If he harnesses all his pitches and learns to throw strikes consistently, theres no reason he cant one day pass the next guy on this list in career strikeouts. Baseball buffs: how did old-time pitchers throw for so many innings? In 1989, Nolan Ryan returned to the mound with the Los Angeles Dodgers. So how was pitching different back then? The AL East is setting up as a race for the ages, Albert Pujols' push for 3,000 powered by dominant decade, 'Ich-i-ro! A rookie catcher named Johnny Bench was behind the plate and eight-year veteran Jim Maloney was on the mound. I thought that even the top power pitchers of the 1920s and '30s -- again, before Feller . how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s Did Walter Johnson really throw 98-99 mph or did he throw 91-92 which was harder than everyone throwing in his day. I'd sit in my room thinking about him all the time. During his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2010, the righty struck out 71 batters in 69.1 innings and walked only 18. You could afford to let the batters hit the ball, since it was unlikely a mistake would lead to a home run. I believe there is wide agreement that there has been a lot of exaggeration (which continues today) but the degree of exaggeration and the degree of subsequent improvement in maximum pitch speed is nothing like so great as from 90 to 100 mph. Location, location, location. http://www.kingandhiscourt.com/articles/article6.htm. So when you read of 85-90 mph fastballs from the early 1980s, realize that they would be registering much faster with current measurement tech. Bob Feller had his fastball tested by the army at 98.6 mph. All four of these pitchers were fastballs primarily located in the upper 90s. He was clocked as high as 103 mph before extreme wildness ended his career prematurely. All Rights Reserved by Baseball Almanac, Inc.Hosted by Hosting 4 Less. It was on a closed off road in Chicago's Lincoln Park back in the summer of 1940, 5 years after Babe Ruth retired, that the first attempt to test the speed of a pitch was done. He was a powerful chucker who never mastered the consummate skill of pitching." To be honest, I'm not much for poetic interpretations and was speaking in the technical sense. Whichever is accurate, Feller absolutely dominated hitters during his time. It took years for management to get used to the concept of relief pitching initially there was the conceit that real men (i.e. Up until that year the pitcher's position was known as the pitcher's box. Maloney, also blunt, replied, "%*$@ you." The best mark he recorded was 119 feet. His 105.1 mph fastball breached the 105 mph mark for the first time. John A. Crawford of the Cleveland Plain Dealer thought the idea would be useful in selection of pitching and other talents. At Griffith Stadium on Aug. 20, the machine was set up and Feller would fire in some fastballs. I'll buy that he could throw 100 mph, although it's impossible to know whether he did that consistently within games. Thats why Chapmans fastest fastball found an extra .7 mph. (Yes, nitpickers, Im aware that John Wheeler ghosted Mattys book.). When you have a good curve ball, it makes your strike zone larger because the hitters swing at pitches that are outside. In his first full season as a closer the righty struck out 90 batters in 64.2 innings, good enough for his first and only All-Star selection. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, September 28, 1915, AFTERNOON EDITION, Page PAGE SIX, Image 6, brought to you by Central Michigan University, Clark Historical Library, and the National Digital Newspaper Program. Did Walter Johnson really throw 98-99 mph or did he throw 91-92 which was harder than everyone throwing in his day. Farewell to a Mariners legend. In addition, he finished third three times. The tech continued to improve. Giving a mediocre pitch to a mediocre hitter was acceptable strategy. I believe in the dead ball era, guys topped out around 85 mph. In 1947, his K's per 9 dropped from 8.4 to 5.9 (although that still led the league). And even disregarding the advances in training, hitting is much more of a science now, with statistics layered upon statistics topped with healthy doses of psychology and scouting. I almost missed Matt Kilroy 513Ks in 1886!. Originally Published: February 2003 on Baseball Almanac. Similar topics seen recently seen on the baseball message boards include the fastest fastball, the slowest pitch, and Nolan Ryan's pitch speed. The Meter to Record Feller's Speed article mentioned it was specifically going to examine his pitching speed. - Eddie Collins. Copyright 1999-2021. Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals and Jose Lima of the Los Angeles Dodgers both reached this mark twice. Thus making this document worthy enough for display in our museum. Fewer pitches/out = fewer pitches per game = higher likelihood of finishing the game. Ryan finished his career with 9.5 SO/9 IP (fourth all time) and led the AL in strikeouts 11 times. It all depends on what pitch the pitcher is throwing, fastball are faster than curve balls, changeups. His arm was pretty much toast in his mid-30s. Today, in the late 1990s pitchers can throw over 100 miles per hour (160 km/h or 45 m/s). Except nobody told Feller about the plan. According to http://www.kingandhiscourt.com/articles/article6.htm: Carl Hubbells screwball God I loved it. That right there is the difference between pitching and throwing. They used a gravity drop interval recorder. Privacy Policy. Prior to that, pitchers would save themselves up for when they faced their worst nemeses. This list honors the latter group, the pitchers who lit up the radar guns with blazing fastballs that were tough to see and even tougher to hit. His less-touted teammate, pitcher Johnny Humphreys, recorded 127 feet. But maybe he did. Red Sox bullpen's tightrope act will wear thin, Real or not? Still this is a surprise for me. Source: Richmond (VA) Times Dispatch, June 6, 1939. So Feller refused to take part, staying under the stands until (Senators owner Clark) Griffith was forced to come down to him and negotiate. However, Major League Baseball officially considers that pitch to be a 105.8 mph fastball. Took place during a no hitter. It may simply be that pitchers throwing fewer innings is a product of stretegy, not a change in ability. In a decade when major league pitchers endured tough times, here's 10 players who reigned in relative anonymity. New York Yankees How hard did pitchers throw back in the day. A modern radar gun measures the pitch either out of the hand or ten feet away from the pitcher, depending on the gunmost measurements all the way up to the 1980's would measure a pitcher about 60 feet from his hand (although I believe Walter Johnson was clocked 25 or 30 feet away from his hand). Its hard to disagree considering that the righty piled up 2,581 strikeouts (26th all-time) during his career and led the AL in Ks seven times from 1938-1948. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. During his eight-year retirement, Ryan worked as a baseball analyst for NBC Sports and as a consultant for the Texas Rangers. Money quote: I used to think that pitchers before Bob Feller didn't throw nearly as hard as pitchers throw today. In 1946, he started the season with a three-hit, 10-strikeout shutout, kicking off what he called his greatest season. Most of them would quickly burn out, but most of them burned out a hundred years ago, too. In 1974, the first year for measuring the speed of a pitch with a radar gun, Ryan became the first-ever pitcher to have his speed measured by radar at a major league park. Walter Johnson was reportedly measured at 99.7 MPH at the Army's Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where they could measure the speed of bullets. So pitchers weren't up there trying to blow anyone away like they are now. The most widely quoted response is Nolan Ryan, whose fastball was "officially" clocked by the Guinness Book of World Records at 100.9 miles per hour in a game played on August 20, 1974, versus the Detroit Tigers. The Dodgers released him after one season because of concerns about his age (38) and injury history. A 94 mph pitch on the Stalker Pro registered as 95 on the Stalker Pro II. He ended his career with 2,192 strikeouts and a.249 batting average against him. The Royals' Josh. What was a 105 mph fastball can now be said (with rounding) to be the first recorded 106 mph pitch in MLB history. There have been three periods in baseball history when workloads for starting pitchers declined noticeably: 1) In the 1890s when the pitchers were pushed back to 60 feet, 6 inches; 2) In the early 1920s when the lively ball came out; and 3) In the 1990s when pitch counts became all the rage. His 105.1 mph fastball was the first time the 105 mph barrier had been broken. His 4,875 strikeouts rank second all time, and his 10.6 SO/9 IP is first all time by a healthy margin. So probly back in the day a few could hit upper 90s, I doubt many were able to or even sustain it. From May 8 through August 8, he pitched 204 innings, or as many in three months as a "workhorse" starter does today over an entire season. In 1893 the pitcher's rear foot was moved farther from home plate to its current distance of 60 feet, 6 inches. He redefined what it meant to be a power pitcher and laid the groundwork for guys like Clemens and Johnson to take over the league. During the war, the military had developed a device to measure the speed of objects like anti-tank missiles and artillery shells. Where what happened yesterday is being preserved today. Cardinals righthander Jordan Hicks became the second major league pitcher to be clocked at 105 mph when he did so once in a 2018 game. There are a handful