Pink Hawley

Emerson Pink Hawley

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 185 lb.
• High School Wayland Academy
• Debut August 13, 1892
• Final Game August 20, 1901
• Born December 5, 1872 in Beaver Dam, WI USA
• Died September 19, 1938 in Beaver Dam, WI USA

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Biographical Information

"They called him the Duke of Pittsburgh. They named a cigar after him. They rated him as one of the great pitchers of all time, a king of speed ball artists, a pitcher who could field and hit, a pitcher who would rather win a game than cash in on a $20,000 bit of dishonesty." - from Pink Hawley's obituary in the Milwaukee Sentinel, posted here

Emerson Pink Hawley, known as Pink Hawley, pitched 10 seasons in the major leagues. He went 31-22 in 1895 and 27-11 in 1898.

As a hitter, he had a .241 batting average, and once slugged as high as .497 (in 1895). His obituary says he started his minor league career in Fort Smith.

He supposedly got his nickname because he had a twin brother. They wore ribbons to distinguish them, his brother's was blue while his was pink. However, this story is thrown in doubt when one realizes his middle name is "Pink". His twin brother Blue was his catcher during semipro days, but died of pneumonia in 1891. Another brother, T.W., reportedly played in the minors.

Hawley hit 5 Washington batters in a game on May 9, 1896.

He is the only major leaguer (through 2009) born in Beaver Dam, WI, a town on Beaver Dam Lake, about 50 miles northwest of Milwaukee, WI.

Although more than a half-dozen major leaguers have had the first name "Pinky", he is the only major leaguer with the first name "Pink".

After his major league days he pitched in the minors as late as 1908. He managed the 1905-1906 and 1908 LaCrosse Pinks and the 1907 LaCrosse Badgers. He ran a cigar store at one time and later managed a bowling alley.

Notable Achievements

• NL Games Pitched Leader (1895)
• NL Innings Pitched Leader (1895)
• NL Complete Games Leader (1900)
• NL Shutouts Leader (1895)
• 20 Wins Seasons: 3 (1895, 1896 & 1898)
• 30 Wins Seasons: 1 (1895)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 8 (1893-1900)
• 300 Innings Pitched Seasons: 6 (1894-1898 & 1900)
• 400 Innings Pitched Seasons: 1 (1895)

Related Sites

• Pink Hawley at the SABR Bio Project