Mel Harder
Encyclopedia
Melvin Leroy Harder nicknamed "Chief", was an American
, right-handed, starting pitcher
and coach
in Major League Baseball
, who played his entire career with the Cleveland Indians
. He spent 36 seasons overall with the Indians, as a player from 1928 to 1947 and as one of the game's most highly regarded pitching coaches from 1949-63. He set franchise records for wins
(223), games started
(433) and innings pitched
(3426-1/3) which were later broken by Bob Feller
, and still holds the club record of 582 career games pitched
; he was among the American League
's career leaders in wins (9th), games (8th) and starts (10th) when he retired. He was also an excellent fielder, leading the AL in putout
s four times, then a record.
, and graduated from Tech High School
in North Omaha, Nebraska
. He broke in with the Indians as a relief pitcher
in . His pitching style revolved around his fine curveball
, a hard fastball
and excellent control
. He joined the starting rotation in 1930, and posted a record of 39-37 from 1930 to 1932; on July 31, , he pitched the first game ever at Cleveland Municipal Stadium
. In he finished second in the AL with an earned run average
of 2.95, trailing teammate Monte Pearson
(2.33); under modern rules (one inning pitched per games played by team), enacted in 1951, Harder would have been credited with the league lead, as Pearson only pitched 135 innings. In he finished with 20 wins, led the league with six shutout
s, and was again second in ERA (2.61) to Lefty Gómez
. In he was second to Wes Ferrell
in wins (22) and innings (287-1/3), and was fifth in the AL with a 3.29 ERA. After developing a sore elbow and bursitis
in his shoulder, he won at least fifteen games each season from 1936 to 1939; he led the AL in putouts in 1932, 1933, 1935 and .
Harder was one of the most successful All-Stars
of the 1930s, appearing in all four games from 1934 to 1937, and setting a record with 13 consecutive innings without an earned run
. He won the 1934 All-Star game after relieving Red Ruffing
with none out and two men on in the fifth inning, with an 8-6 lead; one run scored on a double steal, but Harder allowed only one hit in his five innings as the AL won 9-7. He earned a save
in the 1935 game, pitching three scoreless innings to finish a 4-1 victory, and another in with three shutout innings in the 8-3 win; he also finished the 4-3 loss played at Cleveland in with two innings.
In 1940, he posted a 12-11 record, as the Indians finished one game behind the pennant-winning Detroit Tigers
, wasting an early September lead amid clubhouse rancor; it would be the only season in his career in which the Indians came within ten games of the AL flag. After several more years in which his record hovered near .500, earning his 200th victory in , Harder ended his career in with 1160 strikeout
s and a 3.80 ERA. In addition to his 223 victories, his 186 losses remain a club record. Ironically, the Indians won the World Series
the year after he retired, and the year before he returned as pitching coach.
From 1949 into the 1950s, he guided what became known as the Indians' "Big Four" pitching rotation, featuring Feller, Bob Lemon
, Early Wynn
and Mike Garcia; Harder had successfully transformed Lemon from an infielder into a top pitcher while working with him in the mid-1940s, and he taught Wynn the breaking ball and changeup. In 1953, Lemon tied Harder's record by leading the AL in putouts for the fourth time, and he broke the record the following year as the Indians won another pennant, but lost to the underdog New York Giants
in the World Series
. Herb Score
was named the AL's Rookie of the Year
in after Harder helped to develop his curveball. During his coaching career, Harder served as interim manager
of the Indians for the last game of the season and the last two games of , winning all three contests. Before leaving the team after the 1963 campaign, such prominent young pitchers as Sam McDowell
, Tommy John
and Luis Tiant
would come under his guidance. He later coached with the New York Mets
(1964), Chicago Cubs
(1965), Cincinnati Reds
(1966–68) and Kansas City Royals
(1969).
Cleveland retired his pitching uniform number 18 in (he wore 43 and 2 as a coach), and he was named one of the Indians' top 100 players in 2001.
In 2002, Harder died in Chardon, Ohio
at age 93; at the time of his death, he had been one of only five living players who had played in the 1920s.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, right-handed, 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....
and coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
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...
, who played his entire career with the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. He spent 36 seasons overall with the Indians, as a player from 1928 to 1947 and as one of the game's most highly regarded pitching coaches from 1949-63. He set franchise records for 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...
(223), 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...
(433) and 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...
(3426-1/3) which were later broken by Bob Feller
Bob Feller
On December 8, 1941, Feller enlisted in the Navy, volunteering immediately for combat service, becoming the first Major League Baseball player to do so following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7. Feller served as Gun Captain aboard the USS Alabama, and missed four seasons during his service...
