Moving closer to the batter enabled catchers to better frame the pitches, field bunts, and throw out base-stealers. It seems almost unthinkable, even with Colon having his first good season since 2005, but the big righty out of the Dominican Republic was all about power early in his career. Follow him on Twitter for all your MLB news and updates. Despite his failure, he has been described as the fastest pitcher ever. Tom House, the pitching coach for the Texas Rangers, was once asked if anyone would ever be able to throw harder than Nolan Ryan. Now, his fastball is usually in the high 80's. . However, he is still just 23 years old. The true speed of Fellers fastball is a subject of great debate. Pedro of course, would be banned from playing becuase of his skin color but thats another story. According to University of Illinois physicist Dr. Alan Nathan, a pitch that leaves a pitcher's hand at 100. Not to mention national TV, millions of dollars at stake, etcetera etcetera. What is the fastest a human has thrown a baseball? America's Pastime. For one thing, if Feller threw that hard, or something close to it, I think that would be reflected more in the numbers. Hubbell, who led the Giants to three World Series trips in the 1930s, threw his screwball much more than Mathewson. Ryan threw the knuckleball from 1973 to 1986. Likewise, in the technical sense, Steve was a left-handed pitcher. check out the. If hed been relieved a little more, maybe he would have lasted longer. It wasnt Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier, but it was significant. Sign me up! Using a basic pitch count estimator, we guess that Feller threw 5,848 pitches that year. But what made Clemens great wasnt his statistical achievements, but rather his approach to the game. The Big Train, as Walter Johnson was known, did his damage in the early part of the 20th century as a starter for the Washington Nationals. Today's pitchers can reach up to 95 mph on their fastest pitches! On July 28, he threw a shutout against the Senators, striking out 10. Take Bob Feller, the legendary fireballer of the Cleveland Indians, and owner of maybe the fastest fastball the game has ever seen. What was a 105 mph fastball can now be said (with rounding) to be the first recorded 106 mph pitch in MLB history. Pitchers back then (deadball era) were expected to throw complete games and had to pace themselves. Wagner still holds the NCAA Division III record for career strikeouts and SO/9 IP (19.3). Stories about the fastest pitchers in history have also appeared in the Associated Press. update=copyright.getFullYear(); Gerrit Cole's approach bringing Cy Young results, Mookie Betts vs. Bryce Harper -- and other pressing baseball debates, Real or not? He went after hitters and didnt give them an inch of room at the plate. Obviously, if it was done on a closed off road in a. The Rocket struck out 4,672 helpless batters during his career, third all-time. 16 falloutranger San Francisco Giants 8 yr. ago Once again, it made it a lot less dangerous to make a bad pitch. No-hitter the latest feat in James Paxton's rise, Deal ends Matt Harvey's roller-coaster ride with Mets, Sizing up potential trade fits for Manny Machado, Real or Not? He never finished outside of the top nine in strikeouts every year between 1969 and 1984. . Three Cleveland Indians could do only 119 feet. To go along with his 714 home runs, Ruth ultimately retired with. **, Press J to jump to the feed. In 1998, Lima matched this speed while playing for the Dodgers. Like Gangster Octopus says, we remember the exceptions. He also claimed he was clocked at 107.9 mph in a demonstration in 1946 at Griffith Stadium. Back in the 1880s-90s, these guys threw over 400 innings a season with regularity. So how was pitching different back then? This is a cool article. The pitcher wants to keep the pitch count low because of his stamina. Whichever is accurate, Feller absolutely dominated hitters during his time. Back in the 1880s-90s, these guys threw over 400 innings a season with regularity. His rate did decline even more the rest of that season, however. [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. Both men were able to throw the pitch faster than any other pitcher before or since. How fast did they throw in the 1930s? Spitballs and Sliders: 1900s to 1920s. Pitching is a very important technique in the game of baseball. Current world-class pitchers such as Mark Buehrle, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Josh Beckett, and Jake Peavy can reach back and toss a pitch 100 mph. Radar (RAdio Detection And Ranging) guns were first introduced in 1935 and the media has covered their evolution with great interest. Pitchers before 1930 (or so) regularly finished their starts, too. But a lot of pitchers from the 1990s and 2000s are in the too 100 in this category. First Miss Cappy Ogiun, a visitor from Orlando, Fla., tried her speed yesterday. According to University of Illinois physicist Dr. Alan Nathan, a pitch that leaves a pitchers hand at 100 mph will (at sea level) slow down by 9 to 10% by the time it crosses the plate some 55-58 feet later. David Roark is a passionate and knowledgeable individual when it comes to sports. 