Ray Caldwell
Encyclopedia
Raymond Benjamin Caldwell, (April 26, 1888 – August 17, 1967), was an American
major league
pitcher
from 1910 to 1921. He was known for throwing the spitball
, and he was one of the 17 pitchers allowed to continue throwing the pitch after it was outlawed in 1920.
Caldwell was notorious during his playing career for his addiction to alcohol and partying, he possessed a self-destructive streak that many of his contemporaries believed stopped him from reaching his potential. In 1924, Miller Huggins
wrote: 'Caldwell was one of the best pitchers that ever lived, but he was one of those characters that keep a manager in a constant worry. If he had possessed a sense of responsibility and balance, Ray Caldwell would have gone down in history as one of the greatest of all pitchers.' Yet, despite his achievements on the field and his antics off it, Caldwell is perhaps best remembered for being struck by lightning
whilst playing for the Cleveland Indians
against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1919; remarkably, despite being knocked unconscious, he refused to leave the game, having pitched 8.2 innings, and went on to record the final out for the win.
in the same county.
in 1910 and recorded 18 wins before being signed by the New York Highlanders in September of that year. In his rookie season he went 14-14 with an ERA
of 3.35, he also recorded a batting average
of .272 (during the course of the season he played 11 games in the outfield, and also made numerous appearances as a pinch hitter
).
Persistent problems with his throwing arm meant that Caldwell pitched 8-16, with an ERA of 4.47 in 1912. He regained his form the following year with a record of 9-8 and a 2.41 ERA for a newly renamed Yankees club that finished 37 games below .500. The 1914 season was the greatest of his career, going 17-9 with a 1.94 ERA for another Yankees team that finished well below .500. During the course of the season he had numerous run-ins with manager Frank Chance
, resulting in him being fined on several occasions for drunkenness and general poor conduct. Towards the end of the season, Caldwell asked team owner Frank Farrell
to rescind his fines - which by that point accounted for a substantial proportion of his annual wages. Farrell, fearing that Caldwell would follow former teammates Russ Ford
and Hal Chase
in accepting an offer to pitch for the Buffalo Buffeds of the Federal League
, agreed to let Caldwell off. As a consequence of this, Frank Chance, feeling that his authority had been irrevocably undermined, handed in his resignation as manager of the Yankees.
In 1915, Caldwell once again posted a winning record - 19-16, with an ERA of 2.89 - for a Yankees team that finished 14 games below .500. He also contributed four home run
s during the course of the season, enough to finish ninth in the American League
in that category, despite having more than 200 fewer at bat
s than anyone else inside the top 10.
The Yankees were a winning team in 1916, but Caldwell had major struggles, both on and off the field. His difficulties on the mound were not helped by his continuing to pitch with a broken patella. By the end of July his record was 5-12, and he had recorded an ERA of 2.99. It was at this point that Caldwell, whose alcoholism
had become increasingly pronounced during the course of the season, went AWOL. Bill Donovan, the Yankees manager—who prior to this had always turned a blind eye to Caldwell's personal problems—issued a fine and suspended him for two weeks. However, Caldwell failed to return to the club after this period had elapsed and he was suspended for the rest of the season.
Caldwell did not return to the Yankees until the following March, more than a week into spring training
. Caldwell's whereabouts during the intervening seven months, although much speculated on, were never revealed. Donovan and the Yankees owner, Til Huston, both of whom had strongly criticized Caldwell during his absence, decided to give him another chance, largely influenced by his apparent good condition. However, once again, his performances on the field were overshadowed somewhat by his actions off it. He finished the year 13-16 with a 2.86 ERA for yet another Yankees team that finished well short of .500. During the course of the season he again served a team-imposed suspension for getting drunk and failing to report for duty. He was charged with grand larceny
half-way through the season for allegedly stealing a ring, and was also taken to court by his wife, who sued for alimony
after he abandoned her and their son.
In 1918, Caldwell once again failed to complete a season with the Yankees. Injuries hampered him on the mound, but he still managed to compile a batting average of .291 during 151 at-bats. Prior to leaving the club, Caldwell went 9-8 with an ERA of 3.06. Caldwell left the Yankees in mid-August to join a shipbuilding
firm in order to avoid military service after being picked in the draft
. Joining a shipbuilding company was attractive to Caldwell, as it was for others, because it offered him the chance of playing baseball for the company rather than actually working on the assembly line. Despite this, the Yankees had not given Caldwell permission to leave the club mid-season and it was decided that he should be traded. In the winter of that year Caldwell was traded to the Boston Red Sox
in a deal that also saw Duffy Lewis
and Ernie Shore
go the other way.
