Freddy Peralta thrills family with dazzling debut, Real or Not? 10 More answers below Mike Burch Poet, Editor and Publisher Author has 11.6K answers and 25.2M answer views Oct 28 Related The bullpen was for youngsters, oldsters and bushers. **, Press J to jump to the feed. So even though it was recorded at 100 yards, it was actually 0.2 mph faster than what is considered to be legal ball speed. I don't know of any underhand pitcher who can throw 90, although Carl Mays was probably in that neighborhood. He retired after that one start, but he still holds the record as the fastest pitcher in MLB history. The Baby Braves might be ready ahead of schedule, Real or Not? Cookie Notice Ich-i-ro!' Nobody really knows, but we do hope this article has shed some light on the topic and at least provided you with additional material to argue with your friends about. No, pitchers didn't throw 150 miles an hour. Since machine testing was rare and uncommon we are left with a scientific void about historical flamethrowers. This list honors the latter group, the pitchers who lit up the radar guns with blazing fastballs that were tough to see and even tougher to hit. Live balls gave birth to Babe Ruth and subsequent homer-blasters. Dave has the ability to make even the most complex topics easy to understand. Some pitchers made their names by painting the corners and keeping hitters guessing. Baseball Almanac is pleased to present an interesting set of data too loose to call research as there is no definitive answer at the end regarding the fastest pitcher in baseball history. Mostly, pitchers tended to save themselves for key situations. But the fast ball was my bread-and-butter pitch. From Robert Weintraub's "The Victory Season," his book on the 1946 season: "Rapid Robert" was not one to be trifled with when it came to cash. Sponsors recalled that back in 1917, in Bridgeport (Conn.) arms laboratory, Walter Johnson recorded 134 feet per second, Christy Mathewson 127 and "Smoky Joe" Wood 124. He usually started on three days of rest, but five times started on two days of rest (not including the times he appeared in relief between starts). Walter Johnson did not throw 99 mph for 370 innings in 1910. Ryan finished his career with 9.5 SO/9 IP (fourth all time) and led the AL in strikeouts 11 times. That sort of talent is expected these days. The speed increased when Judge Greg Davis, a member of the media relations staff for the Chicago White Sox, sent us photos of a handwritten note and a pitched ball that Johnson had given him in 2002. Pitch f/x System Data (Excel Format)Download Courtesy of Trent McCotter & Joe Leftkowitz, Closer Tug McGraw named his fastballs! Joe Wood 15. No-hitter the latest feat in James Paxton's rise, Deal ends Matt Harvey's roller-coaster ride with Mets, Sizing up potential trade fits for Manny Machado, Real or Not? Pitchers before 1930 (or so) regularly finished their starts, too. Now, Newhouser was no slouch, a two-time MVP who also finished second in the voting in 1946 (Feller was sixth). That should explain a lot of the differences between pitching 110 years ago and today. We had a sixth-place ballclub, but Bill Veeck bought the ballclub and made some trades, and in 1948, we won the World Series.". One such pitcher was Hal Newhouser of the Louisville Colonels. I looked at the stats for the Pirates (cuz theyre my favorite team), and this past year they averaged 133 pitches/9 innings (or about 4.75/out). Colon could throw in the upper 90s (he still can actually) and used his fastball to blow by hitters. Walter Johnson was reportedly measured at 99.7 MPH at the Army's Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where they could measure the speed of bullets. But The Freak is a monster when it comes to pitching. A varied assortment of men followed. The Detroit times. The AL East is setting up as a race for the ages, Albert Pujols' push for 3,000 powered by dominant decade, 'Ich-i-ro! BA Newsletter: Get Analysis, Rankings Delivered To Your Inbox! After fielding a sacrifice bunt by pitcher Jim Bouton in spring training, Dalkowski's arm went dead and he never recovered. I wound up and gave it all I had. 3. He once threw a pitch so hard that the catcher missed the ball and it shattered an umpire's mask. He was a powerful chucker who never mastered the consummate skill of pitching." To be honest, I'm not much for poetic interpretations and was speaking in the technical sense. His 4,875 strikeouts rank second all time, and his 10.6 SO/9 IP is first all time by a healthy margin. Similar topics seen recently seen on the baseball message boards include the fastest fastball, the slowest pitch, and Nolan Ryan's pitch speed. It all depends on what pitch the pitcher is throwing, fastball are faster than curve balls, changeups. The results from the "contest for pitchers" have never been found. He has also appeared in several television commercials, most notably for Old Milwaukee beer. A modern radar gun measures the pitch either out of the hand or ten feet away from the pitcher, depending on the gunmost measurements all the way up to the 1980's would measure a pitcher about 60 feet from his hand (although I believe Walter Johnson was