Wes Ferrell
Encyclopedia
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
(1927–33), Boston Red Sox
(1934–37), Washington Senators
(1937–38), New York Yankees
(1938–39), Brooklyn Dodgers
(1940) and Boston Braves
(1941). He batted and threw right-handed.
, Ferrell was part of a baseball family. In addition to his older brother Rick
, a Hall of Fame catcher
, his youngest brother George was a 20-year minor league
veteran. His brother Rick was his batterymate for five seasons.
for the rest of the year, posting a 20-8 record. But in 1929 he returned to Cleveland and posted a 21-10 record with 100 strikeout
s and a 3.60 earned run average
. In 1930 his record rose to 25-13, with 143 strikeouts and a 3.31 ERA (second in the AL). As a pitcher, Ferrell had a decent fastball
and a good curveball
, and was also a changeup
specialist. He led AL pitchers four times in complete games, and three times in innings.
The 1931 season was Ferrell's best yet. On April 29, he pitched a 9-0 no-hitter
against the St. Louis Browns
, striking out eight, and hit a home run with a double
and four runs batted in. His brother Rick, catching for the Browns, came the closest to getting a hit
, reaching base on an error
by the shortstop. Then, on August 31 Ferrell hit two home runs as he beat the Chicago White Sox
13–5 at Comiskey Park
. Winner of 13 consecutive games, he finished the year at 22-12 with 123 strikeouts, a 3.75 ERA, and an AL-best 31 complete games, at times also terrorizing his rivals with the bat. Ferrell matched the opponents' batters homer for homer; they hit nine home runs off him, but he also smashed nine balls out of the park.
In 1932 Ferrell posted his fourth consecutive 20-win season, with a record of 23-13, 105, 3.66. However, he had a foul temper, and because of his volatile character he was fined and suspended many times for refusing to leave a game, or for leaving it without permission. After being driven from the mound in one game, he destroyed the clubhouse, punched himself in the jaw so hard that he nearly knocked himself out, and tore his uniform to shreds.
Ferrell was named to the first AL All-Star
team in 1933, but with his pitching skill diminished by shoulder pain, and after a disappointing 11-12 record in the year, he was sent to the Boston Red Sox, where his brother Rick – whose personality was almost the opposite of Wes's – was a fine all-around catcher.
made his farewell appearance in Boston at Fenway Park
on August 12, drawing a record crowd of 46,766 fans (with about 20,000 turned away). Ruth singled and doubled against Ferrell, but the New York Yankees lost 6–4.
In 1935 Ferrell won a league-high 25 games, with a .347 batting average
, only two points lower than that of AL batting champion Buddy Myer
. Then, in 1936 he went 20-15. During the 1937 midseason, the Ferrell brothers and Mel Almada
were sent to the Washington Senators in the same trade that brought Ben Chapman and Bobo Newsom
to Boston.
appearance for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1940, and ended his career with four games for the Boston Braves in 1941.
Even after the end of his major league career, Ferrell continued to play minor league ball. During these later years, he mainly played the outfield. After his release by the Braves in May 1941, he signed with the Leaksville-Draper-Spray Triplets
of the class-D Bi-State League
, where he batted .332 with 20 home runs in just 74 games. The following season, he joined the class-C Lynchburg Senators of the Virginia League
, where he hit .361 with 31 homers in 123 games. He continued to play sporadically in the minors for several years before finally retiring for good after the 1949 season.
In addition to his talent as a pitcher, Ferrell was also one of the best-hitting pitchers in major league history, setting records for pitchers for most home runs in a season with nine, in 1931, and 37 for a career – his total of 38 homers (37 as a pitcher, 1 as an outfielder) were ten more than Rick had in over five times as many at bat
s. Ferrell also tied the AL record held by Pete Appleton
and George Uhle
with six RBI in a single game, and five times hit two home runs in one game. In all, he collected 329 hits
, 57 doubles, 12 triples
, 208 RBI, 175 runs
, and a .446 slugging percentage; as he drew a fair number of walks
(129), his career on base percentage
was .351. In 1933, his last season with the Cleveland Indians, he played the last 13 games of the season as an outfielder.
"I didn't see any big deal in being a good hitter as well as a good pitcher," said Ferrell, a two-time minor league batting champion as an outfielder
after his major league days were over. When he went on to be a manager
, Ferrell was slapped with suspensions for belting an umpire
, and for removing his team from the field. He was a fiery competitor and a brilliant player with natural talent, whose achievements may have been obscured by his irascibility.