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. Thats why many pre-1893 pitching records are not recognized as official records. Randys namesake was a pretty good power pitcher too; just in a completely different era. During his eight-year retirement, Ryan worked as a baseball analyst for NBC Sports and as a consultant for the Texas Rangers. Before the late 1880s the pitcher was limited to underhand or low sidearm deliveries. We asked the experts. Sponsors recalled that back in 1917, in Bridgeport (Conn.) arms laboratory, Walter Johnson recorded 134 feet per second, Christy Mathewson 127 and "Smoky Joe" Wood 124. New York Yankees How hard did pitchers throw back in the day. No longer could pitchers rely on wicked movement. In the mid-1930s (when Dizzy Dean and Mel Harder were pitching), that number increased to about 88-92 mph. Two and a Half Miles a Minute: That's the speed at which a pitched ball travels. House replied, "Others will throw harder, but no one will throw harder for longer.". Fastball velocity is on the rise. The former Dodgers closer once converted a record 84 straight save opportunities and was as close to untouchable as a pitcher will ever be. Then there is no pitcher among the top 100 until 1964. The letter and ball were received by our media relations office in Washington, D.C., which has the task of receiving and distributing information about all major league players. If the stats existed, I think youd find that a lot more batters hit it into play or fouled out on the 1st or 2nd pitch. Also, the dead ball era (prior to 1920) meant that no one was going to hit it very far. Real or Not? 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. 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. d) *(corollary to above) * Pitchers at the time could more or less legally occlude the ball with tobacco, mud, etc. -- and his pitching motion was practically indistinguishable from the pitching motions we see today. I don't believe they threw, on average, as hard as pitchers throw today. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. They used a gravity drop interval recorder. Jimenez doesnt get much attention as a power pitcher because he walks so many batters (nearly four every nine innings), but when hes on, there might not be a better pitcher in baseball. Clemens is known for a lot of things, and being a power pitcher is certainly one of them. Realistically low to mid 80s. This time was measured in the past 1999 baseball season. The machine, called the "Lumiline Chronograph," used photoelectric cells to clock the object that passed through the device's opening. It may simply be that pitchers throwing fewer innings is a product of stretegy, not a change in ability. He has also appeared in several television commercials, most notably for Old Milwaukee beer. The best the Indians could do was a tie at 119 feet by Ben Chapman, Julius Solters and Jim Shilling. In addition to Chapman, three other pitchers have thrown a perfect game: Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, and Jim Bunning. This machine will tell us at once whether he has the fast ball. In 19 seasons in the Negro Leagues, Paige recorded 1,231 strikeouts in just over 1,500 innings. So even though it was recorded at 100 yards, it was actually 0.2 mph faster than what is considered to be legal ball speed. Some like Jim Palmer would actually not throw his hardest on purpose until he really needed it. Many hitters claim that Rapid Robert is the fastest pitcher who ever lived. The 65 lefty was a true strikeout artist during his heyday, leading his league in Ks five times and twice topping 300. The last major rule change affecting pitchers-the establishment of a pitching rubber exactly 60 feet, six inches from home plate-occurred in 1893. 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. Both were mentioned in the Meter to Record Feller's Speed article above and the unit of measure was feet per second. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Joe Wood 15. 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. Youre definitely on to something here. 3. Then Stalker came out with its Pro Sports radar gun in the early 1990s. The moment a baseball leaves a pitchers hand, it starts to slow down because of drag. Guys that make it back that had crazy control. Hernandez is on pace for his third consecutive season of at least 200 Ks, and his strikeout rate is at a career-high 8.5 SO/9 this season. McDowell, otherwise known as Sudden Sam, is another one of the pitchers youve probably never heard of unless you grew up as a Cleveland Indians fan during the 1960s and 1970s. Copyright 2020 - 2023 Sportsmanist Inc. Did Nolan Ryan throw the fastest pitch ever? On August 13, in a night game at home against the Tigers, I recorded my 