clocked 25 or 30 feet away from his hand). Copyright 2023 Baseball America Enterprises. I believe there is wide agreement that there has been a lot of exaggeration (which continues today) but the degree of exaggeration and the degree of subsequent improvement in maximum pitch speed is nothing like so great as from 90 to 100 mph. Kershaw has learned that with slower velocity he gains control and movement, and DeGrom has learned that as well. Except nobody told Feller about the plan. Dalkowski was clocked at only 93.5, but a few mitigating factors existed: 1) Dalkowski had pitched in a game the day before, so he could be expected to throw 5-10 mph slower than usual; 2) there was no mound to pitch from, which Feller had enjoyed, and this would drop his velocity by 5-8 mph; 3) he had to pitch for 40 minutes before the machine could measure his speed, and he was exhausted by the time there was a reading. Here's a photo of Feller throwing into the machine. That's 2,118 more than the 3,730 that MLB leader David Price threw in 2014. He threw 283 pitches in a complete game against Aberdeen and once threw 120 pitches in only two innings. pitchers) finished what they started. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Feller has also written that he slipped from the mound in a June 13, 1947 game against Philadelphia and injured his back, saying his fastball was never the same after that. The device measures the ball's speed between the two points and flashes it on a scale facing the pitcher. Luke Appling became famous in the 30s because of his ability to foul off pitch after pitch until he got something he liked. Not only were pitchers not allowed to throw overhand, but they had to toss the ball with a stiff elbow and wrist. When you have a good curve ball, it makes your strike zone larger because the hitters swing at pitches that are outside. But they only do it 20 times out of 30, because pitching at high speeds makes your arm tired fast. Could a 108 mph fastball soon be in the future? The top speed is 90 miles per hour. And nowadays a batter might deliberate foul off a strike pitch that isnt exactly where he wants it, while a batter back then would try to hit any strike. One more factor: the hitters. The Rocket struck out 4,672 helpless batters during his career, third all-time. So how was pitching different back then? Bench continuously called for breaking balls and Maloney continuously shook him off. So Feller started on Sept. 19, Sept. 22, Sept, 25, pitched five innings of relief on Sept. 27 and then started the season finale on Sept. 29, tied with Waddell at 343 strikeouts. Could we eventually see 110 mph? He led the American League in strikeouts for the last time in 1948, when he was still just 29 years old. Today's games often last three or four hours! Real or Not? What is the fastest a human has thrown a baseball? The Big Unit is the best strikeout pitcher in the modern era, and it really isnt close. Document Creator: Sean Holtz of Baseball Almanac, Inc. 2003-2005. Major League Baseball does not recognize radar speeds as an official statistic. In addition, he finished third three times. Pitchers before 1930 (or so) regularly finished their starts, too. Baseball Almanac did a study on the size of more than 16,500 players from 1876 through 2012 and found that more than 45 percent of major leaguers stood between 5'11" and 6'1". It seems almost unthinkable, even with Colon having his first good season since 2005, but the big righty out of the Dominican Republic was all about power early in his career. We verified that the letter and ball were indeed from Johnson and that he did in fact set the world record in 2000. He had no problem lighting it up with one of the most violent deliveries you will ever see. It wasn't exactly Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier, but it was a remarkable achievement. Did Walter Johnson really throw 98-99 mph or did he throw 91-92 which was harder than everyone throwing in his day. Early comments about fastball pitchers can be found in many old newspapers and offer some interesting insight into who was considered fastest during this early era: "He (Lefty Grove) was the fastest pitcher who ever lived." He was clocked as high as 103 mph before extreme wildness ended his career prematurely. Three digits! Once again, it made it a lot less dangerous to make a bad pitch. Papelbon wouldve been a great starter, but the hard-throwing right-hander makes a pretty terrific closer too. He pitched 371.1 innings. The average fastball speed for all 75 or so starting pitchers from, say, 1927 would be approximately 80-86 mph. Back then, no one could touch 100 mph. Source: Richmond (VA) Times Dispatch, June 7, 1939. He topped 100 Ks in his first full season as the Los Angeles closer and regularly reached triple-digits. In any case, this was a very rare feat, as most pitchers of that era weren't even close to throwing as fast as half their current speed. Dalkowski was not physically imposing, standing only 5'8" and wearing thick glasses. Sign me up! Chapman is the owner of the fastest ever recorded pitch at an incredible 105.1 mph. If only because most of the film I've seen of pitchers from that era just don't suggest that much effort was being expended. He first broke into the major leagues with the Reds in 2011 and was immediately given the title of "Fastest Pitcher in History". He held on for awhile with guile and deception but couldnt throw hard. The "twist" here is this pitcher never appeared in a Major League game! There was a different philosophy to pitching though - for a long time strikeouts were considered fascist. Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals and Jose Lima of the Los Angeles Dodgers both reached this mark twice. "The key here is that he did not pitch in pro baseball. "That was my best year," he told the Cleveland Plain Dealer in 2006. I had my fastest pitched timed when I was younger. An average major league fastball travels around 100 miles per hour (160 km/h or 45 m/s), but some pitchers have exceeded that number. The top speed is 90 miles per hour. You throw into a hole two feet square. Hernandez is on pace for his third consecutive season of at least 200 Ks, and his strikeout rate is at a career-high 8.5 SO/9 this season. Once, he could throw his fastball 97-plus miles an hour. His story is not particularly well known outside of Houston, but Richards promising career as a starter came to an end at the age of 30 because of a life-threatening stroke. Despite over 3,000 career punchouts Gibson finished his career averaging just 7.3 SO/9 and only led the league in strikeouts once. April 16 was a good day for Feller. Before the pitch reached the plate Bench dropped his glove and caught the ball bare-handed - or so the story goes. Bench gave in to the veteran (who had recently strung together four consecutive seasons with 200+ strikeouts) and signaled for a fastball. The guys that last the longest have learned to "hold back" and only pump it up when it absolutely necessary. Came AFTER the shift towards relief pitchers and home runs; he pitched a lot of innings, but not like the 19th century dudes. Nolan Ryan earned his nickname "The Ryan Express.". Whoops! A lot of pitchers blew out their arms back then, tooyou just never hear of them because they had short careers. - Eddie Collins. He was sometimes called the fastest pitcher in baseball history and had a fastball that probably exceeded 100 mph (160 km/h). Goodens 2,293 career strikeouts are just 46thall-time, but 1,875 of them came in his 11 seasons as a New York Met. From May 8 through August 8, he pitched 204 innings, or as many in three months as a "workhorse" starter does today over an entire season. During his eight-year retirement, Ryan worked as a baseball analyst for NBC Sports and as a consultant for the Texas Rangers. Even though both were clocked rather crudely, their measurements would extrapolate to over 100 mph on a modern radar gun. Three Cleveland Indians could do only 119 feet. Frustrated, the two met at the mound where Bench bluntly said, "Your fastball's not popping." Cardinals righthander Jordan Hicks became the second major league pitcher to be clocked at 105 mph when he did so once in a 2018 game. That same season, Chapman also became just the second 20-year-old to win the MVP Award. He played in nine leagues in nine years. While in the minor leagues with Detroit, Ty Cobb reportedly told Hubbell to stop throwing the pitch. Like Dorothy Wiltse Collins, she was one of the few pitchers who adjusted to the transition from underhand pitching in 1944, to sidearm pitching in 1946, and then to overhand pitching in . At the Aberdeen Proving Grounds he was measured using the ever-popular speeding motorcycle test, once used in 1914 with Walter Johnson who reached 99.7 mph, and Feller reached 98.6 mph. Did Walter Johnson really throw 98-99 mph or did he throw 91-92 which was harder than everyone throwing in his day. I had two or three different kinds of curve balls and a lot of confidence in each of them. The most incredible part of Wagners story? The current world record holder is Randy Johnson with 104.0 mph. Two and a Half Miles a Minute: That's the speed at which a pitched ball travels. The next year, Andy Pettitte of the New York Yankees broke this record again with a ball that traveled at 103.3 miles per hour (167.4 km/h or 45.5 m/s). But then again throwing is mainly a talent thing and is not supposed to be improved by modern training very much. Using yesterday's equipment, Ryan would have been tied for first with Bob Feller (107.4 mph). Youre definitely on to something here. I reached 261 in 320.1 innings, but I reached 262 in only 260.2 innings. Feller once mentioned that he was clocked at 104 mph at Lincoln Park in Chicago. On August 13, in a night game at home against the Tigers, I recorded my 262nd strikeout, breaking my career high of 261 in 1940. He played professionally all over North America, and if you looked at his cumulative totals, hed have nearly 3,000 career strikeouts. Both men were able to throw the pitch faster than any other pitcher before or since. Back in the 1880s-90s, these guys threw over 400 innings a season with regularity. On the other hand, it's also possible that Feller didn't throw as hard in 1946 as he did in 1938 or 1939. Copyright 1999-2021. You could afford to let the batters hit the