20 games six times in his ten full seasons before arm trouble ended his career at age 33. Overall, Ferrell won 190 games between 1929 and 1938. Most notably, he is the only pitcher since 1900 to win 20 games in his first four full major league seasons. He also was the MVP
runnerup with the 1935 Boston Red Sox after leading the American League
in wins (25), innings pitched
(322.1) and complete game
s (31), while hitting
.347. Widely considered the best-hitting pitcher of the 20th century, he hit .280 lifetime and set records for home run
s in a season (9) and a career (38). He retired with the seventh highest winning percentage
(.601) among pitchers with at least 300 AL decisions (for teams that never won the pennant) and also with the fourth highest fielding percentage
(.975) in AL history. His final record was 193-128, with a 4.04 ERA and 985 strikeouts in 374 games and 3623 innings.
at 68 years of age. Although he, unlike his brother, has not been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, in 1981, Lawrence Ritter
and Donald Honig
included him in their book The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time, in celebration of his being not just a star pitcher but the best-hitting pitcher of all time—noting that Babe Ruth
did most of his hitting when he was no longer a regular pitcher.
In February 2008, Ferrell was inducted to the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
. The following August, he was named as one of ten former players who began their careers before 1943 to be considered by the Veterans Committee
for induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player. He played 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 1927 through 1941. Primarily a 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....
, Ferrell played for 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...
(1927–33), Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(1934–37), Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
(1937–38), 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...
(1938–39), 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...
(1940) 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....
(1941). He batted and threw right-handed.
Early life and family
A native of Greensboro, North CarolinaGreensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
, Ferrell was part of a baseball family. In addition to his older brother Rick
Rick Ferrell
Richard Benjamin Ferrell was an American professional baseball player, coach, scout and executive. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from to for the St. Louis Browns, Boston Red Sox and Washington Senators. Ferrell was regarded as one of the best catchers in baseball during the...
, a Hall of Fame catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
, his youngest brother George was a 20-year minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
veteran. His brother Rick was his batterymate for five seasons.
Cleveland Indians
Ferrell started his career in 1927 with the Cleveland Indians at the age of 19. He saw little action in his first two seasons; in 1928 he made only two appearances and was relegated to throwing batting practice. One day, he refused to go out to the mound for his pre-game duties, and was sent to Terre Haute of the Three-I LeagueIllinois-Indiana-Iowa League
The Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League was a minor league baseball organization that operated for the better part of 60 years, mostly in those three states. It was popularly known as the Three-I League and also sometimes jokingly as the Three-Eye League....
for the rest of the year, posting a 20-8 record. But in 1929 he returned to Cleveland and posted a 21-10 record with 100 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 3.60 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 1930 his record rose to 25-13, with 143 strikeouts and a 3.31 ERA (second in the AL). As a pitcher, Ferrell had a decent 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 a good 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 also a changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
specialist. He led AL pitchers four times in complete games, and three times in innings.
The 1931 season was Ferrell's best yet. On April 29, he pitched a 9-0 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 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...
, striking out eight, and hit a home run with a double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and four runs batted in. His brother Rick, catching for the Browns, came the closest to getting a hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, reaching base on an error
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
by the shortstop. Then, on August 31 Ferrell hit two home runs as he beat the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
13–5 at Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park was the ballpark in which the Chicago White Sox played from 1910 to 1990. It was built by Charles Comiskey after a design by Zachary Taylor Davis, and was the site of four World Series and more than 6,000 major league games...
. Winner of 13 consecutive games, he finished the year at 22-12 with 123 strikeouts, a 3.75 ERA, and an AL-best 31 complete games, at times also terrorizing his rivals with the bat. Ferrell matched the opponents' batters homer for homer; they hit nine home runs off him, but he also smashed nine balls out of the park.
In 1932 Ferrell posted his fourth consecutive 20-win season, with a record of 23-13, 105, 3.66. However, he had a foul temper, and because of his volatile character he was fined and suspended many times for refusing to leave a game, or for leaving it without permission. After being driven from the mound in one game, he destroyed the clubhouse, punched himself in the jaw so hard that he nearly knocked himself out, and tore his uniform to shreds.
Ferrell was named to the first AL 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...
team in 1933, but with his pitching skill diminished by shoulder pain, and after a disappointing 11-12 record in the year, he was sent to the Boston Red Sox, where his brother Rick – whose personality was almost the opposite of Wes's – was a fine all-around catcher.