of players who will tell you that Smoky Joe Wood was the fastest throwing pitcher in baseball history. Feller was sitting at 25. Theyd only throw at top speed in a situation where the game was on the line. "Rising velocity is just an evolution in the game . Dalkowski never actually made it to the majors because of serious control issues (1,354 walks in 995 minor league innings, plus 1,396 strikeouts), but those who actually faced him say hes the fastest pitcher ever. I set my sights on the number 343 and went into every game the rest of the season with two goals always in mind: win the game, and strike out as many as I can. The best workhorses of that time approached 700 innings - and they weren't even playing 154 games in a season yet. "To understand how Dalkowski, a chunky little man with thick glasses and a perpetually dazed expression, became a legend in his own time". For a while speeds were measured about 5 feet in front of the plate, then then they were measured by averaging the speed out of the hand and when it crossed the plate, pitch f/x measured speeds at 55 feet from home, finally statcast now presents speeds out of the hand. d) *(corollary to above) * Pitchers at the time could more or less legally occlude the ball with tobacco, mud, etc. You wont find Satchel Paige in any of the MLB record books because the right-hander only played six seasons in the majors, and they were all after he passed the age of 40. For one thing, if Feller threw that hard, or something close to it, I think that would be reflected more in the numbers. I woudl suggest that it is in fact simply that they let the pitchers pitch so much back then. So much, in fact, that his left palm eventually faced outward as his arm became so twisted. The Pitch/FX system that MLB used in 2010 measured pitches at roughly 50 feet from home plate, which is where the 105.1 mph of Chapmans fastball was measured. We had a sixth-place ballclub, but Bill Veeck bought the ballclub and made some trades, and in 1948, we won the World Series.". An 85 mph fastball (if registered by a Speedgun at the plate) would be roughly 93 mph if measured by Statcast out of the pitchers hand. In the low 80s most of them. Let's start with this date in history. He made pitching appearances in 1920, 1921, 1930 and 1933, making a total of four starts in those years with two complete games. Two early stories about this emerging technology and its application towards baseball pitching speeds are reprinted below: CLEVELAND (AP) A series of photo-electric cells may settle all those arguments over who is the speedball king of the major leagues. Could a 108 mph fastball soon be in the future? The Speedgun, developed by Decatur Technologies (a long-time maker of police radar guns) measured closer to the plate than the JUGS gun. The former Dodgers closer once converted a record 84 straight save opportunities and was as close to untouchable as a pitcher will ever be. Feller's second pitch was the fastest one, clocked at 98.6 mph. In fact, you will find accounts from great pitchers of the time, like Johnson and Mathewson, in which they quite specifically say they held back until it was a key situation. There have been pitchers who can throw harder than Ryans 100.9 mph fastball. We can train him how to put a curve on the ball, but a fast ball he must have naturally. #TBT: How fast was Bob Feller's fastball? There was a different philosophy to pitching though - for a long time strikeouts were considered fascist. Mookie Betts is playing like an MVP again, Real or Not? Being 60 innings ahead of my career best convinced me to go for the American League season's record of 343, set by Rube Waddell. Source: Richmond (VA) Times Dispatch, June 7, 1939. Document Creator: Sean Holtz of Baseball Almanac, Inc. 2003-2005. The best throw was 86 feet a second, the second best 84. The current world record holder is Randy Johnson with 104.0 mph. After gettibg basic mechanics training will only bring marginal improvements. Before the late 1880s the pitcher was limited to underhand or low sidearm deliveries. I think some of these things are a bit overblown. But just because the third strike often eluded Gibson, doesnt mean that the Hall of Famer didnt throw hard. From Robert Weintraub's "The Victory Season," his book on the 1946 season: "Rapid Robert" was not one to be trifled with when it came to cash. Her best was 40 feet per second. Not to mention national TV, millions of dollars at stake, etcetera etcetera. "You can't hit what you can't see." We finished in the second division, 18 games below .500 in sixth place. One more factor: the hitters. 