Pud Galvin
Encyclopedia
James Francis Galvin nicknamed "Pud", "Gentle Jeems", and "The Little Steam Engine", was an American
National Association
and Major League Baseball
pitcher
. He was Major League Baseball
's first 300-game winner
. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1965.
Galvin's nickname, "Pud," supposedly originated because he made the hitters "look like Pudding." Galvin was also nicknamed "The Little Steam Engine," a tribute to his durability.
A native of St. Louis, Missouri
, Galvin played in an era where 2-man pitching rotations were common - hence his 6,003 innings pitched
and 646 complete games, both of which are second only to the career totals of Cy Young
. Incredibly, he pitched over 70 complete games in both and and 65 in . Galvin is the only player in baseball history to win 20 or more games in 10 different years without winning a pennant, finishing his career with a total of 365 wins and 310 losses.
in , the franchise's inaugural season. He spent the next 6½ seasons with Buffalo in the International Association and later of the National League
before being traded to the Pittsburg Alleghenys
midseason in . He pitched for the Allegheny ballclub from to , jumped to the Pittsburgh Burghers
before the 1890 season, then returned to the Alleghenys (now named the "Pirates") after only one season. On June 14, 1892 Galvin was traded to the St. Louis Browns
. He retired after the season, though he apparently made a brief return to Buffalo (by this time a minor league franchise) in 1894.
and, as a Roman Catholic, is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
. His election to the Baseball Hall of Fame in was by the Veterans Committee
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
National Association
National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players , or simply the National Association , was founded in 1871 and continued through the 1875 season...
and 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...
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...
. He was 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...
's first 300-game winner
300 win club
In Major League Baseball, the 300 win club refers to the group of pitchers—24 as of 2011—who have won 300 or more games. While the "300 club" is an informal group, becoming a member is among the highest accomplishments a starting pitcher can achieve. Several members retired soon after winning their...
. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1965.
Galvin's nickname, "Pud," supposedly originated because he made the hitters "look like Pudding." Galvin was also nicknamed "The Little Steam Engine," a tribute to his durability.
A native of St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Galvin played in an era where 2-man pitching rotations were common - hence his 6,003 innings pitched
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...
and 646 complete games, both of which are second only to the career totals of Cy Young
Cy Young
Denton True "Cy" Young was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. During his 22-year baseball career , he pitched for five different teams. Young was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937...
. Incredibly, he pitched over 70 complete games in both and and 65 in . Galvin is the only player in baseball history to win 20 or more games in 10 different years without winning a pennant, finishing his career with a total of 365 wins and 310 losses.
Professional career
Galvin debuted for St. Louis of the National AssociationNational Association of Professional Base Ball Players
The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players , or simply the National Association , was founded in 1871 and continued through the 1875 season...
in , the franchise's inaugural season. He spent the next 6½ seasons with Buffalo in the International Association and later of 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...
before being traded to the Pittsburg Alleghenys
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
midseason in . He pitched for the Allegheny ballclub from to , jumped to the Pittsburgh Burghers
Pittsburgh Burghers
The Pittsburgh Burghers were a baseball team in the Players' League, a short-lived Major League that existed only for the 1890 season. The team included a number of players who had jumped from the National League's Pittsburgh Alleghenys , including Hall of Famers Pud Galvin, Ned Hanlon, and Jake...
before the 1890 season, then returned to the Alleghenys (now named the "Pirates") after only one season. On June 14, 1892 Galvin was traded to the St. Louis Browns
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...
. He retired after the season, though he apparently made a brief return to Buffalo (by this time a minor league franchise) in 1894.
Post-retirement
Pud Galvin died poor at age 45 on March 7, 1902 in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
and, as a Roman Catholic, is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Calvary Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Calvary Catholic Cemetery is located at 718 Hazelwood Avenue in the Greenfield and Hazelwood neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.It was founded in 1886 with the purchase of a 200-acre tract. The first official interment occurred in 1888, though there are graves with earlier dates. As of...
. His election to the Baseball Hall of Fame in was by the Veterans Committee
Veterans Committee
The Veterans Committee is the popular name of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Committee to Consider Managers, Umpires, Executives and Long-Retired Players, a committee of the U.S...
.
Trivia
- On August 20, 1880, Galvin became the first major-league pitcher to throw a no-hitterNo-hitterA 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"...
on the road, leading his Buffalo BisonsBuffalo Bisons (1879-1885)The original Buffalo Bisons baseball club played in the National League between 1879 and 1885. The Bisons played their games at Riverside Park and Olympic Park in Buffalo, New York.-Year-by-year records:-Players of note:*Dan Brouthers...
to a 1-0 victory over the Worcester Ruby LegsWorcester WorcestersThe Worcester Worcesters were a 19th century Major League Baseball team from to in the National League. The team is referred to, at times, as the Brown Stockings or the Ruby Legs; however, no contemporary sources from the time exist that support the use of either name...
.
- Galvin was the first baseball player to be widely known for using performance-enhancing drugs. In 1889, over 100 years before the current steroid controversySteroids in baseballThe question of banned substances in baseball has been an ongoing issue for Major League Baseball.Several players have come forward in recent years to suggest that drug use is rampant in baseball. David Wells stated that "25 to 40 percent of all Major Leaguers are juiced"...
in Major League Baseball, Galvin openly used the Brown-SéquardCharles-Édouard Brown-SéquardCharles-Édouard Brown-Séquard FRS , also known as Charles Edward, was a Mauritian physiologist and neurologist who, in 1850, became the first to describe what is now called Brown-Séquard syndrome.-Early life:...
elixirElixirAn elixir is a clear, sweet-flavored liquid used for medicinal purposes, to be taken orally and intended to cure one's ills. When used as a pharmaceutical preparation, an elixir contains at least one active ingredient designed to be taken orally....
, which contained monkeyMonkeyA monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
testosteroneTestosteroneTestosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group and is found in mammals, reptiles, birds, and other vertebrates. In mammals, testosterone is primarily secreted in the testes of males and the ovaries of females, although small amounts are also secreted by the adrenal glands...
.
- Galvin still holds the record for most games started in a single season by a pitcher, 75 (tied with Will WhiteWill WhiteWilliam Henry "Whoop-La" White was an American Major League Baseball pitcher.White made his debut on July 20, 1877 with the Boston Red Caps at the age of 23...
).
See also
- 300 win club300 win clubIn Major League Baseball, the 300 win club refers to the group of pitchers—24 as of 2011—who have won 300 or more games. While the "300 club" is an informal group, becoming a member is among the highest accomplishments a starting pitcher can achieve. Several members retired soon after winning their...
- Top 100 winning pitchers of all timeTop 100 winning pitchers of all timeThis is a list of the top 500 Major League Baseball winningest pitchers. In the sport of baseball, a win is a statistic credited to the pitcher for the winning team who was in the game when his team last took the lead...
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- Top 100 strikeout pitchers of all timeTop 100 strikeout pitchers of all timeIn baseball, a strikeout occurs when the batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. Strikeouts are associated with dominance on the part of the pitcher and failure on the part of the batter....
- List of Major League Baseball no-hitters