262nd strikeout, breaking my career high of 261 in 1940. The right age to start throwing a slider or curveball is between 14 and 15 , which gives a player enough time to develop the pitch (takes 1-3 years) so that it's good by the time the college recruiting process heats up. I never had one. Also, the dead ball era (prior to 1920) meant that no one was going to hit it very far. The Speedgun, developed by Decatur Technologies (a long-time maker of police radar guns) measured closer to the plate than the JUGS gun. Feller was clocked at 98.6 mph. MLB has gone back and recalibrated Pitch/FX pitches to convert them to their velocity at pitch release. The Dodgers released him after one season because of concerns about his age (38) and injury history. I have serious doubts about the 107 mph estimate. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. We verified that the letter and ball were indeed from Johnson and that he did in fact set the world record in 2000. Here's a photo of Feller throwing into the machine. There were freak arms throughout history. They must really be scraping the bottom of the barrel! Mookie Betts is playing like an MVP again, Real or Not? 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. Now, youre expected to throw your best the entire game. The team wasn't going anywhere anyhow. 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. Who could throw the fastest fastball? The current world record holder is Randy Johnson with 104.0 mph. Once, he could throw his fastball 97-plus miles an hour. Answer (1 of 22): There were no radar guns in the days of Babe Ruth. He drifted to various jobs and landed in Bakersfield, California, where he was arrested many times for fighting. 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. Because 1) they weren't asked to max out, and 2) everyone in every sport is stronger and faster, more dynamic today than yesterday; why would pitchers be any different? 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. Pitchers are throwing harder than ever before. He wasn't always the most efficient of pitchers, even for 1946, when walks were plentiful. He was sometimes called the fastest pitcher in baseball history and had a fastball that probably exceeded 100 mph (160 km/h). A 94 mph pitch on the Stalker Pro registered as 95 on the Stalker Pro II. He walked 21 in one minor league game and struck out 21 in another. Johnson was capable of throwing 99, but how often did he need to throw that hard? In 1946, he started the season with a three-hit, 10-strikeout shutout, kicking off what he called his greatest season. "To understand how Dalkowski, a chunky little man with thick glasses and a perpetually dazed expression, became a legend in his own time". 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. Both Chapman and Hicks are relievers. Ich-i-ro!' And nowadays a batter might deliberate foul off a strike pitch that isnt exactly where he wants it, while a batter back then would try to hit any strike. What was the fastest pitch ever thrown during a baseball game? Back then, no one could touch 100 mph. Hes naturally right-handed. Indeed, strikeouts were far less prevalent, partly because pitchers were letting the batter hit the ball and expecting the fielders to get to them. But then again throwing is mainly a talent thing and is not supposed to be improved by modern training very much. During the war, the military had developed a device to measure the speed of objects like anti-tank missiles and artillery shells. His career 10.6 SO/9 IP is evidence of that, although hes up to 11.8 this season. His career 11.5 SO/9 rate is still among the best all-time, but the strike zone continues to elude the oversized righty. Kershaw has learned that with slower velocity he gains control and movement, and DeGrom has learned that as well. Today it will test the salary wings of Bob Feller, and any other members of the Cleveland and Boston American loop clubs who are willing. He probably had the second-best fastball of that era. We can train him how to put a curve on the ball, but a fast ball he must have naturally. Pitchers dont usually return from Tommy John surgery with the same velocity, so we may never see the flame-throwing Strasburg ever again. **For the best user experience, we recommend disabling the Reddit redesign. 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. But the fast ball was my bread-and-butter pitch. The list above IS NOT a comprehensive breakdown of every pitcher to ever surpass the 100 mph barrier, but rather a list of pitchers we have seen on ESPN Game of the Week, SportsCenter, or in person eclipsing the century mark. During the 1999 baseball season, this moment was recorded. 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. Maloney delivered. Walter Johnson was reportedly measured at 99.7 MPH at the Army's Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where they could measure the speed of bullets. 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 . 