- Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
- City: Pittsburgh
- Team: Pirates
- League: National League
Marcus Elmore Baldwin (1863-1929) had a career that mirrored the stormy times in which he pitched. In his seven years with five clubs, Baldwin managed to get on the good and bad sides of some of the most notable figures in early baseball. He warred with Chris von der Ahe, including time in the slammer and charges of kidnapping. He practically put the “pirate” in the Pittsburgh Pirates by poaching inter-league players. He was the mound mainstay for Al Spalding’s world tour, only to return to lawsuits and acrimony as Spalding accused him of rowdiness beyond the bounds of a dissolute era. His debut was aborted as Cap Anson tried to insert him into the series with the Browns only to be expelled by the officials. Such was the checkered path that proved preparation for a long medical career in Pittsburgh.
- Baldwin was regarded as the flamethrower of his era. Catcher Jack O’Connor, who also caught Cy Young, said Baldwin was “the fastest pitcher I ever caught.”
- His fastball was all the more intimidating given Baldwin’s wildness, often walking as many as he fanned.
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Lancaster
- Team: Red Roses
- League: Tri-State League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Stanley Anthony Coveleski (1889-1984) was one of 17 pitchers grandfathered into the spitball fraternity when the pitch was otherwise outlawed in 1920. His skill with the loaded ball, making it dance “like a butterfly” enabled this veteran to win 20+ games five times and earn a berth in Cooperstown. Signed by Connie Mack at the end of the 1912 season, Coveleski threw a shutout in his first ML appearance. Still, Mack thought he needed development and sent him back to the minors. Came into his own with Cleveland from 1916-24, winning 3 complete games in the 1920 Series.
- Once pitched 7 innings without throwing a ball. Had 224 complete games.
- On May 24, 1918 hurled a 19-inning complete game victory over the Yankees
- Feigned the spitter on every pitch but claimed he used it only every two or three innings
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1969
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T201 Mecca Canvas: Arnold Hauser
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Philadelphia
- Team: Athletics (AL)
- League: American League
John Wesley Coombs (1882-1957) pitched for the Athletics, Robins and Tigers over 13 years, but it was his magical 1910 season that made a permanent mark on MLB. 31-9, 1.30 ERA, 353 innings, 35 CG, and the still standing record of 13 shutouts. A year for the ages!
- In one 16-day stretch in 1910 he pitched 10 complete games and relieved in 2 more
- Went on to a successful college coaching career till forced to retire from Duke at age 70
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T201 Mecca Canvas: Jack Coombs
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Chicago
- Team: Cubs
- League: National League
Leonard Leslie Cole (1886-1916) went 20-4 with the 1910 Cubs in his second season, still the best winning % in 20th C. franchise history and led them to a pennant. After another great year in ’11 was traded to Pirates. Ill health plagued him and he missed the ’13 season, and died of TB after a very short 1915 season.
- Pitching for the Yankees in 1914, surrendered Babe Ruth’s first ML hit, a double
- Said to have been Ring Lardner’s model for “Alibi Ike,” beloved in short story and film
- Maintained a fine 3.12 ERA over his brief six-year career
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T201 Mecca Canvas: King Cole
- Series: Pilgrims
- City: Boston
- Team: Red Sox
- League: American League
Edward Victor “Knuckles” Cicotte (1884-1969) won 208 games and a World Series with the White Sox in 1917. The Sporting News said in 1918 that “Perhaps no pitcher in the world has such a varied assortment of wares….” But it was Eddie’s first pitch of the 1919 Series that plunked Morrie Rath in the back and signaled the fix was in. No one was ever convicted of the infamous Black Sox scandal but Cicotte, with seven teammates, never played ML ball after his tearful confession following the ’20 season.
- Cicotte, Shoeless Joe, and other banned Sox players went on to barnstorm under false names
- His mastery of the knuckleball led to a transformation of his career. His control improved to the point of walking only 89 in 572 innings in 1918/19 combined.
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T201 Mecca Canvas: Ed Cicotte
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