Caldwell was released by the Red Sox in July 1919 after a poor start to the season, in which he compiled an ERA of 3.94 (his record, however, was 7-4). Caldwell finished the season with the Indians, whose manager, Tris Speaker
, managed to get the best out of him: in six starts Caldwell went 5-1 with a 1.71 ERA. His five wins including the aforementioned game in which he was struck by lightning, and a no-hitter
against his former longtime teammates, the New York Yankees, on September 10.
In his first full season with the Indians, in 1920, Caldwell went 20-10, with a 3.86 ERA. The Indians went on to win the World Series
that year, although Caldwell's contribution to that success proved to be negligible. He started Game 3, but only recorded one out, having given up two hits
, a walk
, and an earned run
, before being lifted by Tris Speaker (the Indians did not come back from this, and Caldwell was charged with the loss).
Caldwell's final season in the majors was in 1921, during which he primarily worked from the bullpen
. His record was 6-6, with an ERA of 4.90. After leaving the Indians, Caldwell went on to spend many years playing for various clubs in the minor leagues
, including the Kansas City Blues
, with some degree of success, yet his long-established reputation dissuaded any major league outfit from giving him another chance.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
major league
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 1910 to 1921. He was known for throwing 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....
, and he was one of the 17 pitchers allowed to continue throwing the pitch after it was outlawed in 1920.
Caldwell was notorious during his playing career for his addiction to alcohol and partying, he possessed a self-destructive streak that many of his contemporaries believed stopped him from reaching his potential. In 1924, Miller Huggins
Miller Huggins
Miller James Huggins , nicknamed "Mighty Mite", was a baseball player and manager. He managed the powerhouse New York Yankee teams of the 1920s and won six American League pennants and three World Series championships....
wrote: 'Caldwell was one of the best pitchers that ever lived, but he was one of those characters that keep a manager in a constant worry. If he had possessed a sense of responsibility and balance, Ray Caldwell would have gone down in history as one of the greatest of all pitchers.' Yet, despite his achievements on the field and his antics off it, Caldwell is perhaps best remembered for being struck by lightning
Lightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
whilst playing for the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1919; remarkably, despite being knocked unconscious, he refused to leave the game, having pitched 8.2 innings, and went on to record the final out for the win.
Early life
Caldwell was born in the (now mostly abandoned) town of Corydon, Pennsylvania, located just south of the New York state line near Cattaraugus County, and later moved to the city of SalamancaSalamanca (city), New York
Salamanca is a city in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States, located inside the Allegany Indian Reservation. The population was 6,097 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
in the same county.
Playing career
He began his professional career with the McKeesport Tubers of the Ohio-Pennsylvania LeagueOhio-Pennsylvania League
The Ohio-Pennsylvania League was among scores of minor league baseball organizations that popped up throughout the country in the early 20th century...
in 1910 and recorded 18 wins before being signed by the New York Highlanders in September of that year. In his rookie season he went 14-14 with an 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...
of 3.35, he also recorded a batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .272 (during the course of the season he played 11 games in the outfield, and also made numerous appearances as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
).
Persistent problems with his throwing arm meant that Caldwell pitched 8-16, with an ERA of 4.47 in 1912. He regained his form the following year with a record of 9-8 and a 2.41 ERA for a newly renamed Yankees club that finished 37 games below .500. The 1914 season was the greatest of his career, going 17-9 with a 1.94 ERA for another Yankees team that finished well below .500. During the course of the season he had numerous run-ins with manager Frank Chance
Frank Chance
Frank Leroy Chance was a Major League Baseball player at the turn of the 20th century. Performing the roles of first baseman and manager, Chance led the Chicago Cubs to four National League championships in the span of five years and earned the nickname "The Peerless Leader".Chance was elected to...
, resulting in him being fined on several occasions for drunkenness and general poor conduct. Towards the end of the season, Caldwell asked team owner Frank Farrell
Frank J. Farrell
Frank J. Farrell with William S. Devery were the first owners of the New York Highlanders . They purchased the Baltimore Orioles on January 9, 1903 for $18,000 and moved it to New York City....
to rescind his fines - which by that point accounted for a substantial proportion of his annual wages. Farrell, fearing that Caldwell would follow former teammates Russ Ford
Russ Ford
Russell William Ford was a Major League Baseball pitcher during the dead-ball era of the early 1900s.- Emery Ball :...
and Hal Chase
Hal Chase
Harold Homer Chase , nicknamed "Prince Hal", was a first baseman in Major League Baseball, widely viewed as the best fielder at his position...
in accepting an offer to pitch for the Buffalo Buffeds of the Federal League
Federal League
The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, known simply as the Federal League, was an American professional baseball league that operated as a "third major league", in competition with the established National and American Leagues, from to...
, agreed to let Caldwell off. As a consequence of this, Frank Chance, feeling that his authority had been irrevocably undermined, handed in his resignation as manager of the Yankees.