Boston Red Sox
Ferrell recovered his form in 1934 with a 14-5 mark, also hitting two home runs in a 10-inning, 3–2 victory for Boston over the White Sox. It was the second time that season he had a pair of home runs in a single game, and the third time in his career. In all, he would homer twice in a game six times. In the same season, Ferrell was pitching when Babe RuthBabe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
made his farewell appearance in Boston at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
on August 12, drawing a record crowd of 46,766 fans (with about 20,000 turned away). Ruth singled and doubled against Ferrell, but the New York Yankees lost 6–4.
In 1935 Ferrell won a league-high 25 games, with a .347 batting average
Batting average
Batting 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 two points lower than that of AL batting champion Buddy Myer
Buddy Myer
Charles Solomon "Buddy" Myer was an American second baseman in Major League Baseball from 1925 to 1941.An excellent hitter, he batted .300 or better in eight full seasons, and retired with a career average of .303. He walked more than twice as many times as he struck out...
. Then, in 1936 he went 20-15. During the 1937 midseason, the Ferrell brothers and Mel Almada
Mel Almada
Baldomero "Mel" Almada was a center fielder in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Boston Red Sox , Washington Senators , St. Louis Browns and Brooklyn Dodgers...
were sent to the Washington Senators in the same trade that brought Ben Chapman and Bobo Newsom
Bobo Newsom
Louis Norman Newsom was an American starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. Also known as "Buck", Newsom played for a number of teams from 1929 through 1953...
to Boston.
Washington Senators
Shortly after being traded to Washington, Wes made his second All-Star team. He led the AL in innings and complete games, the first of three consecutive seasons in which he led the league in both categories.Later career
After being released by Washington in 1938 despite a 13-8 record, Ferrell was signed by the Yankees, but never came back after arm surgery over the winter. He was released in May 1939. He made one reliefRelief 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...
appearance for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1940, and ended his career with four games for the Boston Braves in 1941.
Even after the end of his major league career, Ferrell continued to play minor league ball. During these later years, he mainly played the outfield. After his release by the Braves in May 1941, he signed with the Leaksville-Draper-Spray Triplets
Leaksville-Draper-Spray Triplets
The Class D Leaksville-Draper-Spray Triplets was a Minor league baseball team who played in three different leagues between the and seasons. The team was a combination of three separate towns from North Carolina ....
of the class-D Bi-State League
Bi-State League
There were two different entries called the Bi-State League in minor league history. The first, a class D league which operated in 1915, was the successor of the Wisconsin-Illinois League. The 1915 league was represented by five teams fom Illinois and one from Wisconsin...
, where he batted .332 with 20 home runs in just 74 games. The following season, he joined the class-C Lynchburg Senators of the Virginia League
Virginia League
The Virginia League was a minor league baseball affiliation which operated in Virginia and North Carolina from 1906 to 1928. It was classified as a "C" league from 1906 to 1919 and as a "B" league from 1920 to 1928....
, where he hit .361 with 31 homers in 123 games. He continued to play sporadically in the minors for several years before finally retiring for good after the 1949 season.
As a hitter
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. Ferrell also tied the AL record held by Pete Appleton
Pete Appleton
Peter William Appleton [Jake] was a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Cincinnati Reds , Cleveland Indians 1930-32), Boston Red Sox , New York Yankees , Washington Senators , Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Browns...
and George Uhle
George Uhle
George Ernest Uhle was a Major League Baseball pitcher. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he began his playing career with his hometown Cleveland Indians...
with six RBI in a single game, and five times hit two home runs in one game. In all, he collected 329 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, 57 doubles, 12 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 208 RBI, 175 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, and a .446 slugging percentage; as he drew a fair number of walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
(129), his career on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
was .351. In 1933, his last season with the Cleveland Indians, he played the last 13 games of the season as an outfielder.
"I didn't see any big deal in being a good hitter as well as a good pitcher," said Ferrell, a two-time minor league batting champion as an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
after his major league days were over. When he went on to be a 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...
, Ferrell was slapped with suspensions for belting an umpire
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
, and for removing his team from the field. He was a fiery competitor and a brilliant player with natural talent, whose achievements may have been obscured by his irascibility.
Career overview
Ferrell wonWin (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...
20 games six times in his ten full seasons before arm trouble ended his career at age 33. Overall, Ferrell won 190 games between 1929 and 1938. Most notably, he is the only pitcher since 1900 to win 20 games in his first four full major league seasons. He also was the MVP
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...
runnerup with the 1935 Boston Red Sox after leading 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...
in wins (25), 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...
(322.1) and 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 (31), while hitting
Batting average
Batting 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 :...
.347. Widely considered the best-hitting pitcher of the 20th century, he hit .280 lifetime and set records for 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 in a season (9) and a career (38). He retired with the seventh highest 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...
