- Series: Pilgrims
- City: New York
- Team: Giants
- League: National League
George Leroy Wiltse (1879-1959) played for McGraw’s Giants for 11 years (1904-14.) His tandem with Mathewson produced 435 wins, one of the best left/right duos in history. His nickname may not have come from his wicked curve but from his tenacity with the glove. Set a rookie record winning his 1st 12 starts.
- Wiltse was McGraw’s only lefty until Rube Marquard joined the rotation in 1909
- To his lasting chagrin, Wiltse was the 1st base coach when Fred Merkle missed 2nd base
- On May 15, 1906 struck out 7 batters in two innings after Bresnahan dropped strike 3
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T201 Mecca Canvas: Wiltse Hooks
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Chicago
- Team: Giants (IND)
- League: Independent
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Joseph Williams (1886-1951) may have been the best pitcher never to appear in the major leagues. He starred in the Negro Leagues and in Cuba and Mexico over a 27-year career. His best year was 1914 (an amazing 41-3). Playing against MLB players in barnstorming games, Williams compiled a 20-7 record over the “best” in the game.
- At age 44 in 1930, closed his career with a 1-0, 12-inning win striking out 27 KC Monarchs
- That same year, in his only confrontation with the rising star, beat Satchel Paige 1-0.
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1999
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T201 Mecca Canvas: John Thoney
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Chicago
- Team: White Sox
- League: American League
Guy Harris White (1879-1969) lived a long life and, at the end of it, had the grace to congratulate the Dodger pitcher who finally exceeded his shut-out record that had stood for 68 years. Doc White began his adult life as a dental surgeon and ended it as an itinerant evangelist. He was a gifted musician and songwriter, a minor league owner, a prize-winning horticulturalist, a college coach and mentor to young athletes. And to the end, he bemoaned the lack of discipline among major league pitchers who couldn’t go a few innings without issuing a walk. And he knew something about that: for 13 seasons Doc pitched for the Phillies and White Sox (the “No-Hit Wonders”) winning 189 games with a 2.39 ERA and better control than most pitchers in history. He threw 24 1-0 games, winning 13. He dueled Walter Johnson, besting him in 11 innings and, 5 days later, grinding to a 1-1 tie after 17 more.
- Helped the Sox to their first World Series championship in 1906 going 18-6
- The following year he won 27, and was always at or near the top in walks per game
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T201 Mecca Canvas: Ed Killian
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Chicago
- Team: White Sox
- League: American League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Edward Augustine Walsh (1881-1959) still holds the ML record for ERA with 1.82 lifetime and hurled himself into the Hall of Fame as one of the most dominant and durable pitchers of the early 20th century. He needed a year off in 1913 but felt the White Sox needed him more. He ruined his arm and effectively ended his career demanding more of that right arm than it could give after 195 wins and 1,736 SOs.
- Reputed to have guided the owner’s architect into shaping the AL park to Walsh’s liking, making Comiskey Park a “pitcher’s park” for 80 years
- Earned “workhorse” status with an average of 395 innings per season 1907-1912
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1946
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T201 Mecca Canvas: Ed Walsh
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: St. Louis
- Team: Browns (AL)
- League: American League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
George E. Waddell (1876-1914) was one of the premier pitchers in MLB history and also a man-child who’d leave the dugout and chase a fire truck. His titanic struggles with Cy Young made for the greatest pitching duels of all time. Connie Mack described his curve as the “fastest and deepest I’ve ever seen.”
- Waddell’s perplexing personal and social problems led to a shortened career and life
- Driven to distraction, Mack sold Rube to the Browns for the ’08 season, his last hurrah
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1946
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T201 Mecca Canvas: Lefty Leifield
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