Alex Main

Miles Grant Main

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 6' 5", Weight 195 lb.

• Debut April 18, 1914
• Final Game June 29, 1918
• Born May 13, 1884 in Montrose, MI USA
• Died December 29, 1965 in Royal Oak, MI USA

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Biographical Information

Alex Main was a 30-year-old rookie with the Detroit Tigers in 1914. His three saves (figured retroactively) ranked him sixth in the American League that year.

The following season, in 1915, he became the second Tigers pitcher to jump to the short-lived Federal League, the first being Ed Willett ([1]). He played for the Kansas City Packers that season. Although his ERA of 2.54 was third best on the team and he gave up only 181 hits in 230 innings, his record was only 13-14. He had the worst record on the team among all pitchers with at least 25 games started. Despite that, his 1.113 WHIP was fifth best in the league, and his 7.08 hits per nine innings ratio ranked second. His three saves were eighth best. On August 16th of that season, he threw a no-hitter - that was the first no-hitter in Federal League Park history ([2]).

He spent part of 1918 pitching for Lebanon, PA in the Bethlehem Steel League in Pennsylvania and Delaware, but also returned to the majors after a two-year absence with 8 games for the Philadelphia Phillies. The Bethlehem Steel League was of high caliber as it included a number of current, former and future major league players who had chosen to work in the steel industry in order to avoid being drafted into military service in World War I.

He is most similar to Slow Joe Doyle, according to the Similarity Scores (through 2024).

Following his death, he was buried at Crestwood Memorial Cemetery in Grand Blanc, MI.