(.601) among pitchers with at least 300 AL decisions (for teams that never won the pennant) and also with the fourth highest fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
(.975) in AL history. His final record was 193-128, with a 4.04 ERA and 985 strikeouts in 374 games and 3623 innings.
Death and legacy
Wes Ferrell died in Sarasota, FloridaSarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
at 68 years of age. Although he, unlike his brother, has not been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, in 1981, Lawrence Ritter
Lawrence Ritter
Lawrence S. Ritter was an American writer whose specialties were economics and baseball.Ritter was a professor of economics and finance, and chairman of the Department of Finance at the Graduate School of Business Administration of New York University. He also edited the academic periodical...
and Donald Honig
Donald Honig
Donald Martin Honig is a novelist, historian and editor who mostly writes about baseball.While a member of the Bobo Newsom Memorial Society, an informal group of writers, Honig attempted to get Lawrence Ritter to write a sequel to The Glory of their Times. Ritter declined but gave Honig his blessing...
included him in their book The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time, in celebration of his being not just a star pitcher but the best-hitting pitcher of all time—noting that Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
did most of his hitting when he was no longer a regular pitcher.
In February 2008, Ferrell was inducted to the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
The Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame was instituted in 1995 to recognize the careers of former Boston Red Sox baseball players. A 15-member selection committee of Red Sox broadcasters and executives, past and present media personnel, and representatives from The Sports Museum of New England and the...
. The following August, he was named as one of ten former players who began their careers before 1943 to be considered by the Veterans Committee
Veterans Committee
The Veterans Committee is the popular name of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Committee to Consider Managers, Umpires, Executives and Long-Retired Players, a committee of the U.S...
for induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009.
Pitching
| W 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... |
L 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... |
GP 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... |
GS 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... |
CG 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... |
SHO 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.... |
GF Games finished In baseball statistics, a relief pitcher is credited with a game finished if he is the last pitcher to pitch for his team in a game. A starting pitcher is not credited with a GF for pitching a complete game... |
SV 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... |
IP 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... |
H Hits allowed In Baseball statistics, hits allowed signifies the total number of hits a pitcher allowed.... |
TBF | AVG Opponents batting average In baseball statistics, batting average against , or opponents' batting average is a statistic that measures a pitcher's ability to prevent hits during official at bats. It can alternatively be described as the league's hitters' combined batting average against the pitcher... |
R Run (baseball) In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured... |
ER 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... |
HR Home runs allowed In baseball statistics, home runs allowed signifies the total number of home runs a pitcher allowed.The record for the most home runs allowed by any pitcher belongs to Jamie Moyer , the oldest active pitcher in the major leagues... |
BB Base on balls A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08... |
SO 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.... |
HBP Hit by pitch In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:... |
WP Wild pitch In baseball, a wild pitch is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, perhaps even the batter-runner on strike three or ball four, to advance.A wild pitch usually... |
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... |
| 193 | 128 | 374 | 323 | 227 | 17 | 43 | 13 | 2623.0 | 2845 | 11568 | .245 | 1382 | 1177 | 132 | 1040 | 985 | 23 | 35 | 4.04 |
Batting
| G Games played Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,... |
AB 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... |
R Run (baseball) In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured... |
H Hit (baseball) In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice.... |
2B Double (baseball) In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice.... |
3B Triple (baseball) In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice.... |
HR 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... |
RBI Run batted in Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI... |
SB Stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate... |
CS Caught stealing In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder while making the attempt... |
BB Base on balls A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08... |
SO 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.... |
SH Sacrifice hit In baseball, a sacrifice bunt is a batter's act of deliberately bunting the ball in a manner that allows a runner on base to advance to another base. The batter is almost always sacrificed but sometimes reaches base due to an error or fielder's choice... |
TB Total bases In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total.... |
HBP Hit by pitch In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:... |
AVG Batting average Batting 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 :... |
OBP On base percentage In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes... |
SLG |
| 548 | 1176 | 175 | 329 | 57 | 12 | 38 | 208 | 2 | 0 | 129 | 185 | 40 | 524 | 129 | .280 | .351 | .446 |
See also
- Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2009Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2009Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 2009 proceeded according to revised rules enacted in 2001 and further revamped in 2007. The Baseball Writers Association of America held an election to select from among recent players...
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball wins champions
- MLB all-time leaders in home runs by pitchersMLB all-time leaders in home runs by pitchersThis is a list of the all-time leaders in home runs hit by Major League Baseball pitchers, with the pitcher being defined as a player who pitches in at least three games in the given year...
- List of Major League Baseball no-hitters