Mort Cooper
Encyclopedia
Morton Cecil Cooper was an American
right-handed pitcher
in Major League Baseball
who played primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals
. As the team's top pitcher during its National League
pennant years of 1942-44, he won over 20 games in each of the three years and received the Most Valuable Player
award after posting a 22-7 record with 10 shutouts and a 1.78 earned run average
, the lowest by any NL right-hander between 1920 and 1967. His brother Walker
was an NL catcher
and his teammate for several seasons.
Cooper was born in Atherton
, Missouri
, and after debuting with the Cardinals in , had a 12-6 record as a 1939 rookie. He was 24-21 over the next two seasons before hitting his stride, helping the team to World Series
titles in both 1942
and 1944
. In 1945, both Cooper brothers staged contract holdouts, and Mort was traded that May to the Boston Braves
after only three starts; bothered by longtime elbow problems, he ended the year only 9-4. After a 13-11 season in 1946, he began 1947 at 2-5 and was traded to the New York Giants
in June. He was 1-5 for the Giants over the rest of the season, and was released in July 1948 after not pitching all year due to arm trouble. He ended his career with a single relief appearance for the Chicago Cubs
in which he failed to record an out. He retired with a record of 128-75, a 2.97 ERA, 913 strikeout
s, and 33 shutouts in 1840 2/3 innings
. He was selected to the NL All-Star
team four times (1942, 1943, 1945, 1946).
Mort Cooper died of a lung condition at age 45 in Little Rock, Arkansas
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
right-handed 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...
in Major League Baseball
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...
who played primarily for the 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...
. As the team's top pitcher during its 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...
pennant years of 1942-44, he won over 20 games in each of the three years and received the Most Valuable Player
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
award after posting a 22-7 record with 10 shutouts and a 1.78 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...
, the lowest by any NL right-hander between 1920 and 1967. His brother Walker
Walker Cooper
William Walker Cooper was an American professional baseball player. He was a catcher in Major League Baseball who played for six National League teams from 1940 to 1957...
was an NL catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
and his teammate for several seasons.
Cooper was born in Atherton
Jackson County, Missouri
Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. With a population of 674,158 in the 2010 census, Jackson County is the second most populous of Missouri's counties, after St. Louis County. Kansas City, the state's most populous city and focus city of the Kansas City Metropolitan...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, and after debuting with the Cardinals in , had a 12-6 record as a 1939 rookie. He was 24-21 over the next two seasons before hitting his stride, helping the team to World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
titles in both 1942
1942 World Series
The 1942 World Series featured the defending champion New York Yankees against the St. Louis Cardinals, with the Cardinals winning the Series in five games for their first championship since and their fourth overall....
and 1944
1944 World Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 4, 1944 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis, MissouriGeorge McQuinn hit the Brown's only home run of the series to put his team ahead in the fourth inning, while Denny Galehouse outpitched World Series veteran Mort Cooper to hold on for the win.-Game 2:Thursday, October 5,...
. In 1945, both Cooper brothers staged contract holdouts, and Mort was traded that May to the Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
after only three starts; bothered by longtime elbow problems, he ended the year only 9-4. After a 13-11 season in 1946, he began 1947 at 2-5 and was traded to 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....
in June. He was 1-5 for the Giants over the rest of the season, and was released in July 1948 after not pitching all year due to arm trouble. He ended his career with a single relief appearance for 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...
in which he failed to record an out. He retired with a record of 128-75, a 2.97 ERA, 913 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, and 33 shutouts in 1840 2/3 innings
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
. He was selected to the NL All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
team four times (1942, 1943, 1945, 1946).
Mort Cooper died of a lung condition at age 45 in Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball ERA champions
- List of Major League Baseball wins champions