Bugs Raymond
Encyclopedia
Arthur Lawrence "Bugs" Raymond (February 24, 1882 – September 7, 1912) was a Major League Baseball
pitcher
from 1904 to 1911. He played for the Detroit Tigers
, St. Louis Cardinals
, and New York Giants
.
sometime in 1906. With the new pitch, he had a big season in 1907, going 35-11 for the South Atlantic League
's Charleston Sea Gulls. Raymond pitched a no-hitter
that year, as well, and led Charleston to the pennant. The Cardinals purchased him in September, and in 1908, he was the best pitcher on the team. His 2.03 earned run average
ranked tenth in the National League
, and his 145 strikeout
s were fourth-best. During the 1908 season, he gave up fewer hits per game than Christy Mathewson
and threw five shutouts, but he was also on the mound eleven times when the Cardinals failed to score.
Raymond was known for his spitball and got his nickname because of his zany antics on the mound. What might have been a promising career was short-circuited by a perpetual addiction to alcohol
. The only manager who could keep Raymond in line for any length of time was hard-nosed Giants manager John McGraw
. McGraw picked him up in the Roger Bresnahan
trade before the 1909 season, and Bugs won 18 games for him that year.
However, Raymond could never stay sober for long. McGraw tried everything - including fining him so there wouldn't be any money left for drinks and hiring a detective to trail Bugs - but nothing worked. In addition, Raymond had a subpar performance on the mound in 1910, going 4-11. He was released midway through the Giants' 1911 pennant-winning season.
In 1912, after a short stint in an independent league, Raymond got into a number of fights in Chicago and ended up badly beaten. He died of a fractured skull
a few weeks later at age 30.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
from 1904 to 1911. He played for the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, and New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
.
Career
Raymond was born in Chicago, Illinois. He started his professional baseball career with the Waterloo Microbes in 1904. After a short stint with the Tigers, Raymond returned to the minors. He developed his spitballSpitball
A spitball is an illegal baseball pitch in which the ball has been altered by the application of saliva, petroleum jelly, or some other foreign substance....
sometime in 1906. With the new pitch, he had a big season in 1907, going 35-11 for the South Atlantic League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
's Charleston Sea Gulls. Raymond pitched a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
that year, as well, and led Charleston to the pennant. The Cardinals purchased him in September, and in 1908, he was the best pitcher on the team. His 2.03 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
ranked tenth in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
, and his 145 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s were fourth-best. During the 1908 season, he gave up fewer hits per game than Christy Mathewson
Christy Mathewson
Christopher "Christy" Mathewson , nicknamed "Big Six", "The Christian Gentleman", or "Matty", was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire career in what is known as the dead-ball era...
and threw five shutouts, but he was also on the mound eleven times when the Cardinals failed to score.
Raymond was known for his spitball and got his nickname because of his zany antics on the mound. What might have been a promising career was short-circuited by a perpetual addiction to alcohol
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
. The only manager who could keep Raymond in line for any length of time was hard-nosed Giants manager John McGraw
John McGraw
John McGraw may refer to:* John McGraw , , New York lumber tycoon, and one of the founding trustees of Cornell University* John McGraw , , Governor of Washington state from 1893–1897...
. McGraw picked him up in the Roger Bresnahan
Roger Bresnahan
Roger Philip Bresnahan , nicknamed "The Duke of Tralee" for his Irish roots, was an American player in Major League Baseball who starred primarily as a catcher and a player-manager...
trade before the 1909 season, and Bugs won 18 games for him that year.
However, Raymond could never stay sober for long. McGraw tried everything - including fining him so there wouldn't be any money left for drinks and hiring a detective to trail Bugs - but nothing worked. In addition, Raymond had a subpar performance on the mound in 1910, going 4-11. He was released midway through the Giants' 1911 pennant-winning season.
In 1912, after a short stint in an independent league, Raymond got into a number of fights in Chicago and ended up badly beaten. He died of a fractured skull
Skull fracture
A skull fracture is a break in one or more of the bones in the skull usually occurring as a result of blunt force trauma. If the force of the impact is excessive the bone may fracture at or near the site of the impact...
a few weeks later at age 30.