Jimmy Lavender
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Lavender was a Major League Baseball
pitcher
. Born in Barnesville, Georgia
, the right-hander played with the Chicago Cubs
from 1912–1916 and with the Philadelphia Phillies
in 1917.
Lavender primarily threw the spitball
in his career and used it to win 16 games as a 28 year old rookie in 1912. He would not equal that success again, winning only 10 or 11 games in each of his last four seasons in Chicago.
On July 8, 1912, he started against the New York Giants
having pitched 34 consecutive scoreless innings in his previous outings. He pitched a 5-hitter in defeating the Giants 7-2 and ended Rube Marquard's
consecutive win streak at 19 games which, at the time, tied the record for the longest streak in baseball history.
Lavender threw a no hitter on August 31, 1915 against the New York Giants and also threw a one-hitter against them on June 14, 1916, allowing only an infield single to Benny Kauff
.
Lavender was an inconsistent pitcher with the Cubs, never completing more than half his starts in any season. He was also typically among the National League
leaders in allowing the most wild pitch
es, hit batsmen
and home run
s.
He was traded to the Phillies in 1917 and pitched one season for them with a 6-8 record before his career ended. His final career record was 63-76 with a 3.09 ERA
in 1,207 innings pitched. Lavender may have been most valuable to his teams for his ability to be both a starter and reliever. His ability to fill both roles was important to the small pitching staffs of the dead-ball era
.
After his playing career ended, Lavender returned to Georgia and worked in a textile mill in Montezuma
. He died in Cartersville, Georgia
at the age of 75.
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...
. Born in Barnesville, Georgia
Barnesville, Georgia
Barnesville is a city in Lamar County, Georgia, United States. The city is a part of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 6,755. The city is the county seat of Lamar County....
, the right-hander played with 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...
from 1912–1916 and 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...
in 1917.
Lavender primarily threw the spitball
Spitball
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....
in his career and used it to win 16 games as a 28 year old rookie in 1912. He would not equal that success again, winning only 10 or 11 games in each of his last four seasons in Chicago.
On July 8, 1912, he started against 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....
having pitched 34 consecutive scoreless innings in his previous outings. He pitched a 5-hitter in defeating the Giants 7-2 and ended Rube Marquard's
Rube Marquard
Richard William "Rube" Marquard was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball in the 1910s and early 1920s...
consecutive win streak at 19 games which, at the time, tied the record for the longest streak in baseball history.
Lavender threw a no hitter on August 31, 1915 against the New York Giants and also threw a one-hitter against them on June 14, 1916, allowing only an infield single to Benny Kauff
Benny Kauff
Benjamin Michael Kauff was a professional baseball player, who played centerfield and batted and threw left-handed. Kauff was known as the “Ty Cobb of the Feds.” He is the only player to be permanently banned from baseball for reasons other than gambling...
.
Lavender was an inconsistent pitcher with the Cubs, never completing more than half his starts in any season. He was also typically among 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...
leaders in allowing the most wild pitch
Wild pitch
In baseball, a wild pitch is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, perhaps even the batter-runner on strike three or ball four, to advance.A wild pitch usually...
es, hit batsmen
Hit by pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...
and home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s.
He was traded to the Phillies in 1917 and pitched one season for them with a 6-8 record before his career ended. His final career record was 63-76 with a 3.09 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...
in 1,207 innings pitched. Lavender may have been most valuable to his teams for his ability to be both a starter and reliever. His ability to fill both roles was important to the small pitching staffs of the dead-ball era
Dead-ball era
The dead-ball era is a baseball term used to describe the period between 1900 and the emergence of Babe Ruth as a power hitter in 1919. In 1919, Ruth hit a then league record 29 home runs, a spectacular feat at that time.This era was characterized by low-scoring games and a lack of home runs...
.
After his playing career ended, Lavender returned to Georgia and worked in a textile mill in Montezuma
Montezuma, Georgia
Montezuma is a city in Macon County, Georgia . The population was 3,999 at the 2000 census. It is home to the armory of Bravo Company, 648th Engineers of the Georgia Army National Guard.-History:...
. He died in Cartersville, Georgia
Cartersville, Georgia
Cartersville is a town in Bartow County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 19,7314. The city is the county seat of Bartow County.-Geography:Cartersville was named for Colonel Farish Carter....
at the age of 75.