Ted Breitenstein
Encyclopedia
Theodore P. "Ted" Breitenstein (June 1, 1869 – May 3, 1935) was an American Major League Baseball
player from St. Louis, Missouri
who pitched from to for the St. Louis Browns/Cardinals
and the Cincinnati Reds
. He is most known today for throwing a no-hitter
in his first Major League start.
, but on the final day of the 1891 season, October 4, Breitenstein was allowed to start and he pitched a no-hitter
against the Louisville Colonels
, an 8–0 victory. He faced the minimum number of batters of 27, allowed just one base on balls
, which was erased by a double play
or by a pickoff
play. It was also the last no-hitter thrown in the American Association
, as the league folded following the season.
He became part of the pitching rotation in , but had a lackluster season with a 9–19 win–loss record and a 4.69 earned run average
. He turned his pitching around after that, and in , Breitenstein's 3.18 ERA was tops in the National League
. In , he won 27 games while leading the league in games started
, complete games and innings pitched
, although he led the league in runs allowed, and had a 4.79 ERA. In the following season, his workload stayed the same, leading the league in games started and complete games once again, but his stats took a slide downward, leading the league in runs allowed, base on balls, and losses. His 30 losses in stand as the 3rd on the all-time list for losses in a season by a pitcher.
After a similar season in , he was sold to the Cincinnati Reds for a reported $10,000, though it could have been as low as $4,000. This move gave Breitenstein a new start and he took advantage of it, winning more than 20 games in each of his first two season with Reds. He lowered his ERA to 3.62 in and 3.42 in respectively. On April 22, 1898, he pitched his second no-hitter, this time against the Pittsburgh Pirates
, a 11–0 victory. What made this no-hitter notable is the fact that another no-hitter was pitched on the same day. Jay Hughes
of the Baltimore Orioles
threw one against the Boston Beaneaters
. This was the first occurrence of two no-hitters had been thrown on the same day in the Major Leagues.
His next two seasons in Cincinnati were respectable, but his skills had shown that they were declining, not able to pitch with the same durability of seasons past, so through an unknown transaction, he returned to his old team in St. Louis, now known as the Cardinals.
career, most notably with the New Orleans Pelicans
of the Southern Association
. He played eight seasons for the Pelicans, ten years in all with the Association. During World War I
, Breitenstein was named as a director of an athletic camp especially organized for Army
and Navy
soldiers. He died in St. Louis, Missouri at the age of 65, and is interred in Saint Peter's Cemetery in Normandy, Missouri
.
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...
player from 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...
who pitched from to for the St. Louis Browns/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...
and the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. He is most known today for throwing 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"...
in his first Major League start.
Career
During his first season in the Majors, he was able to pitch occasionally in reliefRelief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
, but on the final day of the 1891 season, October 4, Breitenstein was allowed to start and he pitched 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 the Louisville Colonels
Louisville Colonels
The Louisville Colonels were a Major League Baseball team that played in the American Association throughout that league's ten-year existence from 1882 until 1891, first as the Louisville Eclipse and later as the Louisville Colonels , the latter name derived from the historic Kentucky colonels...
, an 8–0 victory. He faced the minimum number of batters of 27, allowed just one base on balls
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...
, which was erased by a double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
or by a pickoff
Pickoff
In baseball, a pickoff is an act by a pitcher or a catcher, throwing a live ball to a fielder so that the fielder can tag out a baserunner who is either leading off or about to begin stealing the next base....
play. It was also the last no-hitter thrown in the American Association
American Association (19th century)
The American Association was a Major League Baseball league that existed for 10 seasons from to . During that time, it challenged the National League for dominance of professional baseball...
, as the league folded following the season.
He became part of the pitching rotation in , but had a lackluster season with a 9–19 win–loss record and a 4.69 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...
. He turned his pitching around after that, and in , Breitenstein's 3.18 ERA was tops in 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...
. In , he won 27 games while leading the league in games started
Games started
In baseball statistics, games started indicates the number of games that a pitcher has started for his team. A pitcher is credited with starting the game if he faces the first opposing batter...
, complete games and 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...
, although he led the league in runs allowed, and had a 4.79 ERA. In the following season, his workload stayed the same, leading the league in games started and complete games once again, but his stats took a slide downward, leading the league in runs allowed, base on balls, and losses. His 30 losses in stand as the 3rd on the all-time list for losses in a season by a pitcher.
After a similar season in , he was sold to the Cincinnati Reds for a reported $10,000, though it could have been as low as $4,000. This move gave Breitenstein a new start and he took advantage of it, winning more than 20 games in each of his first two season with Reds. He lowered his ERA to 3.62 in and 3.42 in respectively. On April 22, 1898, he pitched his second no-hitter, this time against the Pittsburgh Pirates
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...
, a 11–0 victory. What made this no-hitter notable is the fact that another no-hitter was pitched on the same day. Jay Hughes
Jay Hughes
James Jay Hughes was an American Major League Baseball pitcher, who played four seasons from to .Hughes was born in Sacramento, California...
of the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles (19th century)
The Baltimore Orioles were a 19th-century American Association and National League team from 1882 to 1899. The club, which featured numerous future Hall of Famers, finished in first place three consecutive years and won the Temple Cup championship in 1896 and 1897...
threw one against the Boston Beaneaters
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....
. This was the first occurrence of two no-hitters had been thrown on the same day in the Major Leagues.
His next two seasons in Cincinnati were respectable, but his skills had shown that they were declining, not able to pitch with the same durability of seasons past, so through an unknown transaction, he returned to his old team in St. Louis, now known as the Cardinals.
Post Major League career
His career ended after only a few games in and he went on to a lengthy minor league baseballMinor 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...
career, most notably with the New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans were a Minor league professional baseball team based in New Orleans, Louisiana.-Team history:Founded in 1887, the Pelicans became part of the Southern Association in 1901...
of the Southern Association
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
. He played eight seasons for the Pelicans, ten years in all with the Association. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Breitenstein was named as a director of an athletic camp especially organized for 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...
and Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
soldiers. He died in St. Louis, Missouri at the age of 65, and is interred in Saint Peter's Cemetery in Normandy, Missouri
Normandy, Missouri
Normandy is a city in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 5,008 at the 2010 census.-History:The town is on land once owned by Charles Lucas. Lucas obtained property from the federal government with land grants, and he purchased the land from victims of the New Madrid...
.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball earned run average champions
- List of Major League Baseball no-hitters