Spud Chandler
Encyclopedia
Spurgeon Ferdinand "Spud" Chandler (September 12, 1907 - January 9, 1990) was an American
right-handed starting pitcher
in major league baseball
, who played his entire career for the New York Yankees
from 1937 through 1947. He was named the American League
's Most Valuable Player
in after anchoring the team's pitching staff with 20 wins
and only 4 losses as New York won its third consecutive pennant; his 1.64 earned run average
in that season was the lowest by any major league pitcher between 1920 and 1967, and remains a Yankees team record. In eleven seasons, he never suffered a losing record; with a total of 109 wins and 43 losses, his career winning percentage of .717 is the highest of any pitcher with at least 100 victories since 1876.
, near his birthplace and hometown of Royston, Georgia
, and played football
as a halfback
, throwing a touchdown pass to help defeat Yale
in a 1929 game dedicating a new stadium. He also pitched for the baseball team and competed on the track
team. He was a brother of the Alpha Gamma Rho
fraternity and graduated with a degree in agriculture
. He spent five seasons in the Yankees organization after signing with the team, his favorite since boyhood. Chandler finally made his major league debut at age 29 on May 6, 1937, and went 7-4 that season with a 2.84 ERA and six complete game
s (including two shutout
s). The following year he was 14-5, and in 1939 he was 3-0 in 11 relief appearances. Although the Yankees won the World Series
in each of those years, Chandler did not appear in the postseason. Bothered by injuries during his early career, after records of 8-7 and 10-4 in 1940 and 1941 he improved further to 16-5 in , finishing third in the AL with a 2.38 ERA and earning his first of four All-Star
selections. He was the All-Star Game's winning pitcher in 1942. Chandler had one start in the World Series each year, but lost both times, as the Yankees won in 1941 and lost in 1942.
His greatest year came in 1943. In addition to his outstanding ERA, he led the league with 20 wins in 30 starts, as well as 20 complete games and five shutouts. In 253 innings pitched, he gave up 46 earned runs, allowing only five home run
s. Chandler's 134 strikeout
s were third in the league, and equalled his combined total of the previous two seasons. He made the AL All-Star team for the second time. Chandler finally had a successful World Series
, pitching two complete game victories, including a shutout in the final Game 5, as the Yankees defeated the St. Louis Cardinals
. Winning the MVP award, he beat out Luke Appling
of the Chicago White Sox. Chandler remains the only Yankee pitcher to win the Most Valuable Player award.
After one start in 1944, he entered World War II
military service with the Army
for nearly all of the next two seasons. He returned in with another All-Star season, going 20-8 with a 2.10 ERA (2nd in the league to Hal Newhouser
) and a career-high 138 strikeouts. That year he also had 20 complete games for the second time in his career. He earned his last All-Star selection in , but finished the year with only a 9-5 record as injuries ended his career at age 40. He pitched for the last time in the historic 1947 World Series
against the Brooklyn Dodgers
, pitching two relief innings in a Game 3 loss. In four World Series, he had a 2-2 record with a 1.62 ERA, 16 strikeouts, and 1 shutout.
Over his career Chandler was 109-43 in 211 games (109 complete, 26 shutouts), with a 2.84 ERA. He had 614 career strikeouts and gave up 64 home runs and 1327 hits. As a hitter, he had a batting average of .201, with a .234 on base percentage; he had 110 hits in 548 at bat
s in his career, and on July 26, 1940 had two home runs including a grand slam
. He later managed
in the minor leagues, became pitching coach with the Kansas City Athletics
in 1957-58, and scouted for several teams before retiring in 1984. He was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame
in 1969 and into the Franklin County Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.
. He was married and had two sons. He was inducted into the University of Georgia Ring of Honor in 2000.
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....
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 for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
from 1937 through 1947. He was named 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 Most Valuable Player
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
in after anchoring the team's pitching staff with 20 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...
and only 4 losses as New York won its third consecutive pennant; his 1.64 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 that season was the lowest by any major league pitcher between 1920 and 1967, and remains a Yankees team record. In eleven seasons, he never suffered a losing record; with a total of 109 wins and 43 losses, his career winning percentage of .717 is the highest of any pitcher with at least 100 victories since 1876.
