Charlie Faust

Charles Victor Faust
(Victory)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2"

• Debut October 7, 1911
• Final Game October 12, 1911
• Born October 9, 1880 in Marion, KS USA
• Died June 18, 1915 in Steilacoom, WA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Charlie "Victory" Faust was a mascot for John McGraw's New York Giants. Faust, who appears to have been delusional, came to McGraw during 1911 season and claimed that a fortune teller had predicted that the Giants would win the pennant if Faust pitched for them. McGraw, who was very superstitious, kept Faust on the team for the remainder of the season. With Faust as a mascot, the Giants went on a tear, winning 40 of their last 53 games and vaulting from 3 1/2 games back to win the pennant by 7 1/2 games. After the flag was secured, Faust was allowed to appear in two meaningless games, where he allowed 1 run in 2 innings and scored twice. He continued as mascot, though not in uniform, in the 1912 season and then was cut loose.

Faust died of tuberculosis in an insane asylum in Washington in 1915.

He is one of only three pitchers to get hit in his first and only career plate appearance. The others are John Rheinecker and Cy Malis.

Further Reading

• Gabriel Schechter: "Charles 'Victory' Faust: Rube Marquard's Lucky Charm", in The National Pastime, SABR, Number 20 (2000), pp. 98-100.

Related Sites

• Charlie Faust at the SABR Bio Project