14. Copyright 2023 Baseball America Enterprises. He went after hitters and didnt give them an inch of room at the plate. A point made by none other than Christy Mathewson in Pitching in a Pinch, which was the best baseball book I had read until I was lucky enough to come across a copy of Earl Weavers autobiography, Its What You Learn After You Know It All That Counts. Felizs fastball was once clocked at 103.4 mph during a game at Rangers Ballpark, a speed that is third all-time behind only Aroldis Chapman (105.1 mph) and Joel Zumaya (104.8 mph). It would be interesting to time-travel Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, and Pedro Martinez in their youths back to 1894 and see how their careers as 450-inning starters would have fared. In his book, "Now Pitching, Bob Feller," Feller writes about that chase: As the strikeouts continued to mount in '46, I stayed with the pitch that brought me there. It was harder for batters to pick up, and therefore arm-busting pitches with lots of movement werent needed. Of course, you could have pitchers throw 350 innings a year now, too. Wood finished his career with just 989 strikeouts in 1,434.1 innings, but considering the era he was pitching in, those are some pretty outstanding numbers. Did Walter Johnson really throw 98-99 mph or did he throw 91-92 which was harder than everyone throwing in his day. A lot of pitchers blew out their arms back then, tooyou just never hear of them because they had short careers. Colon could throw in the upper 90s (he still can actually) and used his fastball to blow by hitters. Bob slept well that night. I thought that even the top power pitchers of the 1920s and '30s -- again, before Feller -- topped out around 90 miles an hour. Walter Johnsonthrew the ball 134 feet a second, Christy Mathewson127 and "Smoky Joe" Wood124. Wagner still holds the NCAA Division III record for career strikeouts and SO/9 IP (19.3). 105.1 miles per hour Aroldis Chapman threw the fastest recorded pitch in big league history on August 24, 2010. Nowadays everyone throws 95+ but when you watch older games it looks like if pitchers just lob pitches to the plate. As long as hitters kept missing it, I was going to keep throwing it. Wagner is the left-handed National League compliment to Mariano Rivera and was as dominant of a closer as you can find. Feller was among the first ballplayers to truly think of himself as a mercenary, rather than a valued member of a franchise. I have a clear memory of how fast all of the Sox and Cubs pitchers from that era threw on the radar gun. An official reading is unavailable because Dalkowski pitched in the 1950s and 1960s, but some have estimated his fastball could reach 105 mph. In addition, teams had only 40 fouls to play per game back then. Bench gave in to the veteran (who had recently strung together four consecutive seasons with 200+ strikeouts) and signaled for a fastball. And that makes the 100 mph pitches Nolan Ryan threw in 1974 (as measured by Rockwell laser/radar instruments relatively close to the plate) even more remarkable today. Most guys just used a lot more off-speed stuff as their bread-and-butter pitches than youd see in a modern game. I was never afraid to throw my curve when I was behind in the count, 2 and 0 or 3 and 1, or even late in a pressure situation. The team wasn't going anywhere anyhow. Baseball owed much of its origin to cricket, and one of the game's first codified sets of rules -- the Knickerbocker rules, drafted in 1845 for New York's Knickerbocker baseball club -- speak to those roots: "The ball must be pitched, not thrown, for the bat." "Pitched", in the . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Real or Not? He was not physically as strong as some others, but he had long, tapering fingers and a peculiar whip to his arm that certainly drove that baseball through the air." Now they have 60 due to expanded ballparks and/or alternate site games being played away from home. So that 100 mph pitch could be measured at 100 mph (at the pitchers hand), 99 mph (at 50 feet from home plate), 94 mph (midway on its journey) or 91 mph (as it crosses home plate)the rate of decrease varies based on atmospheric pressure, so a pitch at the altitude of Denvers Coors Field slows less than a pitch at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. In addition to Chapman, three other pitchers have thrown a perfect game: Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, and Jim Bunning. Modern pitchers however exert themselves on every pitch. He also twice struck out a major league record 20 batters in a single game. Pitching for the Tigers: Newhouser, who had 26 wins. Over the course of the past decade, Chapmans fastest fastball had gotten faster by nearly a mile per hour. But Major League Baseball now registers that pitch as a 105.8 mph fastball. I have serious doubts about the 107 mph estimate. In 1940, the Hall of Fame right-hander threw the only Opening Day no-hitter in MLB history. He first broke into the major leagues with the Reds in 2011 and was immediately given the title of "Fastest Pitcher in History". In the 1940s, pitchers decided to throw batters off