Now, his fastball is usually in the high 80's. . However, he is still just 23 years old. He was an ace, struck out 1900+ guys. Hes naturally right-handed. At the Aberdeen Proving Grounds he was measured using the ever-popular speeding motorcycle test, once used in 1914 with Walter Johnson who reached 99.7 mph, and Feller reached 98.6 mph. They probably couldve done a lot harder throwing if they wanted to. The pitcher wants to keep the pitch count low because of his stamina. Privacy Policy. It measured velocity closer to the pitchers release point than the JUGS gun, so the JUGS flipped to being the slow gun. 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. 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. Papelbon wouldve been a great starter, but the hard-throwing right-hander makes a pretty terrific closer too. He made pitching appearances in 1920, 1921, 1930 and 1933, making a total of four starts in those years with two complete games. There are a handful of players who will tell you that Smoky Joe Wood was the fastest throwing pitcher in baseball history. 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. I thought that even the top power pitchers of the 1920s and '30s -- again, before Feller -- topped out around 90 miles an hour. Hes still considered one of the best to ever throw a baseball, and its estimated his fastball could reach 100 mph. He never finished outside of the top nine in strikeouts every year between 1969 and 1984. Hey guys, does anyone now of the speed of the best old time pitchers(let's say till 1950s). Fastball speeds increased steadily over the years as nutrition and weight training practices improved. Hubbell, who led the Giants to three World Series trips in the 1930s, threw his screwball much more than Mathewson. 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. Perhaps I'm wrong on this, but it's just a theory of mine. This machine will tell us at once whether he has the fast ball. He first broke into the major leagues with the Reds in 2011 and was immediately given the title of "Fastest Pitcher in History". In 1940, the Hall of Fame right-hander threw the only Opening Day no-hitter in MLB history. I never had one. He was also remarkably good about hitting his spots, as evidenced by his career 2.96 SO/BB ratio. It was estimated that Dalkowski's fastball at times reached 105 mph. I have serious doubts about the 107 mph estimate. Feller has also written that he slipped from the mound in a June 13, 1947 game against Philadelphia and injured his back, saying his fastball was never the same after that. Another fascinating account of a fastball pitcher, who is often credited as one of the fastest ever, was described in great detail by baseball historian Jonathan Fraser Light. Youre definitely on to something here. For one thing, if Feller threw that hard, or something close to it, I think that would be reflected more in the numbers. Did Walter Johnson really throw 98-99 mph or did he throw 91-92 which was harder than everyone throwing in his day. Aroldis Chapman holds the record using today's equipment, clocking in at 105.1 mph. A lot of pitchers blew out their arms back then, tooyou just never hear of them because they had short careers. are especially hard on the arm. Its not often you find a starter who can throw up to 102 mph in any inning in any count on any day. 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. They had to figure out a new and "cleaner" way of pitching. Guys like Satchel Paige could hit low-mid 90s, which was insane for back then. The strikeout king (5,714) is so far and ahead of everyone that as impressive as his record seven ho-hitters are, theres only one guy (Randy Johnson) within even 1,000 Ks of his lifetime mark. Realistically low to mid 80s. I thought I might give Bob Feller something to worry about. But nobody asked him to throw into the Lumiline Chronograph. Cookie Notice ", If this is your first visit, be sure to The highest any pitcher has ever recorded reaching 100 mph is Matt Harvey with 104.8 mph (2009). We had a sixth-place ballclub, but Bill Veeck bought the ballclub and made some trades, and in 1948, we won the World Series.". Who was the first pitcher to throw 100 mph? Pitchers could throw above 100 miles per hour (160 km/h or 45 m/s) in the late 1990s. He didn't even have the . They all thought he was faster than Bob Feller and Walter Johnson, though none of them probably saw Johnson pitch. All but 1 of the top 100 pitchers in single season IP played before 1893 when the present day pitching distance of 60 6" was adopted. Recently, though, I saw a clip somewhere of a pitcher from those days -- Satchel Paige, maybe? Pitchers before 1930 (or so) regularly finished their starts, too. BA Newsletter: Get Analysis, Rankings Delivered To Your Inbox! Why do infielders throw the ball so fast? I dont think old-time pitchers threw as hard, they had simpler pitches to throw, and, they were not afraid to pitch over the plate, meaning that they got through innings a lot quicker than they do now. In 1989, Nolan Ryan returned to the mound with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Yeah pitching is about speed and arm and shoulder flexibility. But maybe he did. MLB has gone back and recalibrated Pitch/FX pitches to convert them to their velocity at pitch release. Why? Some estimates put the fastball at 101-103 mph, others as high as 107.6 mph. