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Rube Vickers
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Rube Vickers
Harry Porter "Rube" Vickers (May 17, 1879 – December 9, 1958) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for the Brooklyn Superbas, Cincinnati Reds, and Philadelphia Athletics during the early 20th century. He holds numerous Pacific Coast League single-season pitching records, as well as the modern-era National League record for most passed balls in a game as a catcher.
Vickers started his career in organized professional baseball in 1900, when he played for the Toledo Mud Hens and the New Castle Quakers of the Interstate League. Two years later, he appeared as a pitcher for the Rock Island Islanders and the Terre Haute Hottentots of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League.
Near the end of the 1902 season, Vickers started three games for the Cincinnati Reds, each resulting in a complete game loss. He struck out six and walked eight, and posted a 6.00 earned run average (ERA) in 21 innings pitched.
Cincinnati's last game of 1902 was scheduled for October 4 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, who had clinched the National League pennant. Although the weather was rainy and the field was muddy and wet, Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss insisted on playing the game, wanting his team to set a record by winning 103 games. In protest, Reds manager Joe Kelley submitted a lineup card with his players out of position, including Rube Vickers at catcher. Vickers caught two innings, during which he set the single-game modern-era MLB record for passed balls with six, a mark which has since been tied but not surpassed. He was replaced after two innings by Heinie Peitz, an actual catcher, but the Pirates had taken a 7–1 lead and went on to win the game.
On February 17, 1903, the Reds sold Vickers to the Brooklyn Superbas. He appeared in 5 games for Brooklyn, four as a pitcher and one as a center fielder, and had a 10.93 ERA in 14 innings.
While not playing for the Superbas in 1903, Vickers pitched for the Holyoke Paperweights of the Connecticut League, with whom he threw 287 innings and had a 22–10 win–loss record. He pitched for the Paperweights again in 1904, and recorded 17 wins and 10 losses in 239 innings.
Vickers began the 1905 season with Holyoke as well, and went 11–7 in 171 innings for the Paperweights. However, he also played for a team that represented the independent Northern New York League in Burlington, Vermont, which earned him the nickname "Kangaroo" (for what fans considered "contract jumping"). Midway through the season, he was acquired by the Seattle Siwashes of the Pacific Coast League (PCL). In his first year with Seattle, Vickers posted a 12–6 win–loss record and a 1.83 ERA in 1572⁄3 innings.
Vickers played the entire 1906 season with the Siwashes, during which he set several Pacific Coast League records. He pitched in a record 64 games, during which he threw over 500 innings, which is both a PCL record and the highest total for any pitcher in organized baseball in the modern era. Vickers' win–loss record was 39–20; his 39 victories led the league and are tied with Doc Newton for the PCL record. He struck out over 400 batters, which led the league and set another PCL record. In addition, Vickers led the league with 11 shutouts.
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Rube Vickers
Harry Porter "Rube" Vickers (May 17, 1879 – December 9, 1958) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for the Brooklyn Superbas, Cincinnati Reds, and Philadelphia Athletics during the early 20th century. He holds numerous Pacific Coast League single-season pitching records, as well as the modern-era National League record for most passed balls in a game as a catcher.
Vickers started his career in organized professional baseball in 1900, when he played for the Toledo Mud Hens and the New Castle Quakers of the Interstate League. Two years later, he appeared as a pitcher for the Rock Island Islanders and the Terre Haute Hottentots of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League.
Near the end of the 1902 season, Vickers started three games for the Cincinnati Reds, each resulting in a complete game loss. He struck out six and walked eight, and posted a 6.00 earned run average (ERA) in 21 innings pitched.
Cincinnati's last game of 1902 was scheduled for October 4 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, who had clinched the National League pennant. Although the weather was rainy and the field was muddy and wet, Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss insisted on playing the game, wanting his team to set a record by winning 103 games. In protest, Reds manager Joe Kelley submitted a lineup card with his players out of position, including Rube Vickers at catcher. Vickers caught two innings, during which he set the single-game modern-era MLB record for passed balls with six, a mark which has since been tied but not surpassed. He was replaced after two innings by Heinie Peitz, an actual catcher, but the Pirates had taken a 7–1 lead and went on to win the game.
On February 17, 1903, the Reds sold Vickers to the Brooklyn Superbas. He appeared in 5 games for Brooklyn, four as a pitcher and one as a center fielder, and had a 10.93 ERA in 14 innings.
While not playing for the Superbas in 1903, Vickers pitched for the Holyoke Paperweights of the Connecticut League, with whom he threw 287 innings and had a 22–10 win–loss record. He pitched for the Paperweights again in 1904, and recorded 17 wins and 10 losses in 239 innings.
Vickers began the 1905 season with Holyoke as well, and went 11–7 in 171 innings for the Paperweights. However, he also played for a team that represented the independent Northern New York League in Burlington, Vermont, which earned him the nickname "Kangaroo" (for what fans considered "contract jumping"). Midway through the season, he was acquired by the Seattle Siwashes of the Pacific Coast League (PCL). In his first year with Seattle, Vickers posted a 12–6 win–loss record and a 1.83 ERA in 1572⁄3 innings.
Vickers played the entire 1906 season with the Siwashes, during which he set several Pacific Coast League records. He pitched in a record 64 games, during which he threw over 500 innings, which is both a PCL record and the highest total for any pitcher in organized baseball in the modern era. Vickers' win–loss record was 39–20; his 39 victories led the league and are tied with Doc Newton for the PCL record. He struck out over 400 batters, which led the league and set another PCL record. In addition, Vickers led the league with 11 shutouts.