Harry Coveleski
Encyclopedia
Harry Frank Coveleski was a Major League Baseball
pitcher
with the Philadelphia Phillies
, Cincinnati Reds
, and Detroit Tigers
. Born in Shamokin, Pennsylvania
, he began his career with the Phillies in 1907. Over a span of five days at the end of the 1908 season, Coveleski beat the New York Giants
three times, which enabled the Chicago Cubs
to catch the first-place Giants in the NL standings and force a replay of the "Merkle Game". Thereafter, Coveleski was called "The Giant Killer". Traded to the Reds after the 1909 season, Coveleski had a disappointing 1910 season, including a game in which he walked sixteen batters, and was out of the Major Leagues for three seasons.
That year A. H. "Rick" Woodward, owner of the Southern Association
's Birmingham Barons
, bought Coveleski's contract from the Reds for $1,000, putting him on the team that be showcased in his brand-new steel-and-concrete Rickwood Field
stadium. Coveleski got the start on the park's August 18, opening day, earning a no-decision in a 3-2 victory against the Montgomey Climbers
in front of 10,000 fans. He ended up pitching two no-hitters for the Barons (though he lost one in extra innings), and won 21 games, including eleven straight decisions, to end the season with a 1.55 ERA. His final appearance for Birmingham was a 1-0 shutout against the league-champion New Orleans Pelicans
in which he held their star slugger Shoeless Joe Jackson
hitless in four appearances.
Following an arm injury, Woodward traded Coveleski to the Chattanooga Lookouts
, where he struggled for two seasons, going 25-37, before regaining his composure. In their campaign he led the Southern Association with 28 wins and attracted the notice of the Detroit Tigers' scouts.
Coveleski joined the Tigers for the 1914 season, and pitched over 300 innings, completed
23 of his 36 games, and won
22 games, second in the American League
only to Walter Johnson
. In four of his five seasons with the Tigers, Coveleski's ERA
was under three, and his 2.34 ERA with the Tigers is still the franchise's all-time career record.
Baseball Hall of Famer Stan Coveleski
is the younger brother of Harry Coveleski.
In a 1976 Esquire
magazine article, sportswriter Harry Stein published an "All Time All-Star Argument Starter," consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. Harry Coveleski was the left-handed pitcher on Stein's Polish
team.
In the 2008-2009 comic I Kill Giants
, the protagonist calls her warhammer "Coveleski," later explaining it is named after Harry Coveleski.
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...
with the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, and 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...
. Born in Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, at the western edge of the Anthracite Coal Region. At the 2000 census the population was 8,009 residents...
, he began his career with the Phillies in 1907. Over a span of five days at the end of the 1908 season, Coveleski beat the 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....
three times, which enabled the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
to catch the first-place Giants in the NL standings and force a replay of the "Merkle Game". Thereafter, Coveleski was called "The Giant Killer". Traded to the Reds after the 1909 season, Coveleski had a disappointing 1910 season, including a game in which he walked sixteen batters, and was out of the Major Leagues for three seasons.
That year A. H. "Rick" Woodward, owner of the Southern Association
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
's Birmingham Barons
Birmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons are a minor league baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox major-league club....
, bought Coveleski's contract from the Reds for $1,000, putting him on the team that be showcased in his brand-new steel-and-concrete Rickwood Field
Rickwood Field
Rickwood FieldFacility StatisticsLocation1137 2nd Avenue WestBirmingham, AlabamaBroke GroundSpring 1910Cost$75,000OpenedAugust 18, 1910SurfaceGrassOwnerCity of BirminghamTenantsBirmingham Barons 1910-1961...
stadium. Coveleski got the start on the park's August 18, opening day, earning a no-decision in a 3-2 victory against the Montgomey Climbers
Birmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons are a minor league baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox major-league club....
in front of 10,000 fans. He ended up pitching two no-hitters for the Barons (though he lost one in extra innings), and won 21 games, including eleven straight decisions, to end the season with a 1.55 ERA. His final appearance for Birmingham was a 1-0 shutout against the league-champion New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans were a Minor league professional baseball team based in New Orleans, Louisiana.-Team history:Founded in 1887, the Pelicans became part of the Southern Association in 1901...
in which he held their star slugger Shoeless Joe Jackson
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Joseph Jefferson Jackson , nicknamed "Shoeless Joe", was an American baseball player who played Major League Baseball in the early part of the 20th century...
hitless in four appearances.
Following an arm injury, Woodward traded Coveleski to the Chattanooga Lookouts
Chattanooga Lookouts
The Chattanooga Lookouts are a minor league baseball team based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. They are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team, which plays in the Southern League, has been a Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club since the 2009 season. The Lookouts...
, where he struggled for two seasons, going 25-37, before regaining his composure. In their campaign he led the Southern Association with 28 wins and attracted the notice of the Detroit Tigers' scouts.
Coveleski joined the Tigers for the 1914 season, and pitched over 300 innings, completed
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
23 of his 36 games, and won
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
22 games, second in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
only to Walter Johnson
Walter Johnson
Walter Perry Johnson , nicknamed "Barney" and "The Big Train", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Washington Senators...
. In four of his five seasons with the Tigers, Coveleski's ERA
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...
was under three, and his 2.34 ERA with the Tigers is still the franchise's all-time career record.
Stan Coveleski
Stanley Anthony Coveleski was a Major League Baseball player during the 1910s and 1920s. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969....
is the younger brother of Harry Coveleski.
In a 1976 Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
magazine article, sportswriter Harry Stein published an "All Time All-Star Argument Starter," consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. Harry Coveleski was the left-handed pitcher on Stein's Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
team.
In the 2008-2009 comic I Kill Giants
I Kill Giants
I Kill Giants is an American comic book limited series published by Image Comics beginning in 2008. The comic was created by writer Joe Kelly and artist J. M...
, the protagonist calls her warhammer "Coveleski," later explaining it is named after Harry Coveleski.
See also
- Best pitching seasons by a Detroit Tiger
- 1915 Detroit Tigers season1915 Detroit Tigers seasonThe Detroit Tigers won a club-record 100 games and narrowly lost the American League pennant to the Boston Red Sox who won 101 games. Though four other Tigers teams have won 100 games , only the 1934 Tigers had a better winning percentage...