Jack Chesbro (1946)
Date of Birth: 6/5/1874
Date of Death: 11/6/1931
Birthplace: North Adams, Massachusetts
Jack Chesbro played sandlot baseball in Massachusetts as a child. In 1894, while working for a hospital as an attendant, he played semi-pro ball on their team. A year later, he started his professional career in the minor leagues in the Eastern League. In 1896, he played in the Virgina League and in 1897, he played in the Atlantic League. His contract was purchased by the Pittsburgh Pirates in July, 1899.
Pittsburgh Pirates
In his first year in the major leagues (1899), Chesbro played in 19 games, pitching 149.0 innings and having a 6-9 record with 28 strikeouts to 59 walks and an ERA of 4.11.
On December 8, 1899, Chesbro was traded to the Louisville Colonels of the National League but the team folded and Chesbro was sent back to the Pirates on March 9, 1900. He played in 32 games that season and he had a 3.67 ERA and 15 wins to 13 losses in 215.2 innings. He had control problems, walking 79 batters while striking out just 56.
Chesbro had a much better season in 1901, when he had 21 wins and 10 losses and a 2.38 ERA. He struck out 129 batters and walked 52 in 287.2 innings in 36 games. His ERA dropped to 2.17 in 1902 and he led the NL in wins with 28. He struck out 136 batters and walked 62 in 286.1 innings in 35 games.
New York Highlanders/Yankees
In 1903, Chesbro signed with the New York Highlanders/Yankees. He finished his first season in New York with 21 wins to 15 losses, 147 strikeouts to 74 walks, and a 2.77 ERA in 324.2 innings in 40 games.
Chesbro's best season was in 1904, when he led the AL in games played, complete games, innings pitched, and wins. He had career highs that year in games played, complete games, innings pitched, wins, and strikeouts, and he had a career low ERA of 1.82. He finished the season with 48 complete games (out of 55), 41 wins to 12 losses, and 239 strikeouts to 88 walks in 454.2 innings.
Chesbro had another strong season in 1905. He had a 2.20 ERA, 19 wins and 15 losses, and 156 strikeouts to 71 walks in 303.1 innings in 41 games. The following year, he led the AL in games played with 49. He finished the 1906 season with 23 wins and 17 losses and a 2.96 ERA in 325.0 innings. He struck out 152 batters and walked 75.
Chesbro continued pitching well in 1907 and 1908, although his win record declined significantly. In 1907, he had 10 wins and 10 losses and the following year, he had 14 wins and 20 losses. He finished both seasons with ERAs under 3.00 (2.53 in 1907 and 2.93 in 1908). He played in just 30 games in 1907, but far more in 1908 (45 games).
Boston Red Sox
In his last season, 1909, Chesbro was released by the Yankees and claimed off waivers by the Boston Red Sox. He pitched in just ten games, nine with the Yankees and one with Boston.
MLB Records
- Led NL in wins in 1902
- Led AL in wins in 1904
- Led AL in games played two times
- Led AL in complete games in 1904 (48)
Career Statistics
Pitching statistics for Chesbro in 11 seasons (1899-1909) in the major leagues include:
- 5 seasons with over 20 wins, with a high of 41 in 1904
- 3 seasons with over 150 strikeouts, with a high of 239 in 1904
- 8 seasons with an ERA under 3.00, with a low of 1.82 in 1904
Career pitching statistics for Chesbro include:
- 392 games played
- 2,896.2 innings pitched
- 198-132 win-loss record
- 1,265 strikeouts to 690 walks
- 2.68 ERA
Post Playing Career
After retiring as a major league player, Chesbro pitched and coached for semi-professional teams in 1910 and 1911. In 1924, he was a coach for the Washington Senators. Three years later, he was a manager and pitcher in the minor leagues.
Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Jack Chesbro
ESPN - Jack Chesbro
Baseball Reference - Jack Chesbro