Jumbo Elliott (baseball)
Encyclopedia
James Thomas "Jumbo" Elliott (October 22, 1900 - January 7, 1970) was a professional baseball player. He was a left-handed pitcher
, playing in the major leagues over parts of ten seasons (1923, 1925, 1927–1934) with the St. Louis Browns
, Brooklyn Robins
, Philadelphia Phillies
and Boston Braves
. He was the National League
wins
leader in 1931 with Philadelphia
. For his major league career, he compiled a 63-74 record in 252 appearances, with a 4.24 ERA
and 453 strikeout
s.
He was born in St. Louis
, Missouri
. When he retired from baseball, he resided in Terre Haute
, Indiana
, the county seat of Vigo County
. He first came to Terre Haute in 1922 as a pitcher for the Three-I League professional Class B minor league baseball team. Elliott was a long-time Deputy Sheriff in Vigo County and ran for Vigo County Sheriff as a Democrat in the 1968 election. His opponent was 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) Clyde Lovellette, then retired from an extraordinary college and professional basketball
career. The campaign earned national notoriety because both candidates were such big men (Elliott was approximately 6 ft 5 in and 250 lb, or 1.96 m and 113 kg) and sports celebrities. Lovellette won the election.
Elliott died in Terre Haute at age 69.
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...
, playing in the major leagues over parts of ten seasons (1923, 1925, 1927–1934) with the St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, Brooklyn Robins
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...
, 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...
and Boston Braves
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....
. He was 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...
wins
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
leader in 1931 with Philadelphia
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...
. For his major league career, he compiled a 63-74 record in 252 appearances, with a 4.24 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...
and 453 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.
He was born in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. When he retired from baseball, he resided in Terre Haute
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
, 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...
, the county seat of Vigo County
Vigo County, Indiana
Vigo County is a county located along the western border of the U.S. state of Indiana. Vigo County is included in the Terre Haute, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Terre Haute....
. He first came to Terre Haute in 1922 as a pitcher for the Three-I League professional Class B minor league baseball team. Elliott was a long-time Deputy Sheriff in Vigo County and ran for Vigo County Sheriff as a Democrat in the 1968 election. His opponent was 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) Clyde Lovellette, then retired from an extraordinary college and professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
career. The campaign earned national notoriety because both candidates were such big men (Elliott was approximately 6 ft 5 in and 250 lb, or 1.96 m and 113 kg) and sports celebrities. Lovellette won the election.
Elliott died in Terre Haute at age 69.