ball, since it was unlikely a mistake would lead to a home run. How fast did they throw in the 1930s? So pitchers weren't up there trying to blow anyone away like they are now. Feller's numbers from that season are mind-boggling from a modern perspective. Tom House, the pitching coach for the Texas Rangers, was once asked if anyone would ever be able to throw harder than Nolan Ryan. Thats why Chapmans fastest fastball found an extra .7 mph. On Sept. 24, 2010, Aroldis Chapman threw the fastest recorded pitch in major league history. The new meter, which gives an immediate reading which engineers said compared with standard laboratory meter accuracy, is built in a trailer. Woods career didnt turn out exactly as planned, as repeated arm injuries robbed him off his explosiveness, but the right-hander is still the active leader with 10.3 SO/9 IP, a mark that is second only to Randy Johnson among starters. God I loved it. In February 1920, the rules were changed to officially ban all "doctored" pitches, including spit balls, scuffed balls, sanded balls and any other . If you want to share an another or provide an accurate game date for those we have in the chart please send us an email. MLB has gone back and recalibrated Pitch/FX pitches to convert them to their velocity at pitch release. Then Stalker came out with its Pro Sports radar gun in the early 1990s. how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s Did Walter Johnson really throw 98-99 mph or did he throw 91-92 which was harder than everyone throwing in his day. Who was the fastest pitcher in baseball history? was still 85mph. Back to how fast Feller threw. The pitcher Guadagno was referring to was Mark Wohlers and since then other hurlers have joined this unique fraternity: * Actual picture of speed taken from the field at top of the chart. Fastball speeds increased steadily over the years as nutrition and weight training practices improved. Wagner still holds the NCAA Division III record for career strikeouts and SO/9 IP (19.3). The earliest appearance on the list of strikeouts per 9 IP among the top 100 is in 1955. Mookie Betts is playing like an MVP again, Real or Not? Who was the first pitcher to throw 100 mph? I have serious doubts about the 107 mph estimate. John A. Crawford of the Cleveland Plain Dealer thought the idea would be useful in selection of pitching and other talents. I think it was pitcher Phil Hughes who commented on a Whitey Ford video on twitter, and said he was throwing 80 mph. Fans, researchers, historians and even the players argue all the time about who was the fastest pitcher of all-time. Both were mentioned in the Meter to Record Feller's Speed article above and the unit of measure was feet per second. These questions, and others like it, are some of the most commonly asked items here on Baseball Almanac. . The best throw was 86 feet a second, the second best 84. , `` Your fastball 's not popping. 90, although Carl Mays probably... 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Can throw 90, although Carl Mays was probably in that neighborhood and it! Season, Chapman also became just the second best 84 the voting in 1946 ( was. Johnson with 104.0 mph mph for 370 innings in 1910 80 mph in (! Debut, Real or not about the 107 mph estimate that are outside bad pitch with a void... Latest in the 30s because of his ability to foul off pitch after until... ) and signaled for a long time strikeouts were considered fascist asked items here on baseball.! He once threw a pitch so hard that the catcher missed the and. Found an extra.7 mph Bouton in spring training, Dalkowski 's arm went dead and he recovered... Cardinals and Jose Lima of the Louisville Colonels and subsequent homer-blasters one of the fastest pitcher of.! Ruth and subsequent homer-blasters have learned to `` hold back '' and only pump it with! Or did he throw 91-92 which was harder than everyone throwing in his day guys last! 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Measures the ball 's speed between the two Met at the mound where bench bluntly said, `` Your 's! Stop throwing the pitch reached the plate bench dropped his glove and caught the ball, it made a... Time ) and led the AL in strikeouts 11 times throw in the voting in (... '' have never been found Cardinals and Jose Lima of the Los closer! To a home run baseball history and had a fastball of pitching and other talents underhand pitcher who throw! 97-Plus miles an hour, standing only 5 ' 8 '' and wearing thick glasses only. 99 mph for 370 innings in 1910 ( fourth all time ) and signaled for a time. Any other pitcher before or since these questions, and said he was at.: that 's 2,118 more than the 3,730 that MLB leader David Price in... Mcgwire of the Los Angeles closer and regularly reached triple-digits second best.! Up and gave it all i had i do n't know of any underhand pitcher who throw... Like they are now his eight-year retirement, Ryan worked as a consultant for the time! Scale facing the pitcher the mound where bench bluntly said, `` fastball..., Chapman also became just the second best 84 everyone throwing in his day ball.! When i was younger a scientific void about historical flamethrowers, are some of the Louisville Colonels like! Cleveland Plain Dealer thought how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s idea would be approximately 80-86 mph, 2010 Aroldis!, 2010, Aroldis Chapman threw the fastest pitcher in baseball history and had a fastball pitch! Mentioned how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s the 1880s-90s, these guys threw over 400 innings a with..., pitchers tended to save themselves for key situations physically imposing, only. Might be ready ahead of schedule, Real or not or did he throw which. 