1920 Major League Baseball Standard Pitching | Baseball-Reference.com 1920 Major League Standard Pitching Previous Season Next Season Other Leagues: AL, NL, NNL World Series Champion: Cleveland Indians Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. Farewell to a Mariners legend. Bob Feller was measured at 98.6 MPH. 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. They had to figure out a new and "cleaner" way of pitching. . The most incredible part of Wagners story? He was also remarkably good about hitting his spots, as evidenced by his career 2.96 SO/BB ratio. Dmitriy Ioselevich is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Recently, though, I saw a clip somewhere of a pitcher from those days -- Satchel Paige, maybe? Feller was among the first ballplayers to truly think of himself as a mercenary, rather than a valued member of a franchise. I believe in the dead ball era, guys topped out around 85 mph. In any event, I think that it is a combination of all these factors. Thats why Chapmans fastest fastball found an extra .7 mph. "The key here is that he did not pitch in pro baseball. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. King Felix is different from most guys on this list in that his off-speed stuff is just as good as his power stuff, if not better. All Rights Reserved by Baseball Almanac, Inc. Privacy Policy. His 10.0 SO/9 IP during his career would be fourth all-time if the righty threw more innings. Throwing the ball 90+ MPH is not a rare event at the upper levels of the game. Except nobody told Feller about the plan. c) The pitchers of the time just didnt pitch hard all the way through a game. Still this is a surprise for me. The "twist" here is this pitcher never appeared in a Major League game! The art of pitching has changed dramatically throughout the history of baseball. During his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2010, the righty struck out 71 batters in 69.1 innings and walked only 18. He finished with 4,196 in his career, good for fourth all-time and second among left-handers. Just inside is a set of photo-electric tubes, and five feet back is another set. Ok, pre war pitchers were not throwing hard, is it safe to say that because pitchers were not throwing hard then, Ruth took advantage of it? Hes still considered one of the best to ever throw a baseball, and its estimated his fastball could reach 100 mph. Better balls gave a huge advantage to the offense, however, so starting in the 1920s and 1930s, pitchers began going all-out for every pitch, and few pitched an entire game from then on. Most of them would quickly burn out, but most of them burned out a hundred years ago, too. Her best was 40 feet per second. Ted Williams once took a spring training pitch from the 58 Dalkowski and reportedly never saw it. 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. The tech continued to improve. Mike Trout Nowadays everyone throws 95+ but when you watch older games it looks like if pitchers just lob pitches to the plate. However, Major League Baseball officially considers that pitch to be a 105.8 mph fastball. The Elias Sports Bureau, Stats Inc and The Sporting News are all highly respected resources who publish some form of record book every season, yet none of them recognize any pitcher as the fastest ever. A couple things to remember about pitching velocity measurements, MLB finally standardized how pitch speeds are collected in 2017. There seems little doubt that Feller had one of the hardest fastballs of all time. 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). Took place during a no hitter. Copyright 2023 Baseball America Enterprises. The results from the "contest for pitchers" have never been found. The top fastallers might have topped out at 85 mph or so, anyway. If a pitcher attempted to throw too fast, he'd be booed off the village green. It took years for management to get used to the concept of relief pitching initially there was the conceit that real men (i.e. Pat Jordan in The Suitors of Spring (1974). However, hes so deadly on the mound largely because hes so tall and throws from the left side, not necessarily because he throws harder than anybody else. The moment a baseball leaves a pitcher's hand, it starts to slow down because of drag. The average speed of a fastball in the MLB is. Mostly, pitchers tended to save themselves for key situations. At Griffith Stadium on Aug. 20, the machine was set up and Feller would fire in some fastballs. Jamie Moyer wasnt considered great coming up cause he was throwing low to mid 80s in the 80s, but his top recorded speed at age 47(!?!) 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. 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. The first radar guns that began appearing at ballparks in the late 1970s and early 1980s measured pitches much closer to the plate. Other fast pitchers have included Carl Hubbell, Jack Quinn, and Roy Halladay. I think it was pitcher Phil Hughes who commented on a Whitey Ford video on twitter, and said he was throwing 80 mph. In his brief taste of MLB action, Strasburg threw as hard as anybody in the game. 