rainiers, originally named the Seattle Indians and also known as the Seattle Angels, were a minor league baseball team in Seattle, Washington, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903-06 and 1919-68...
in 1924 and 1925 and then went to the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
's Wichita Falls Spudders
Wichita Falls Spudders
The Wichita Falls Spudders were a minor league baseball team that formed in 1920 and played its last game in 1957. They were based in Wichita Falls, Texas....
. In 1927, he won a career-high 21 games for the Spudders, and he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates that December for Mike Cvengros
Mike Cvengros
Michael John Cvengros was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He played all or part of six seasons in the majors, between and , for the New York Giants, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Chicago Cubs. After his major league career, he played in the minor leagues until , mostly for the...
and Ike Danning
Ike Danning
Isaac "Ike" Danning was an American Major League Baseball catcher who played for the St. Louis Browns in . His brother, Harry Danning, played for the New York Giants from to .-External links:*...
. He pitched well the following spring and made the Pirates roster.
Fussell was a major league starter
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....
during the 1928 season. In 159.2 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...
, he went 8–9 with a 3.61 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...
. In 1929, he was a reliever, and his ERA jumped up to 8.62. He was released after the season and never played in the majors again.
During the 1930s, Fussell pitched for various teams in the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
, including the Buffalo Bisons and Syracuse Chiefs. In 1933, he threw a 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"...
in a night game; he was subsequently nicknamed "Moonlight Ace". Fussell's professional baseball career ended in 1939. He retired with a career minor league record of 150–118 to go along with his 14–17 major league one.
In his later years, Fussell lived in Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, and worked as a lathe operator. Late in Fussell's life, Baseball Hall of Fame historian Lee Allen
Lee Allen (baseball)
Leland Gaither "Lee" Allen was an American sportswriter and historian on the subject of baseball. He was known for an accessible writing style that made history more interesting, typically focusing on the people in the stories as much as the events. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Allen was the son...
wrote a piece about him in a Baseball Digest
Baseball Digest
Baseball Digest is a baseball magazine resource, published in Evanston, Illinois by Lakeside Publishing Company. It is the oldest and longest-running baseball magazine in the United States....
article. He died in 1966.