Ray Prim
Encyclopedia
Raymond Lee "Ray" Prim nicknamed "Pop," was an American
pitcher
who played Major League Baseball
during the 1930s and 1940s. During his professional career, he also pitched for the Los Angeles Angels
of the AAA-Class Pacific Coast League
(PCL). In , the PCL Hall of Fame elected Prim as a member.
Between and , he appeared in at least one Major League game in six of those years. He played for the Washington Senators
, for the Philadelphia Phillies
, and for the Chicago Cubs
while at the Major League level. While with the Cubs, Prim won the National League
ERA
title. Prim started
one game in the 1945 World Series
, appeared in another, and lost his only decision.
In 116 Major League games, he won
22 games and lost 21 games and recorded 161 strikeout
s. As a minor league player, Prim won 150 games and posted a career ERA of 3.00 in over 2,000 games.
, to Scots-Irish
parents. As a youth, he burned
his right hand. As result, though naturally right-handed, threw with his left-hand
, though he batted
from the right side of the home plate.
He was educated in Jackson, Alabama
, and attended college at Alabama Polytechnic Institute, where he lettered in baseball
and football
.
. He did not play professional baseball again until .
In , Prim played with the Greensboro Patriots and the Durham Bulls
of the C-Class Piedmont League
. He won a combined 33 games that year and lost just 14.
Prim began the season with the Albany Senators
of the International League
where he went 14-10 with a 3.42 ERA. Shortly thereafter, the Chicago Cubs and Boston Braves entered into a dispute over his rights. Kenesaw Mountain Landis
, the Commissioner of Baseball
, ruled that Albany had the right to sell them to the franchise of their choice. Although the dispute started with the Braves and the Cubs, it was the Washington Senators who won his rights.
and Jimmie Foxx
to start his major league career. He promptly struck out the two future Baseball Hall of Fame members. After two games, Prim underwent surgery on his foot and missed the rest of the year. Over the next few years, Prim spent time with Albany, the Philadelphia Phillies
and the Minneapolis Millers
. In , the Millers sold Prim to the Los Angeles Angels of the PCL. Prim pitched just one inning for the Millers.
Prim spent the next six years with the Angels. In 1936, he won 16 games and lost just nine. Because he was 30-years-old at the time, Prim received the nickname 'Pop' from his teammates.
By , the United States was deeply involved in World War II
and many major league players were drafted
in the United States Army
. As a result, Prim had the opportunity to play at the major league level for a second time.
After 1943, he returned to the Angels for the season. A year later, he returned to the Cubs. Prim helped the Cubs to make the 1945 World Series with a 13-8 record, an ERA of 2.40 and two shutout
s. His earned run average was the lowest in the National League that year. During the World Series
versus the Detroit Tigers
, Prim pitched in two games. He lost his only decision. Prim pitched for the Cubs in 1946, it was his last season in the majors.
Prim's last year in professional baseball was . At the age of 41, he helped the Angels win another. Because of his outstanding performance while with the Angels, Prim joined the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame in .
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
who played 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...
during the 1930s and 1940s. During his professional career, he also pitched for the Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels (PCL)
The Los Angeles Angels were a team based in Los Angeles, California that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 through 1957, after which they transferred to Spokane, Washington to become the Spokane Indians. Los Angeles would later become the host city to a Major League Baseball team, the...
of the AAA-Class Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
(PCL). In , the PCL Hall of Fame elected Prim as a member.
Between and , he appeared in at least one Major League game in six of those years. He played for the Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
, for 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...
, and 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...
while at the Major League level. While with the Cubs, Prim won 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...
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...
title. Prim started
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
one game in the 1945 World Series
1945 World Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 3, 1945 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan-Game 2:Thursday, October 4, 1945 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan-Game 3:Friday, October 5, 1945 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan...
, appeared in another, and lost his only decision.
In 116 Major League games, he 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 and lost 21 games and recorded 161 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. As a minor league player, Prim won 150 games and posted a career ERA of 3.00 in over 2,000 games.
Early life
Prim was born in Salitpa, AlabamaSalitpa, Alabama
Salitpa is a small town in Alabama. It was the home of Raymond Pop Prim, a minor league baseball star in the Pacific Coast League with the Los Angeles Angels from 1936 to 1942, again in 1944 and in 1947....