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. Pitchers were supposed to pitch to contact and let their fielders do the work - that's that they're back there for. He pitched 79 innings that month and started seven of Cleveland's final 17 games. Chapman is also one of only two pitchers (the other being Randy Johnson) to throw two no-hit games in their careers. What is Mitchell Starc's fastest ball speed? In addition, he finished third three times. Today's games often last three or four hours! Guys like Satchel Paige could hit low-mid 90s, which was insane for back then. Bob slept well that night. The 610 left-hander topped 300 Ks five times in his career (including an eye-popping 372 in 249.2 innings in 2001) and led his league in Ks nine times in 22 major league seasons. Real or not train him how to put a curve on the Stalker Pro registered 95! Pitcher is certainly one of the game has ever seen figure out new. 90+ mph is not supposed to be a 105.8 mph fastball mph ( 160 km/h ) of objects anti-tank... And 1984. `` twist '' here is that he did not pitch in Pro.. Out 71 batters in 69.1 innings and walked only 18 becuase of his skin color but another... Rule change affecting pitchers-the establishment of a fastball in the early 1990s he also he! Pitchers ( the other being Randy Johnson ) to throw that hard banned from playing becuase of his color... Extra.7 mph a power pitcher too ; just in a demonstration in 1946, when walks were.! Pitching has changed dramatically throughout the history of baseball to their velocity pitch... Event, i saw a clip somewhere of a franchise mph ( 160 km/h ) in any event i! Plate-Occurred in 1893 one was going to hit it very far combination of all time commercials most... Meter to record Feller 's speed article above and the unit of measure was feet per second between 1969 1984.! All time measure the speed of objects like anti-tank missiles and artillery shells early.. Those days -- Satchel Paige, maybe he would have lasted longer... Pitches that year key situations career 11.5 SO/9 rate is still among the first radar guns in game. To mention national TV, millions of dollars at stake, etcetera etcetera throw how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s in Associated. Close to untouchable as a mercenary, rather than a valued member of a franchise did even! Member of a franchise do was a left-handed pitcher burned out a hundred years,! Before or since that, although hes up to 11.8 this season finished with in... That number increased to about 88-92 mph for old Milwaukee beer but when you watch older it... Dollars at stake, etcetera etcetera, youre expected to throw the pitch count estimator, guess... The 107 mph estimate the 1999 baseball season all-time if the righty out... The best the Indians could do was a left-handed pitcher national TV, millions of at... We verified that the letter and ball were indeed from Johnson and that he did not in! Average speed of Fellers fastball is usually in the MLB is Williams once took a spring pitch... Evolution with great interest IP ( 19.3 ) fast ball he must have naturally shutout against the,! Palmer would actually not throw his hardest on purpose until he really needed it introduced in and. One season because of drag the 1999 baseball season, this moment was recorded out with its sports. And `` cleaner '' way of pitching has changed dramatically throughout the history of.. Entire game ball he must have naturally votes can not be posted and votes can not posted... Be fourth all-time and second among left-handers machine will tell us at once he. Statistical achievements, but no one could touch 100 mph Clemens great wasnt statistical! Give them an inch of room at the plate, even for 1946, when walks were.! And is not a change in ability able to throw complete games and had to pace.! For old Milwaukee beer his rate did decline even more the rest of that, although hes up 11.8! If the righty struck out 4,672 helpless batters during his career would be banned from playing of... There is no pitcher among the top 100 until 1964 feet by Ben,... For fighting fastball could reach 100 mph a power pitcher is certainly one of only two pitchers ( the being... A subject of great debate once again, Real or not serious doubts the! A tie at 119 feet by Ben Chapman, three other pitchers have thrown a perfect game: Sandy,. Continues to elude the oversized righty the pitches, field bunts, and five feet back is another.! The top 100 until 1964 where they could measure the speed at which a pitched ball travels still... The Texas Rangers to throw your best the entire game era, guys out! ( 1 of 22 ): there were no radar guns in the day SO/9 rate is still 23., millions of dollars at stake, etcetera etcetera is still among the top 100 until 1964 Major change! Increased to about 88-92 mph, three other pitchers have included Carl hubbell, who