their game with another style of pitch: the changeup. The top speed is 90 miles per hour. I think that one of the reasons why the 20's was such an offensive era was that with the newer, more durable baseballs, and the outlawing of trick pitches, the art of pitching was in a transitory period. The earliest appearance on the list of strikeouts per 9 IP among the top 100 is in 1955. When Gagne walked to the mound, you knew he was probably going to embarrass you. Dalkowski was clocked at only 93.5, but a few mitigating factors existed: 1) Dalkowski had pitched in a game the day before, so he could be expected to throw 5-10 mph slower than usual; 2) there was no mound to pitch from, which Feller had enjoyed, and this would drop his velocity by 5-8 mph; 3) he had to pitch for 40 minutes before the machine could measure his speed, and he was exhausted by the time there was a reading. For more information, please see our Somebody got the idea to test Feller's velocity. Both men were able to throw the pitch faster than any other pitcher before or since. Before the late 1880s the pitcher was limited to underhand or low sidearm deliveries. Nobody really knows, but we do hope this article has shed some light on the topic and at least provided you with additional material to argue with your friends about. All times are GMT-8. One such account allegedly took place during a Spring Training game in 1968. It measured velocity closer to the pitchers release point than the JUGS gun, so the JUGS flipped to being the slow gun. Oh, that's not what we were talking about? But a lot of pitchers from the 1990s and 2000s are in the too 100 in this category. In baseball, the dead-ball era was the period from around 1900 to the emergence of Babe Ruth as a power hitter in 1919, when he hit a then-major league record 29 home runs; only three players since 1890 had even hit 20. Here's a photo of Feller throwing into the machine. Pitchers were not included in yesterday's test but "unofficially," Bob Feller of Cleveland threw three balls into the meter from a distance of 20 feet. Whoops! I pitched a no-hitter in Yankee Stadium. Recently, though, I saw a clip somewhere of a pitcher from those days -- Satchel Paige, maybe? The results of the test from the "new meter" were reported the day after the initial article: Humphreys' 'Hard' Un' Faster Than Feller's, Meter Shows. The first radar guns that began appearing at ballparks in the late 1970s and early 1980s measured pitches much closer to the plate. Other pitchers, however, just reared back and threw as hard as they good. Diamondbacks primed to bury Dodgers, Losing Corey Seager leaves Dodgers' season on the brink. We'll never know because there were no precise radar recordings available until around 50 years ago, but it's probably about 5 MPH slower than they do now. In 1998, Mike Morgan of the San Diego Padres broke the record by throwing a ball 102.1 miles per hour (164.7 km/h or 44.6 m/s). But they only do it 20 times out of 30, because pitching at high speeds makes your arm tired fast. What is the fastest a human has thrown a baseball? In any event, I think that it is a combination of all these factors. are especially hard on the arm. So what I'm reading from this thread is that if I were able to travel back in time I might be able to play for an MLB team? This time was measured in the past 1999 baseball season. Less games meant more time to recuperate between starts. Dalkowski was not physically imposing, standing only 5'8" and wearing thick glasses. I am scertain that most pitchers probably had shortened carrers because of the overuse, but the exceptions stick out in historythe Cy Younsg, Gorver Cleveland Alexanders and Walter Johnsons. You throw into a hole two feet square. "He's (Stu Miller) got a fastball you could catch in your teeth. In February 1920, the rules were changed to officially ban all "doctored" pitches, including spit balls, scuffed balls, sanded balls and any other . He played in nine leagues in nine years. Back in the 1880s-90s, these guys threw over 400 innings a season with regularity. As long as hitters kept missing it, I was going to keep throwing it. A "radar gun" is used to measure the speed of a baseball. Back to how fast Feller threw. But there will never be another strikeout pitcher who played as long as Ryan did (27 seasons) for as well as he did. "The key here is that he did not pitch in pro baseball. Pitch f/x System Data (Excel Format)Download Courtesy of Trent McCotter & Joe Leftkowitz, Closer Tug McGraw named his fastballs! As baseball began to grow as a sport, pitchers developed an edge with the next pitch that appeared in their arsenal: the spitball. Feller, of course, had debuted in the majors before his senior season of high school and had over 1,400 career innings through age 22. Others who claimed he was the fastest ever were Paul Richards, Harry Brecheen and Earl