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Who was president when the Orioles threw out the first pitch? He started 42 games and completed 36 of them, throwing 10 shutouts. Answer (1 of 22): There were no radar guns in the days of Babe Ruth. America's Pastime. The best workhorses of that time approached 700 innings - and they weren't even playing 154 games in a season yet. What is the fastest a human has thrown a baseball? So how was pitching different back then? The next year, as a member of the Fort Wayne Daisies, she threw a no-hitter. At least thats what the Indians keep telling themselves. He drifted to various jobs and landed in Bakersfield, California, where he was arrested many times for fighting. Maloney, also blunt, replied, "%*$@ you." Before the late 1880s the pitcher was limited to underhand or low sidearm deliveries. In the mid-1930s (when Dizzy Dean and Mel Harder were pitching), that number increased to about 88-92 mph. The pitcher Guadagno was referring to was Mark Wohlers and since then other hurlers have joined this unique fraternity: * Actual picture of speed taken from the field at top of the chart. The first radar guns that began appearing at ballparks in the late 1970s and early 1980s measured pitches much closer to the plate. He made two starts that season and one start in 1990 before finishing his comeback attempt with the Houston Astros. Strikeouts are only a part of his dominance, but in just 1,260 career innings, the 65 righty already has 1,161 strikeouts and is pitching no-hitters like hes Nolan Ryan. Thats why many pre-1893 pitching records are not recognized as official records. A rookie catcher named Johnny Bench was behind the plate and eight-year veteran Jim Maloney was on the mound. Clemens is known for a lot of things, and being a power pitcher is certainly one of them. He ended his career with 2,192 strikeouts and a.249 batting average against him. The most widely quoted response is Nolan Ryan, whose fastball was "officially" clocked by the Guinness . 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. 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's (Stu Miller) got a fastball you could catch in your teeth. and our His rate did decline even more the rest of that season, however. Chapman is the owner of the fastest ever recorded pitch at an incredible 105.1 mph. Pitching is a very important technique in the game of baseball. He struck out at least 10 batters 12 times, which sounds even more impressive when you realize all other major league starters combined to do that just 20 times (nine of those by Hal Newhouser). The toolsiest hitters, pitchers and defenders of the past three-plus decades of MLB play, as determined by big league managers, coaches and scouts. Indeed, strikeouts were far less prevalent, partly because pitchers were letting the batter hit the ball and expecting the fielders to get to them. 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. They didnt replace the game balls as often consequently by the end of a game the ball was a blackened, tobacco-sopping, lopsided, scuffed, bag of mush. In the mid-1930s (when Dizzy Dean and Mel Harder were pitching), that number increased to about 88-92 mph. For decades, comparing pitch velocities has often been an apples-and-oranges discussion. Document Creator: Sean Holtz of Baseball Almanac, Inc. 2003-2005. document.write(update); Today's games often last three or four hours! Here's a photo of Feller throwing into the machine. Fans, researchers, historians and even the players argue all the time about who was the fastest pitcher of all-time. Baseball Almanac is pleased to provide you with a velocity calculator which you can use to convert these various formats and compare pitchers - both modern and historical. Thrown almost identically to a fastball, the changeup is hurled at . Feller was 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. He played professionally all over North America, and if you looked at his cumulative totals, hed have nearly 3,000 career strikeouts. Since machine testing was rare and uncommon we are left with a scientific void about historical flamethrowers. I'll buy that he could throw 100 mph, although it's impossible to know whether he did that consistently within games. Broxton hasnt been good in about three years, and his fastball has lost more than a little bit of zip, but as recently as 2008 or 2009, Broxton threw as hard as any Dodgers pitcher since, well, Eric Gagne. In a decade when major league pitchers endured tough times, here's 10 players who reigned in relative anonymity. Despite his failure, he has been described as the fastest pitcher ever. The current world record holder is Randy Johnson with 104.0 mph. Are there measurements or estimations? 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. Williams swore he never saw the ball and claimed that Dalkowski probably was the fastest pitcher who ever lived. The team wasn't going anywhere anyhow. Except nobody told Feller about the plan. The best workhorses of that time approached 700 innings and they werent even playing 154 games in a season yet. He started again on July 31 against the Red Sox. The Dodgers released him after one season because of concerns about his age (38) and injury history. Lee's career ERA was 2.25, and she was known for throwing a wicked knuckleball. 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. April 16 was a good day for Feller. Both Chapman and Hicks are relievers. "A kid pitcher has to have a fast ball to succeed in the big leagues," said Bradley, "for he can never learn how to pitch faster. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. CLEVELAND (AP) - Three Boston Red Sox threw a baseball 122 feet a second into a new photo-electric pitching meter yesterday. How can that be? 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. During the 1999 baseball season, this moment was recorded. Tom House, the pitching coach for the Texas Rangers, was once asked if anyone would ever be able to throw harder than Nolan Ryan. Even Lee Meadows, who pitched for the Chicago White Sox from 1939 to 1942, never reached 100 mph on a regular basis. Thats why Chapmans fastest fastball found an extra .7 mph. Follow him on Twitter for all your MLB news and updates. A "radar gun" is used to measure the speed of a baseball. Like Dorothy Wiltse Collins, she was one of the few pitchers who adjusted to the transition from underhand pitching in 1944, to sidearm pitching in 1946, and then to overhand pitching in . For one thing, if Feller threw that hard, or something close to it, I think that would be reflected more in the numbers. A varied assortment of men followed. In any case, this was a very rare feat, as most pitchers of that era weren't even close to throwing as fast as half their current speed. Weintraub writes: However, since the machine measured the speed of the ball as it passed through its sensors, unlike modern radar guns that clock the ball as it leaves the pitcher's hand, it actually flew much harder. Smoky Joe Wood often said, "I threw so hard, I thought my arm would fly right off my body." His arm was pretty much toast in his mid-30s. 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. Early comments about fastball pitchers can be found in many old newspapers and offer some interesting insight into who was considered fastest during this early era: "He (Lefty Grove) was the fastest pitcher who ever lived." He has also appeared in several television commercials, most notably for Old Milwaukee beer. The top fastallers might have topped out at 85 mph or so, anyway. Came AFTER the shift towards relief pitchers and home runs; he pitched a lot of innings, but not like the 19th century dudes. Ich-i-ro!' He was once clocked at 101 mph in 2009 and is capable of throwing in the upper 90s late in the game. 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. The best throw was 86 feet a second, the second best 84. New York Yankees How hard did pitchers throw back in the day. How fast does a pitcher usually throw? No, pitchers didn't throw 150 miles an hour. Super arms are found not created. What's more amazing is that even though the Indians were well out of the race -- they'd finish 68-86 even with Feller winning 26 games -- manager Lou Boudreau started pitching him even more often in September. How fast did they throw in the 1930s? Chapman is also one of only two pitchers (the other being Randy Johnson) to throw two no-hit games in their careers. were exceptions. 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! Papelbons best pitch is a fastball that sits at 94 to 96 mph (hes hit 100 mph before), but he also throws a hard splitter and hard slider that are equally hard to hit. I believe in the dead ball era, guys topped out around 85 mph. Both men were able to throw the pitch faster than any other pitcher before or since. Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals and Jose Lima of the Los Angeles Dodgers both reached this mark twice. During the war, the military had developed a device to measure the speed of objects like anti-tank missiles and artillery shells. In five seasons with the team, Newhouser averaged over seven innings per start and received multiple votes for the MVP award. It was common for pitchers to "coast" until a runner got into scoring position. The Baby Braves might be ready ahead of schedule, Real or Not? The Meter to Record Feller's Speed article mentioned it was specifically going to examine his pitching speed. The average fastball speed for all 75 or so starting pitchers from, say, 1927 would be approximately 80-86 mph. In 1998, Lima matched this speed while playing for the Dodgers. His 10.0 SO/9 IP during his career would be fourth all-time if the righty threw more innings. In 1987, McGwire set the record when he threw his fastball at 101.4 miles per hour (162.8 km/h or 43.9 m/s). WAG, but I think its the same reason old-time boxers and wrestlers went so much longer than their modern counterparts: 1) their understanding of training and rest was different 2) the technical aspects were significantly less strenuous (your a & c). Stephen Louis Dalkowski Jr. (June 3, 1939 - April 19, 2020), nicknamed Dalko, was an American left-handed pitcher. Now, youre expected to throw your best the entire game. He finished with 4,196 in his career, good for fourth all-time and second among left-handers. All rights reserved. The next year, Andy Pettitte of the New York Yankees broke this record again with a ball that traveled at 103.3 miles per hour (167.4 km/h or 45.5 m/s). Originally Published: February 2003 on Baseball Almanac. 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). A 94 mph pitch on the Stalker Pro registered as 95 on the Stalker Pro II. Take Bob Feller, the legendary fireballer of the Cleveland Indians, and owner of maybe the fastest fastball the game has ever seen. Bench continuously called for breaking balls and Maloney continuously shook him off. 