Grover Cleveland Alexander

AlexanderAlexander was born in Elba, Nebraska, one of thirteen children. He played semi-pro ball in his youth, signing his first professional contract at age 20 in 1907 for $50 per month. He had a good first season, but his career was almost ended when he was struck by a thrown ball while baserunning. This incident set his career back, but he had recovered by 1910, become a star pitcher again, and was sold to the Philadelphia Phillies for $750.

Alexander made his Philadelphia debut during the pre-season 1911 City Series. Alexander pitched five-innings of no-hit, no-run baseball against the Athletics. He would make his official Major League debut on April 15, 1911. He would be joined on the Phillies that year by catcher Bill Killefer, who went on to become Alexander’s favorite receiver, catching in 250 of his games.

In his rookie year, Alexander led the league with 28 wins (a modern-day rookie record), 31 complete games, 367 innings pitched, and seven shutouts, while finishing second in strikeouts and fourth in ERA.From 1912 to 1920, Alexander led the league in ERA five times (1915, 1916, 1917, 1919, and 1920), wins five times (1914–17, 1920), innings six times (1912, 1914–17, 1920), strikeouts six times (1912, 1914–1917, 1920), complete games five times (1914–1917, 1920), and shutouts five times (1915, 1916 [a single-season record 16], 1917, 1919).[2] He won pitching’s Triple Crown in 1915, 1916, 1917 and 1920.In 1915, he was instrumental in leading the Phillies to their first pennant, and he also pitched a record four one-hitters.