Biography
Chandler attended the University of GeorgiaUniversity of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
, near his birthplace and hometown of Royston, Georgia
Royston, Georgia
Royston is a city in Franklin, Hart, and Madison counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 2,493 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Royston is located at ....
, and played football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
as a halfback
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
, throwing a touchdown pass to help defeat Yale
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in a 1929 game dedicating a new stadium. He also pitched for the baseball team and competed on the track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
team. He was a brother of the Alpha Gamma Rho
Alpha Gamma Rho
Alpha Gamma Rho is a social-professional fraternity in the United States, with 75 university chapters including chapter in Mindanao State University, Philippines...
fraternity and graduated with a degree in agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. He spent five seasons in the Yankees organization after signing with the team, his favorite since boyhood. Chandler finally made his major league debut at age 29 on May 6, 1937, and went 7-4 that season with a 2.84 ERA and six 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 (including two 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). The following year he was 14-5, and in 1939 he was 3-0 in 11 relief appearances. Although the Yankees won the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
in each of those years, Chandler did not appear in the postseason. Bothered by injuries during his early career, after records of 8-7 and 10-4 in 1940 and 1941 he improved further to 16-5 in , finishing third in the AL with a 2.38 ERA and earning his first of four All-Star
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...
selections. He was the All-Star Game's winning pitcher in 1942. Chandler had one start in the World Series each year, but lost both times, as the Yankees won in 1941 and lost in 1942.
His greatest year came in 1943. In addition to his outstanding ERA, he led the league with 20 wins in 30 starts, as well as 20 complete games and five shutouts. In 253 innings pitched, he gave up 46 earned runs, allowing only five home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s. Chandler's 134 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 were third in the league, and equalled his combined total of the previous two seasons. He made the AL All-Star team for the second time. Chandler finally had a successful World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
, pitching two complete game victories, including a shutout in the final Game 5, as the Yankees defeated the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. Winning the MVP award, he beat out Luke Appling
Luke Appling
Lucius Benjamin Appling was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Chicago White Sox . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964....
of the Chicago White Sox. Chandler remains the only Yankee pitcher to win the Most Valuable Player award.
After one start in 1944, he entered World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
military service with the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
for nearly all of the next two seasons. He returned in with another All-Star season, going 20-8 with a 2.10 ERA (2nd in the league to Hal Newhouser
Hal Newhouser
Harold "Prince Hal" Newhouser was an American pitcher for Major League Baseball who played 17 seasons from 1939 to 1955, mostly with the Detroit Tigers of the American League...
) and a career-high 138 strikeouts. That year he also had 20 complete games for the second time in his career. He earned his last All-Star selection in , but finished the year with only a 9-5 record as injuries ended his career at age 40. He pitched for the last time in the historic 1947 World Series
1947 World Series
The 1947 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers, with the Yankees winning the Series in seven games for their first title since , and the eleventh championship in team history...
against the Brooklyn Dodgers
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...
, pitching two relief innings in a Game 3 loss. In four World Series, he had a 2-2 record with a 1.62 ERA, 16 strikeouts, and 1 shutout.
Over his career Chandler was 109-43 in 211 games (109 complete, 26 shutouts), with a 2.84 ERA. He had 614 career strikeouts and gave up 64 home runs and 1327 hits. As a hitter, he had a batting average of .201, with a .234 on base percentage; he had 110 hits in 548 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s in his career, and on July 26, 1940 had two home runs including a grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
. He later managed
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...
in the minor leagues, became pitching coach with the Kansas City Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
in 1957-58, and scouted for several teams before retiring in 1984. He was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame
Georgia Sports Hall of Fame
The Georgia Sports Hall of Fame is located in Macon, Georgia. It is the largest state sports hall of fame in America at .-Exhibitions:The Hall of Fame houses over of exhibit space broken down into sections including Hall of Fame Inductees, High School, collegiate sports, Olympic, Paralympic,...
in 1969 and into the Franklin County Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.
Death
Chandler died at age 82 in South Pasadena, FloridaSouth Pasadena, Florida
South Pasadena is a city located in southern Pinellas County, Florida, near St. Petersburg. The population was 5,778 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 5,745 .-Geography:...
. He was married and had two sons. He was inducted into the University of Georgia Ring of Honor in 2000.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball ERA champions
- List of Major League Baseball wins champions