Pud Galvin

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Pud Galvin.jpg

James Francis Galvin
(Pud, Gentle Jeems, or The Little Steam Engine)

  • Bats Right, Throws Right
  • Height 5' 8", Weight 190 lb.

Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1965

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Biographical Information[edit]

Pitcher Pud Galvin was Major League Baseball's first 300-game winner. Playing in an era in which two-man pitching rotations were common, he amassed 6,003 innings pitched and 646 complete games, both of which are second only to the career totals of Cy Young. Incredibly, he pitched over 70 complete games in both 1883 and 1884 and 65 in 1879, all with the Buffalo Bisons. Galvin is the only player in baseball history to win 20 or more games in 10 different years without winning a pennant, finishing his career with a total of 364 wins and 310 losses.

On August 20, 1880, Galvin became the first major league pitcher to throw a no-hitter on the road, leading his Buffalo Bisons to a 1-0 victory over the Worcester Ruby Legs. He threw a second no-hitter on August 4, 1884, which is the highest scoring in major league history, as the Bisons defeated the Detroit Wolverines 18-0.

The nickname "Pud" supposedly originated because he made the hitters "look like pudding", a popular phase in the 1880s (like having "legs of jello" when you see a nasty looking pitch heading your way).

After his major league career, Galvin played briefly in the Eastern League but was forced to retire because his pitching arm gave out. He later briefly spent time as a National League umpire, with most of his work coming in 1895, then owned a bar for a time.

Galvin died at age 45 in the Pittsburgh suburb of Allegheny. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1965 by the Veterans Committee.

Some or all content from this article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Pud Galvin".

Notable Achievements[edit]

  • 4-time NL Strikeouts Leader (1879-1881 & 1883)
  • NL Games Pitched Leader (1883)
  • NL Innings Pitched Leader (1883)
  • NL Complete Games Leader (1883)
  • 2-time NL Shutouts Leader (1883 & 1884)
  • 20 Wins Seasons: 10 (1879-1884 & 1886-1889)
  • 30 Wins Seasons: 3 (1879, 1883 & 1884)
  • 40 Wins Seasons: 2 (1883 & 1884)
  • 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 13 (1879-1891)
  • 300 innings Pitched Seasons: 11 (1879-1889)
  • 400 Innings Pitched Seasons: 9 (1879-1884 & 1886-1888)
  • 500 Innings Pitched Seasons: 3 (1879, 1883 & 1884)
  • 600 Innings Pitched Seasons: 2 (1883 & 1884)
  • 200 Strikeouts Seasons: 2 (1883 & 1884)
  • 300 Strikeouts Seasons: 1 (1884)
  • Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 1965

Records Held[edit]

  • Games started, season, 75, 1883 (tied)
  • Seasons of 20 or more losses, 10

Further Reading[edit]

  • Brian Martin: Pud Galvin: Baseball’s First 300-Game Winner, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2016. ISBN 978-0-7864-9977-9

Related Sites[edit]

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