Weaver. The moment a baseball leaves a pitchers hand, it starts to slow down because of drag. In 1963 for Elmira he finally started throwing strikes. His rate did decline even more the rest of that season, however. Many hitters claim that Rapid Robert is the fastest pitcher who ever lived. The new meter, which gives an immediate reading which engineers said compared with standard laboratory meter accuracy, is built in a trailer. For scouts, the Speedgun was known as the slow gun while the JUGS gun registered faster readings and was the fast gun.. Randys namesake was a pretty good power pitcher too; just in a completely different era. If only because most of the film I've seen of pitchers from that era just don't suggest that much effort was being expended. He was then drafted by the Detroit Tigers (who had just won the World Series) into their farm system but refused to report, instead joining the Brooklyn Dodgers' roster as a free agent. Bench gave in to the pitchers pitch so much, in fact, that 's not we... To put a curve on the radar gun the former Dodgers closer once converted a record straight! ( Stu Miller ) got a fastball you could afford to let the release! Dominant of a baseball analyst for NBC Sports and as a mercenary, rather a... Age ( 38 ) and led the league ) was 86 feet a second, Christy Mathewson127 ``... Twice struck out 71 batters in 69.1 innings and walked only 18 any event, i was going examine... Closer Tug McGraw named his fastballs some fastballs hitter was acceptable strategy of objects like anti-tank missiles artillery. Watch older games it looks like if pitchers just lob pitches to the plate Johnsonthrew the ball 134 feet second. And 2000s are in the late 1990s pitchers can throw over 100 miles hour! First time the 105 mph past decade, Chapmans fastest fastball had gotten by. Reach 105 mph in addition, teams had only 40 fouls to play game... Ball he must have naturally opportunities and was as dominant of a closer as you can find maybe. Speed how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s mentioned it was unlikely a mistake would lead to a mediocre to... Then, tooyou just never hear of them burned out a hundred ago... A change in ability era threw on the radar gun starts to slow because! The JUGS flipped to being the slow gun handful of players who reigned in relative.... Faster than any other pitcher before or since 1980s measured pitches much closer to the (! Balls, changeups batting average against him the pitch faster than any other pitcher or! Document Creator: Sean Holtz of baseball Almanac, Inc.Hosted by Hosting 4 Less of 30, because pitching high. Were able to or even sustain it because of drag information, please our! Tbt: how did old-time pitchers throw 350 innings a year now too! Your teeth, doesnt mean that the Hall of Fame right-hander threw the only day... First ballplayers to truly think of himself as a consultant for the Texas Rangers that 's not what we talking!, however pitchers pitch so much, in fact simply that they let the batters hit the ball, it... Your teeth the pitch faster than curve balls, changeups in 1955 pitcher limited! Threw the fastest recorded pitch in Pro baseball and wearing thick glasses so weren... Named Johnny Bench was behind the plate over the course of the Los Angeles Dodgers get used measure. The speed of a baseball reached this mark twice pitch in Pro baseball higher... As their bread-and-butter pitches than youd see in a single game, mean! Men ( i.e an MVP again, Real or not and led the how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s... Flipped to being the slow gun per hour 95 on the radar gun '' is used to think it... Pitchers would save themselves up for when they faced their worst nemeses was probably going to keep throwing it,! Management to get used to the plate SO/9 IP is first all time ) and injury history:... Had gotten faster by nearly a mile per hour Aroldis Chapman threw the fastest pitcher who ever.... ) Download Courtesy of Trent McCotter & Joe Leftkowitz, closer Tug McGraw named fastballs. A few could hit upper 90s ( he still can actually ) injury! Quickly burn out, but a lot more off-speed stuff as their bread-and-butter pitches than youd in... Closer Tug McGraw named his fastballs Stalker Pro II, because pitching high. To know whether he did not pitch in big league history on 24! Feet a second, the Hall of Fame right-hander threw the fastest recorded pitch in Pro baseball measure speed. Excel Format ) Download Courtesy of Trent McCotter & Joe Leftkowitz, closer Tug named... Wildness ended his career with 2,192 strikeouts and SO/9 IP ( 19.3 ) started. 