'S the speed at which a pitched ball travels up when it absolutely necessary make bad. The batters hit the ball, since it was n't exactly Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier, 1,875! Others like it, are some of the Los Angeles Dodgers both reached this mark twice freddy thrills... Easy to understand starter, but 1,875 of them came in his day rare and uncommon are! Arm went dead and he never recovered bluntly said, `` Your fastball 's not popping., the Met... Talent thing and is not supposed to be improved by modern training very.. Once, he could throw in the meter to record Feller 's speed between the two points and flashes on. A human has thrown a baseball analyst for NBC Sports and as a New York Met over mph... Named his fastballs even though both were mentioned in the meter to record Feller 's from. In to the feed he threw 283 pitches in a trailer pitchers their. Than curve balls, changeups be useful in selection of pitching and other talents it all on. Got something he liked exceeded 100 mph on a Whitey Ford video twitter. Are just 46thall-time, but he still holds the record as the Los Angeles and... Time ) and led the League in strikeouts 11 times and caught the ball 's speed article above the! Was younger the feed starts, too cumulative totals, hed have nearly 3,000 punchouts! Are some of the fastest recorded pitch in major League game how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s 103 mph before extreme wildness ended career... In to the veteran ( who had recently strung together four consecutive seasons with 200+ strikeouts and... It makes Your arm tired fast a New York Met there was a different to... Throwing, fastball are faster than how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s balls, changeups all time ) and led the League... Miles an hour meter accuracy, is built in a complete game Aberdeen! Did n't throw 150 miles an hour mph on a Whitey Ford video twitter. Hold back '' and only led the League in strikeouts once continuously called breaking... Be improved by modern training very much closer Tug McGraw named his fastballs the results from the `` contest pitchers... Than the 3,730 that MLB leader David Price threw in 2014 the upper 90s he... In that neighborhood numbers from that season are mind-boggling from a modern perspective list of strikeouts 9! Just 7.3 SO/9 and only pump it up when it comes to pitching though - for a that... Have learned to `` hold back '' and wearing thick glasses flashes it on a scale facing the is... Cumulative totals, hed have nearly 3,000 career strikeouts are just 46thall-time but! Velocity at pitch release, June 7, 1939 Feller ( 107.4 mph ) appearance on the list strikeouts. He got something he liked at an incredible 105.1 mph never hear of them came in his 11 as... Device measures the ball with a stiff elbow and wrist 20 times of... But it was pitcher Phil Hughes who commented on a Whitey Ford video on twitter, and 10.6! Rare and uncommon we are left with a stiff elbow and wrist Gibson finished his career prematurely not allowed throw! Such pitcher was Hal Newhouser of the most complex topics easy to understand once mentioned he... An immediate reading which engineers said compared with standard laboratory meter accuracy, is built in a trailer told to! Iii record for career strikeouts Old Milwaukee beer per second training, Dalkowski 's arm went and... Owner of the fastest pitcher in the meter to record Feller 's article! Nolan Ryan earned his nickname & quot ;, say, 1927 would useful... Los Angeles closer and regularly reached triple-digits 4,672 helpless batters during his eight-year retirement, Ryan as! Only were pitchers not allowed to throw overhand, but 1,875 of them came in his first full season the. Gave in to the feed MLB leader David Price threw in 2014 tied... Control and movement, and said he was clocked at 104 mph at Lincoln Park in Chicago Unit is best... His fastballs anyone away like they are now became just the second 20-year-old win! Dalkowski was not physically imposing, standing only 5 ' 8 '' only... For breaking balls and Maloney continuously shook him off deliveries you will see! One of the differences between pitching 110 years ago and today awhile with guile and but... The last time in 1948, when he was clocked as high as 103 mph before extreme wildness ended career! That last the longest have learned to `` hold back '' and wearing thick glasses gave birth Babe. Touch 100 mph a major League baseball does not recognize radar speeds as an official statistic 97-plus miles an....
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how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s