In 1915, Caldwell once again posted a winning record - 19-16, with an ERA of 2.89 - for a Yankees team that finished 14 games below .500. He also contributed four 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 during the course of the season, enough to finish ninth 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...
in that category, despite having more than 200 fewer at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s than anyone else inside the top 10.
The Yankees were a winning team in 1916, but Caldwell had major struggles, both on and off the field. His difficulties on the mound were not helped by his continuing to pitch with a broken patella. By the end of July his record was 5-12, and he had recorded an ERA of 2.99. It was at this point that Caldwell, whose alcoholism
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...
had become increasingly pronounced during the course of the season, went AWOL. Bill Donovan, the Yankees manager—who prior to this had always turned a blind eye to Caldwell's personal problems—issued a fine and suspended him for two weeks. However, Caldwell failed to return to the club after this period had elapsed and he was suspended for the rest of the season.
Caldwell did not return to the Yankees until the following March, more than a week into spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
. Caldwell's whereabouts during the intervening seven months, although much speculated on, were never revealed. Donovan and the Yankees owner, Til Huston, both of whom had strongly criticized Caldwell during his absence, decided to give him another chance, largely influenced by his apparent good condition. However, once again, his performances on the field were overshadowed somewhat by his actions off it. He finished the year 13-16 with a 2.86 ERA for yet another Yankees team that finished well short of .500. During the course of the season he again served a team-imposed suspension for getting drunk and failing to report for duty. He was charged with grand larceny
Grand Larceny
Grand Larceny is a 1987 thriller film directed by Jeannot Szwarc and starring Marilu Henner, Ian McShane, Omar Sharif and Louis Jourdan.-Plot summary:...
half-way through the season for allegedly stealing a ring, and was also taken to court by his wife, who sued for alimony
Alimony
Alimony is a U.S. term denoting a legal obligation to provide financial support to one's spouse from the other spouse after marital separation or from the ex-spouse upon divorce...
after he abandoned her and their son.
In 1918, Caldwell once again failed to complete a season with the Yankees. Injuries hampered him on the mound, but he still managed to compile a batting average of .291 during 151 at-bats. Prior to leaving the club, Caldwell went 9-8 with an ERA of 3.06. Caldwell left the Yankees in mid-August to join a shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
firm in order to avoid military service after being picked in the draft
Conscription in the United States
Conscription in the United States has been employed several times, usually during war but also during the nominal peace of the Cold War...
. Joining a shipbuilding company was attractive to Caldwell, as it was for others, because it offered him the chance of playing baseball for the company rather than actually working on the assembly line. Despite this, the Yankees had not given Caldwell permission to leave the club mid-season and it was decided that he should be traded. In the winter of that year Caldwell was traded to the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
in a deal that also saw Duffy Lewis
Duffy Lewis
George Edward "Duffy" Lewis , born in San Francisco, California, was a left fielder and left-handed batter who played Major League Baseball for the Boston Red Sox , New York Yankees and Washington Senators...
and Ernie Shore
Ernie Shore
Ernest Grady Shore was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Boston Red Sox during some of their best years in the 1910s....
go the other way.
Caldwell was released by the Red Sox in July 1919 after a poor start to the season, in which he compiled an ERA of 3.94 (his record, however, was 7-4). Caldwell finished the season with the Indians, whose manager, Tris Speaker
Tris Speaker
Tristram E. Speaker , nicknamed "Spoke" and "The Grey Eagle", was an American baseball player. Considered one of the best offensive and defensive center fielders in the history of Major League Baseball, he compiled a career batting average of .345 , and still holds the record of 792 career doubles...
, managed to get the best out of him: in six starts Caldwell went 5-1 with a 1.71 ERA. His five wins including the aforementioned game in which he was struck by lightning, and 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"...
against his former longtime teammates, the New York Yankees, on September 10.
In his first full season with the Indians, in 1920, Caldwell went 20-10, with a 3.86 ERA. The Indians went on to win the 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...
that year, although Caldwell's contribution to that success proved to be negligible. He started Game 3, but only recorded one out, having given up two hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, a walk
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
, and an earned run
Earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run...
, before being lifted by Tris Speaker (the Indians did not come back from this, and Caldwell was charged with the loss).
Caldwell's final season in the majors was in 1921, during which he primarily worked from the bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
. His record was 6-6, with an ERA of 4.90. After leaving the Indians, Caldwell went on to spend many years playing for various clubs in the minor leagues
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
, including the Kansas City Blues
Kansas City Blues (American Association)
The Kansas City Blues are a former minor league baseball team located in Kansas City, Missouri, in the Midwestern United States. The team was one of the eight founding members of the American Association....
, with some degree of success, yet his long-established reputation dissuaded any major league outfit from giving him another chance.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball no-hitters