, and still holds the club record of 582 career 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...
; he was among the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
's career leaders in wins (9th), games (8th) and starts (10th) when he retired. He was also an excellent fielder, leading the AL in putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s four times, then a record.
Career
Harder was born in Beemer, NebraskaBeemer, Nebraska
Beemer is a village in Cuming County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 773 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Beemer is located at on the table lands adjoining the Elkhorn River bottoms, 84 miles from Omaha and nine miles northwest of West Point, near the geographic center of Cuming County...
, and graduated from Tech High School
Technical High School (Omaha, Nebraska)
Technical High School was a public high school that was located at 3215 Cuming Street in Omaha, Nebraska. Opened in 1923, the school was said to be the largest high school west of Chicago. It was the largest in the Omaha area before it was closed in 1984...
in North Omaha, Nebraska
North Omaha, Nebraska
North Omaha is a community area in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. It is bordered by Cuming and Dodge Streets on the south, Interstate 680 on the north, North 72nd Street on the west and the Missouri River and Carter Lake, Iowa on the east, as defined by the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the Omaha...
. He broke in with the Indians as a relief pitcher
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...
in . His pitching style revolved around his fine 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...
, a hard 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...
and excellent control
Strike zone
In baseball, the strike zone is a conceptual right pentagonal prism over home plate which defines the boundaries through which a pitch must pass in order to count as a strike when the batter does not swing.-Definition:...
. He joined the starting rotation in 1930, and posted a record of 39-37 from 1930 to 1932; on July 31, , he pitched the first game ever at Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Cleveland Stadium
Cleveland Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in Cleveland, Ohio. In its final years, the stadium seated 74,438, for baseball and 81,000, for football. It was one of the early multi-purpose stadiums, built to accommodate both baseball and football...
. In he finished second in the AL with an 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...
of 2.95, trailing teammate Monte Pearson
Monte Pearson
Montgomery Marcellus Pearson was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds . Pearson batted and threw right-handed...
(2.33); under modern rules (one inning pitched per games played by team), enacted in 1951, Harder would have been credited with the league lead, as Pearson only pitched 135 innings. In he finished with 20 wins, led the league with six 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....
s, and was again second in ERA (2.61) to Lefty Gómez
Lefty Gómez
Vernon Louis "Lefty" Gomez was an American left-handed major league pitcher who played in the American League for the New York Yankees between 1930 and 1942. Considered one of the great pitchers of the day, Gomez was a seven-time All-Star and a five-time World Series Champion with the Yankees...
. In he was second to Wes Ferrell
Wes Ferrell
Wesley Cheek Ferrell was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball from 1927 through 1941. Primarily a starting pitcher, Ferrell played for the Cleveland Indians , Boston Red Sox , Washington Senators , New York Yankees , Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Braves...
in wins (22) and innings (287-1/3), and was fifth in the AL with a 3.29 ERA. After developing a sore elbow and bursitis
Bursitis
Bursitis is the inflammation of one or more bursae of synovial fluid in the body. The bursae rest at the points where internal functionaries, such as muscles and tendons, slide across bone. Healthy bursae create a smooth, almost frictionless functional gliding surface making normal movement painless...
in his shoulder, he won at least fifteen games each season from 1936 to 1939; he led the AL in putouts in 1932, 1933, 1935 and .
Harder was one of the most successful All-Stars
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
of the 1930s, appearing in all four games from 1934 to 1937, and setting a record with 13 consecutive innings without an earned run
Earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run...
. He won the 1934 All-Star game after relieving Red Ruffing
Red Ruffing
Charles Herbert "Red" Ruffing was a Major League Baseball pitcher most remembered for his time with the highly successful New York Yankees teams of the 1930s and 1940s...
with none out and two men on in the fifth inning, with an 8-6 lead; one run scored on a double steal, but Harder allowed only one hit in his five innings as the AL won 9-7. He earned a save
Save (sport)
In baseball, a save is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances. The number of saves, or percentage of save opportunities successfully converted, is an oft-cited statistic of relief pitchers...
in the 1935 game, pitching three scoreless innings to finish a 4-1 victory, and another in with three shutout innings in the 8-3 win; he also finished the 4-3 loss played at Cleveland in with two innings.