, to Scots-Irish
Scots-Irish American
Scotch-Irish Americans are an estimated 250,000 Presbyterian and other Protestant dissenters from the Irish province of Ulster who immigrated to North America primarily during the colonial era and their descendants. Some scholars also include the 150,000 Ulster Protestants who immigrated to...
parents. As a youth, he burned
Burn (injury)
A burn is a type of injury to flesh caused by heat, electricity, chemicals, light, radiation or friction. Most burns affect only the skin . Rarely, deeper tissues, such as muscle, bone, and blood vessels can also be injured...
his right hand. As result, though naturally right-handed, threw with his left-hand
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
, though he batted
Batting (baseball)
In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for one's team. A batter or hitter is a person whose turn it is to face the pitcher...
from the right side of the home plate.
He was educated in Jackson, Alabama
Jackson, Alabama
Jackson is a city in Clarke County, Alabama, United States. The population was 5,228 at the 2010 census. It is one of three wet settlements in an otherwise-dry county.-Geography:Jackson is located at coordinates . According to the U.S...
, and attended college at Alabama Polytechnic Institute, where he lettered in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
.
Early years
In , Prim made his professional baseball debut. That year, he pitched with Alexandria of the Cotton States League; however, Alexandria cut Prim later that seasonSeason (sports)
In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...
. He did not play professional baseball again until .
In , Prim played with the Greensboro Patriots and the Durham Bulls
Durham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the International League. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are...
of the C-Class Piedmont League
Piedmont League
The Piedmont League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1920 through 1955. The league operated principally in the Piedmont plateau region in the eastern United States.- Former :...
. He won a combined 33 games that year and lost just 14.
Prim began the season with the Albany Senators
Albany Senators (minor league baseball)
The Albany Senators was the name of an American minor league baseball franchise representing Albany, New York, that existed between 1885 and 1959...
of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
where he went 14-10 with a 3.42 ERA. Shortly thereafter, the Chicago Cubs and Boston Braves entered into a dispute over his rights. Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Kenesaw Mountain Landis was an American jurist who served as a federal judge from 1905 to 1922 and as the first Commissioner of Baseball from 1920 until his death...
, the Commissioner of Baseball
Commissioner of Baseball
The Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive of Major League Baseball and its associated minor leagues. Under the direction of the Commissioner, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball hires and maintains the sport's umpiring crews, and negotiates marketing, labor, and television contracts...
, ruled that Albany had the right to sell them to the franchise of their choice. Although the dispute started with the Braves and the Cubs, it was the Washington Senators who won his rights.
The majors and the PCL
Prim made his major league debut on September 24, 1933 against the Philadelphia Athletics. Prim faced Mickey CochraneMickey Cochrane
Gordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane was a professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers...
and Jimmie Foxx
Jimmie Foxx
James Emory "Jimmie" Foxx , nicknamed "Double X" and "The Beast", was a right-handed American Major League Baseball first baseman and noted power hitter....
to start his major league career. He promptly struck out the two future Baseball Hall of Fame members. After two games, Prim underwent surgery on his foot and missed the rest of the year. Over the next few years, Prim spent time with Albany, 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...
and the Minneapolis Millers
Minneapolis Millers
The Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, until 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League.The team played first in Athletic Park and later Nicollet Park.The name Minneapolis...
. In , the Millers sold Prim to the Los Angeles Angels of the PCL. Prim pitched just one inning for the Millers.
Prim spent the next six years with the Angels. In 1936, he won 16 games and lost just nine. Because he was 30-years-old at the time, Prim received the nickname 'Pop' from his teammates.
By , the United States was deeply involved in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and many major league players were drafted
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...
in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. As a result, Prim had the opportunity to play at the major league level for a second time.
After 1943, he returned to the Angels for the season. A year later, he returned to the Cubs. Prim helped the Cubs to make the 1945 World Series with a 13-8 record, an ERA of 2.40 and two shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
s. His earned run average was the lowest in the National League that year. During 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...
versus the 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...
, Prim pitched in two games. He lost his only decision. Prim pitched for the Cubs in 1946, it was his last season in the majors.
Prim's last year in professional baseball was . At the age of 41, he helped the Angels win another. Because of his outstanding performance while with the Angels, Prim joined the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame in .