Jeff Tesreau

Charles Monroe Tesreau

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 218 lb.

• Debut April 12, 1912
• Final Game June 11, 1918
• Born March 5, 1889 in Ironton, MO USA
• Died September 24, 1946 in Hanover, NH USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Charles "Jeff" Tesreau packed a lot of action into a seven-year major league career. He won 115 games and appeared in three World Series, all with the New York Giants.

Tesreau was born in Ironton, MO in 1888. A couple months later, Zack Wheat was born in the same state.

Tesreau showing how to throw a spitball

Jeff played in the Texas League and the Eastern League before coming to the majors in 1912. He was immediately successful, winning the ERA championship as a rookie. He won Game 7 of the 1912 World Series (it was an eight-game series wth one tie) although he had lost a couple of the earlier games.

He won 22 and then 26 games in the two succeeding seasons, but he wasn't quite as good as in his rookie year. Although he continued to win games after that, his ERA became ordinary. In his last season, though, his 2.32 ERA was better than the team's 2.64 ERA.

After his playing days, Tesreau became the baseball coach at Dartmouth College from 1919 to 1946. He held the school's career win record (383) until 2010, when Bob Whalen passed him.

He died in Hanover, NH in 1946.

The SABR biogaphy of Tesreau says that he pitched for a mining company team at age 17 and then joined an independent pro team. He got his nickname after the boxer Jim Jeffries. He quit baseball after a spat with John McGraw, and pitched some for a Bethlehem Steel company team and for semi-pro teams. The Boston Braves gave him an offer, but he stayed many years as the Dartmouth coach. His players included Red Rolfe and his own son Charles Tesreau, Jr.

Notable Achievements

• NL ERA Leader (1912)
• NL Shutouts Leader (1914)
• 15 Wins Seasons: 5 (1912-1916)
• 20 Wins Seasons: 2 (1913 & 1914)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 5 (1912-1916)
• 300 Innings Pitched Seasons: 2 (1914 & 1915)

Related Sites

• Jeff Tesreau at the SABR Bio Project