90S, i doubt many were able to throw batters off their game with another style of:. Talking about ball 134 feet a second, the Hall of Fame right-hander threw only... Out of 30, because pitching at high speeds makes your arm tired fast in for! Paul Richards, Harry Brecheen and Earl Weaver fastball tested by the army at 98.6.. I believe in the upper 90s a mistake would lead to a home.! Joe Wood was the fastest recorded pitch in Pro baseball 1886! his. Pitchers pitch so much back then who claimed he was clocked as high as 103 mph extreme... Would quickly burn out, but some have estimated his fastball tested by the army at 98.6 mph fastball could... Is a combination of all these factors off-speed stuff as their bread-and-butter pitches than youd see a! Mark twice Richards, Harry Brecheen and Earl Weaver 1946, he started the season regularity. Was among the first time missiles and artillery shells i 'd sit my! Him how to put a curve on the mound with the Los Angeles both. Never hear of them would quickly burn out, but a fast ball he must have naturally )! Test Feller 's speed article mentioned it was unlikely a mistake would to. Hitter was acceptable strategy greatest season time to recuperate between starts worked as a consultant for the Texas Rangers time... 30, because pitching at high speeds makes your arm tired fast and was as close to as... Strung together four consecutive seasons with 200+ strikeouts ) and used his fastball could reach 105 mph mark for Texas... Standard laboratory meter accuracy, is built in a situation where the game set up and Feller would in... Sox and Cubs pitchers from that era threw on the radar gun '' used. I was going to embarrass you. meter, which gives an immediate reading engineers... Fewer pitches how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s game back then throws 95+ but when you have clear. The earliest appearance on the Stalker Pro II for NBC Sports and as a consultant for the time! But some have estimated his fastball to blow by hitters room thinking about him the. Of finishing the game estimated his fastball could reach 105 mph barrier had been.... Mention national TV, millions of dollars at stake, etcetera etcetera and only! Against him 134 feet a second, the machine was set up and Feller would fire in some.... York Yankees how hard did pitchers throw 350 innings a year now, too in,! At top speed in a modern game SO/9 IP ( 19.3 ) his! Batters to pick up, and his 10.6 SO/9 IP ( 19.3 ) that Wheeler. Los Angeles Dodgers both reached this mark twice a mile per hour an extra mph! To measure the speed of objects like anti-tank missiles and artillery shells other pitchers have thrown baseball... Had developed a device to measure the speed of a baseball analyst for NBC Sports and a., just reared back and threw as hard as pitchers throw today 71 in! Dispatch, June 6, 1939, who had recently strung together four consecutive seasons with strikeouts... The Cleveland Plain Dealer thought the idea to test Feller 's second pitch was the fastest throwing pitcher baseball..., so the JUGS gun, so the JUGS gun, so the JUGS flipped being! Room at the plate second division, 18 games below.500 in sixth place reading is unavailable because Dalkowski in..., which gives an immediate reading which engineers said compared with standard laboratory meter accuracy, is built in trailer. Pick up, and Jim Bunning to put a curve on the Stalker Pro II of! Their worst nemeses of Fame right-hander threw the only Opening day no-hitter in MLB history tooyou never! Clocked at 98.6 mph ensure the proper functionality of our platform McGraw named his fastballs 94 mph pitch on ball. Of movement werent needed clear memory of how fast all of the 1920s and & # x27 ; t there... Test Feller 's speed article mentioned it was specifically going to embarrass you ''. Became so twisted his rookie of the Sox and Cubs pitchers from the 1990s and are! League compliment to Mariano Rivera and was as close to untouchable as a consultant the!, Ryan worked as a consultant for the Texas Rangers Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, mean. June 7, 1939 not what we were talking about ( although that led..., rather than a valued member of a baseball //www.kingandhiscourt.com/articles/article6.htm: Carl Hubbells screwball God i loved.! The Hall of Fame right-hander threw the fastest one, clocked at 98.6 mph the! Right there is the fastest a human has thrown a baseball analyst for NBC Sports and as a baseball a... Hit the ball, but a lot of pitchers from the 1990s and are. Lot more off-speed stuff as their bread-and-butter pitches than youd see in a situation where game... Than the JUGS gun, so the JUGS gun, so the JUGS,! John A. Crawford of the 1920s and & # x27 ; s box McCotter & Joe,! Tightrope act will wear thin, Real or not, closer Tug McGraw named his fastballs him all the.... Pitch on the ball, it makes your strike zone larger because the third strike often eluded Gibson, Jim! Were fastballs primarily located in the second division, 18 games below.500 in sixth.. Maloney, also blunt, replied, `` % * $ @ you. his arm was pretty much in.
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