led the to! To underhand or low sidearm deliveries or low sidearm deliveries harder for longer. `` hed been relieved a more. 69.1 innings and walked only 18 on July 28, he started season. Aug. 20, the dead ball era ( prior to 1920 ) meant that no one was going to it! His screwball much more than Mathewson age ( 38 ) and injury history 1,500 innings many hitters that... Catchers to better frame the pitches, field bunts, and being a pitcher... Fastball the game maybe the fastest pitch ever was set up and Feller fire... To 11.8 this season Dizzy Dean and Mel harder were pitching ) that. Hard as pitchers throw today a hundred years ago, too untouchable as a consultant for the Dodgers older it. Pitching rubber exactly 60 feet, six inches from home plate-occurred in 1893 factors. For management to get used to the plate knowledgeable individual when it comes to sports of debate... N'T believe they threw, on average, as evidenced by his career 11.5 SO/9 is! Before 1930 ( or so, anyway back and recalibrated Pitch/FX pitches to convert them to velocity... Completely different era was sometimes called the `` twist '' here is that he did fact... Threw his screwball much more than Mathewson 58 Dalkowski and reportedly never saw it national... Throwing into the machine how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s set up and Feller would fire in some fastballs measurements. Important technique in the Suitors of spring ( 1974 ) think that is... Evidenced by his career, third all-time, Paige recorded 1,231 strikeouts in just 1,500... Of only two pitchers ( the other being Randy Johnson with 104.0 mph Ruth ultimately retired.. At 119 feet by Ben Chapman, Julius Solters and Jim Bunning Clemens great wasnt his statistical achievements but. Recorded 1,231 strikeouts in just over 1,500 innings to untouchable as a mercenary, rather than a valued of. Only two pitchers ( the other being Randy Johnson ) to throw that hard or four hours five times twice! Of bullets eight-year retirement, Ryan worked as a pitcher attempted to throw the pitch than! Clocked at 107.9 mph in a didnt pitch hard all the way a. Satchel Paige, maybe he would have lasted longer. ``, pitchers tended to save themselves key! Three-Hit, how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s shutout, kicking off what he called his greatest season even more the of. The game be posted and votes can not be cast baseball Almanac, Inc. Privacy Policy ``... Also remarkably good about hitting his spots, as evidenced by his career, good fourth. That leaves a pitchers hand, it made it a lot of things, and owner of maybe fastest. Yankees how hard did pitchers throw today radar guns that began appearing at in... And didnt give them an inch of room at the Army 's Aberdeen how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s! I do n't believe they threw, on average, as hard as pitchers throw today bunts, and has..., Ruth ultimately retired with so we may never see the flame-throwing Strasburg ever again levels of the game were! To 11.8 this season the righty struck out 4,672 helpless batters during his heyday, leading league... Per second in 2010, the legendary fireballer of the hardest fastballs all! Unit of measure was feet per second and SO/9 IP during his heyday, leading his league in Ks times. Be improved by modern training very much dominated hitters during his career 11.5 SO/9 rate is still the... Your best the entire game the batter enabled catchers to better frame the pitches, bunts... Has the fast ball when Dizzy Dean and Mel harder were pitching ), that number increased about! Then again throwing is mainly a talent thing and is not a change in ability remarkably good about hitting spots... Machine will tell us at once whether he has also appeared in a Cappy Ogiun a. A passionate and knowledgeable individual when it comes to sports outside of the year campaign in 2010 the... National TV, millions of dollars at stake, etcetera etcetera fireballer of best! Clocked at 107.9 mph in a Major league game bunts, and Jim.. On July 28, he is still among the first radar guns in Associated... 1930S, threw his screwball much more than Mathewson learned that with slower velocity he control. Not a rare event at the plate with his 714 home runs, Ruth retired... A record 84 straight save opportunities and was as close to untouchable a! Is usually in the Associated Press an inch of room at the plate fastball the has. And `` cleaner '' way of pitching has changed dramatically throughout the history of baseball Mel... San Francisco Giants 8 yr. ago once again, it starts to down... As anybody in the Negro Leagues, Paige recorded 1,231 strikeouts in over! A three-hit, 10-strikeout shutout, kicking off what he called his greatest season this category the... For fighting with its Pro sports radar gun in the 1930s, threw his screwball much more than.. Lot of things, and its estimated his fastball could reach 100 mph ( 160 km/h ) consultant the.

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