Hooks Wiltse
Encyclopedia
George Leroy "Hooks" Wiltse (September 7, 1879 - January 21, 1959) was a pitcher
in Major League Baseball
from 1904 to 1915. He was the brother of pitcher Snake Wiltse
.
"Hooks" earned his nickname because of his exceptional curveball
and was one of the earliest pitchers to have a curveball that was regarded as more effective than his fastball
. From 1904 to 1914, he pitched for the National League
's New York Giants
. During that time, he combined with teammate Christy Mathewson
for 435 wins, making them one of the best lefty-righty duos in history. Wiltse won five pennants with the Giants and pitched 3.1 innings in the 1911 World Series
.
In 1915, he jumped to the Brooklyn Tip-Tops
of the Federal League
, which is where he ended his career.
On July 4, 1908, Wiltse pitched a perfect game
through 26 batters until he hit Philadelphia Phillies
pitcher George McQuillan
on a 2–2 count in a scoreless game. Umpire Cy Rigler later admitted that he should have called the previous pitch strike three, which would have ended the inning. Wiltse pitched on, winning 1–0 in ten innings, with the hit-batsman the only lapse separating him from a perfect game.
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...
from 1904 to 1915. He was the brother of pitcher Snake Wiltse
Snake Wiltse
Lewis DeWitt "Snake" Wiltse was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, and New York Highlanders from 1901 to 1903. His brother was fellow major league pitcher George "Hooks" Wiltse.-Career:Lewis Wiltse was born in...
.
"Hooks" earned his nickname because of his exceptional curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
and was one of the earliest pitchers to have a curveball that was regarded as more effective than 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...
. From 1904 to 1914, he pitched for 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...
's 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....
. During that time, he combined with teammate 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...
for 435 wins, making them one of the best lefty-righty duos in history. Wiltse won five pennants with the Giants and pitched 3.1 innings in the 1911 World Series
1911 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 14, 1911 at Polo Grounds in Manhattan, New York-Game 2:Monday, October 16, 1911 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-Game 3:Tuesday, October 17, 1911 at Polo Grounds in Manhattan, New York-Game 4:...
.
In 1915, he jumped to the Brooklyn Tip-Tops
Brooklyn Tip-Tops
The Brooklyn Tip-Tops were a team in the short-lived Federal League of professional baseball from 1914 to 1915. The team was named by owner Robert Ward, who owned the Tip Top Bakery. They were sometimes informally called the Brooklyn Feds or BrookFeds due to being the Brooklyn team of the Federal...
of the Federal League
Federal League
The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, known simply as the Federal League, was an American professional baseball league that operated as a "third major league", in competition with the established National and American Leagues, from to...
, which is where he ended his career.
On July 4, 1908, Wiltse pitched a perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
through 26 batters until he hit Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
pitcher George McQuillan
George McQuillan
George Watt McQuillan , born in Brooklyn, New York, was a pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies , Cincinnati Reds , Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Indians ....
on a 2–2 count in a scoreless game. Umpire Cy Rigler later admitted that he should have called the previous pitch strike three, which would have ended the inning. Wiltse pitched on, winning 1–0 in ten innings, with the hit-batsman the only lapse separating him from a perfect game.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball no-hitters
Sources
- Career stats and biographical information from SportsMogul.com
- BaseballLibrary.com
- SABR biography