In 1940, he posted a 12-11 record, as the Indians finished one game behind the pennant-winning Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, wasting an early September lead amid clubhouse rancor; it would be the only season in his career in which the Indians came within ten games of the AL flag. After several more years in which his record hovered near .500, earning his 200th victory in , Harder ended his career in with 1160 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 3.80 ERA. In addition to his 223 victories, his 186 losses remain a club record. Ironically, the Indians won the World Series
1948 World Series
The 1948 World Series matched the Cleveland Indians against the Boston Braves. The Braves had won the National League pennant for the first time since the "Miracle Braves" team of . The Indians spoiled a chance for the only all-Boston World Series by winning a one-game playoff against the Boston...
the year after he retired, and the year before he returned as pitching coach.
From 1949 into the 1950s, he guided what became known as the Indians' "Big Four" pitching rotation, featuring Feller, Bob Lemon
Bob Lemon
Robert Granville Lemon was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976....
, Early Wynn
Early Wynn
Early Wynn Jr. , nicknamed "Gus", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During a 25-year baseball career, he pitched for the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox...
and Mike Garcia; Harder had successfully transformed Lemon from an infielder into a top pitcher while working with him in the mid-1940s, and he taught Wynn the breaking ball and changeup. In 1953, Lemon tied Harder's record by leading the AL in putouts for the fourth time, and he broke the record the following year as the Indians won another pennant, but lost to the underdog 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....
in the World Series
1954 World Series
The 1954 World Series matched the National League champion New York Giants against the American League champion Cleveland Indians. The Giants swept the Series in four games to win their first championship since , defeating the heavily favored Indians, who had won an AL-record 111 games in the...
. Herb Score
Herb Score
Herbert Jude Score was a Major League Baseball pitcher and announcer.-Athletic career:Score came up as a rookie in with the Cleveland Indians...
was named the AL's Rookie of the Year
MLB Rookie of the Year Award
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is annually given to one player from each league as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America . The award was established in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA, which selected an annual winner from 1940 through 1946...
in after Harder helped to develop his curveball. During his coaching career, Harder served as interim manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
of the Indians for the last game of the season and the last two games of , winning all three contests. Before leaving the team after the 1963 campaign, such prominent young pitchers as Sam McDowell
Sam McDowell
Samuel Edward Thomas McDowell , is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played fifteen seasons in Major League Baseball, with the first 11 coming for the Cleveland Indians before a 1971 trade to the San Francisco Giants, followed by stints with the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates...
, Tommy John
Tommy John
Thomas Edward John Jr. is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball whose 288 career victories rank as the seventh highest total among left-handers in major league history...
and Luis Tiant
Luis Tiant
Luis Clemente Tiant Vega , born November 23, 1940 in Marianao, Cuba, , is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians , Minnesota Twins , Boston Red Sox , New York Yankees , Pittsburgh Pirates and California Angels...
would come under his guidance. He later coached with the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
(1964), 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...
(1965), 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....
(1966–68) and Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
(1969).
Cleveland retired his pitching uniform number 18 in (he wore 43 and 2 as a coach), and he was named one of the Indians' top 100 players in 2001.
In 2002, Harder died in Chardon, Ohio
Chardon, Ohio
Chardon is a city in Geauga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 5,148 at the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Geauga County.-History:Chardon is named after Peter Chardon Brooks, who donated land to build the historic Chardon Square....
at age 93; at the time of his death, he had been one of only five living players who had played in the 1920s.
Legacy
- Only pitcher to work 10 or more All-Star innings without allowing an earned run
- Only man in major league history to have both 20-year playing and coaching careers
- Only Walter JohnsonWalter JohnsonWalter Perry Johnson , nicknamed "Barney" and "The Big Train", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Washington Senators...
and Ted Lyons pitched more seasons with one club - Joe DiMaggioJoe DiMaggioJoseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
recalled that he had more difficulty batting against Harder than against just about any other pitcher. DiMaggio battedBatting averageBatting 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 :...
only .180 lifetime against him, striking out three times in one game in 1940. - He was the only man to play 20 seasons for one franchise who is not an active player, in the Hall of FameNational Baseball Hall of Fame and MuseumThe 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...
, or on the Hall of Fame ballot. - He threw the first pitch ever thrown at Cleveland Municipal Stadium in a 1932 game, and the last pitch there, as well, in ceremonies after the final game of the 1993 season before the Indians moved to Jacobs FieldJacobs FieldProgressive Field is a ballpark located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, and is the home of the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball and the American League. Along with Quicken Loans Arena, it is part of the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex...
.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball retired numbers
- List of most experienced baseball players never to play in a World Series
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball ERA champions
External links
- BaseballLibrary - profile and career highlights
- The Baseball Page
- Indians All-Time Team