Howie Camnitz
Encyclopedia
Samuel Howard Camnitz (August 22, 1881 - March 2, 1960) was a starting pitcher
in Major League Baseball
for the Pittsburgh Pirates
and the Philadelphia Phillies
(1913) in the National League
and for the Pittsburgh Rebels
(1914–15) in the Federal League
. A native of Covington, Kentucky
, he batted and threw right-handed.
In an 11-season career, Camnitz posted a 133-106 record with 915 strikeout
s and a 2.75 ERA
in 2085.1 innings pitched
.
Camnitz pitched briefly with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1904 and 1906. In his first full season in 1907, he had a 13-8 record with a 2.15 ERA in 180 innings, including a five-inning no-hitter
against the New York Giants
on August 23. The next year, he went 16-9 with a 1.56 ERA and 15 complete game
s in 19 starts.
With an excellent curveball
, Camnitz collected three 20-win seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1909–12, leading his team to the 1909 World Series
after winning 25 games in the regular season and tying Christy Mathewson
for the National League lead winning percentage
(.806).
Camnitz pitched at least 240 innings for seven consecutive years (1908–14) with a career-high 283 innings in 1909, winning 20 games in 1911 and 22 in 1912. After a 6-17 start in 1913, he was sent by the Pirates to the Philadelphia Phillies in the midseason. He pitched in nine games for them and had a 3-3 record, then jumped to the Pittsburgh Rebels
in the Federal League
in 1914 and posted a 14-19 mark. After battling arm problems, he retired in 1915.
Camnitz died in Louisville, Kentucky
, at age of 78.
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....
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...
for the 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...
and the 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...
(1913) 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...
and for the Pittsburgh Rebels
Pittsburgh Rebels
The Pittsburgh Rebels were a professional baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team was a member of the short-lived Federal League, which was a minor league in 1913 but a full-fledged outlaw major league the next two years...
(1914–15) in 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...
. A native of Covington, Kentucky
Covington, Kentucky
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile . There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile...
, he batted and threw right-handed.
In an 11-season career, Camnitz posted a 133-106 record with 915 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 and a 2.75 ERA
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 2085.1 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...
.
Camnitz pitched briefly with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1904 and 1906. In his first full season in 1907, he had a 13-8 record with a 2.15 ERA in 180 innings, including a five-inning 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"...
against 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....
on August 23. The next year, he went 16-9 with a 1.56 ERA and 15 complete game
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...
s in 19 starts.
With an excellent 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...
, Camnitz collected three 20-win seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1909–12, leading his team to the 1909 World Series
1909 World Series
The 1909 World Series featured the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Detroit Tigers. The Pirates won the Series in seven games to capture their first championship of the modern Major League Baseball era and the second championship in the club's history....
after winning 25 games in the regular season and tying 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 the National League lead winning percentage
Winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
(.806).
Camnitz pitched at least 240 innings for seven consecutive years (1908–14) with a career-high 283 innings in 1909, winning 20 games in 1911 and 22 in 1912. After a 6-17 start in 1913, he was sent by the Pirates to the Philadelphia Phillies in the midseason. He pitched in nine games for them and had a 3-3 record, then jumped to the Pittsburgh Rebels
Pittsburgh Rebels
The Pittsburgh Rebels were a professional baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team was a member of the short-lived Federal League, which was a minor league in 1913 but a full-fledged outlaw major league the next two years...
in 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...
in 1914 and posted a 14-19 mark. After battling arm problems, he retired in 1915.
Camnitz died in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, at age of 78.