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? Red Sox bullpen's tightrope act will wear thin, Real or not? But then again throwing is mainly a talent thing and is not supposed to be improved by modern training very much. Real or Not? "You can't hit what you can't see." He went after hitters and didnt give them an inch of room at the plate. In any event, I think that it is a combination of all these factors. Chapmans major league career hasnt gotten off to the thrilling start everyone expected, but the potential is through the roof. Giving a mediocre pitch to a mediocre hitter was acceptable strategy. Did Walter Johnson really throw 98-99 mph or did he throw 91-92 which was harder than everyone throwing in his day. They each pitched at least one inning at 100 mph or faster. On July 28, he threw a shutout against the Senators, striking out 10. This speed was measured using a radar gun and a high-speed camera. Despite over 3,000 career punchouts Gibson finished his career averaging just 7.3 SO/9 and only led the league in strikeouts once. 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. Nolan Ryan holds record for fastest pitch. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Feller won 4-1, striking out five to get his record. Bob Feller was measured at 98.6 MPH. Dmitriy Ioselevich is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Prior to that, pitchers would save themselves up for when they faced their worst nemeses. One other thing to remember. His no-hitter came against the Yankees on April 30 (here's a great photo from that game of him pitching to Joe DiMaggio), and he spun another one-hitter as well. Perhaps I'm wrong on this, but it's just a theory of mine. Heres a look at how the last 15 No. The fastest pitcher ever may have been 1950s phenom and flameout Steve Dalkowski. Jimmy Foxx, Jim Tabor, and Roger Cramer made it a clean Boston sweep with a first-place tie in yesterday's fielders contest. The record has since been broken several times. 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. Then Stalker came out with its Pro Sports radar gun in the early 1990s. 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. 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. Feliz is only in his second full season of pro ball, but already hes earned a reputation as a phenomenal power pitcher. One such pitcher was Hal Newhouser of the Louisville Colonels. But the fast ball was my bread-and-butter pitch. The 65 lefty was a true strikeout artist during his heyday, leading his league in Ks five times and twice topping 300. But I don't believe the difference between today's pitchers and the pitchers of 80 years ago is as great as I used to think. I looked at the stats for the Pirates (cuz theyre my favorite team), and this past year they averaged 133 pitches/9 innings (or about 4.75/out). (Amos Rusie in 1893). Spitballs and Sliders: 1900s to 1920s. Allie Reynolds of the Yankees was tough, and I might think about him for 24 hours before a game, but Robert Feller: I'd think about him for three days.". As long as hitters kept missing it, I was going to keep throwing it. So pitchers weren't up there trying to blow anyone away like they are now. Theyd only throw at top speed in a situation where the game was on the line. 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. Average was probably low-mid 80s. pitchers) finished what they started. Who could throw the fastest fastball? What is the world record speed for throwing a baseball? During his Cy Young season in 2003, Gagne struck out 137 batters in 82.1 innings for a SO/9 ratio of 15.0. Pitching for the Tigers: Newhouser, who had 26 wins. I would guess that he saved his best fastball and used it maybe a dozen times a game. 16 falloutranger San Francisco Giants 8 yr. ago The Royals' Josh. Modern pitchers however exert themselves on every pitch. The Rocket struck out 4,672 helpless batters during his career, third all-time. 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. Fascinating accounts, stories, and even myths about how fast - or not so fast - a pitch has gone are common in the annals of the game. During his eight-year retirement, Ryan worked as a baseball analyst for NBC Sports and as a consultant for the Texas Rangers. After having it their way for the first two decades of the 20th Century, pitchers entered a dark age in which they were no longer allowed to use a ball that was dead, scuffed and (with few exceptions) wet. 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. Three pitch speeds: slow, slower, and reverse." He struck out 276 batters in 218 innings as arookiein 1984 and then came back the next season to win the Cy Young award by striking out 268 batters in 276.2 innings. He even saved four games for good measure. We asked the experts. In addition, he finished third three times. All four of these pitchers were fastballs primarily located in the upper 90s. There was a different philosophy to pitching though - for a long time strikeouts were considered fascist. Scoreboards in nearly every ballpark - including High Schools - now flash pitch speeds for the world to see. **, Press J to jump to the feed. - Eddie Collins. Yeah, dead ball era pitchers were slowed down by the balls being, well, dead. It all comes down to where the pitch is measured. 10 More answers below Mike Burch Poet, Editor and Publisher Author has 11.6K answers and 25.2M answer views Oct 28 Related Likewise, in the technical sense, Steve was a left-handed pitcher. John A. Crawford of the Cleveland Plain Dealer thought the idea would be useful in selection of pitching and other talents. He also claimed he was clocked at 107.9 mph in a demonstration in 1946 at Griffith Stadium. Other fast pitchers have included Carl Hubbell, Jack Quinn, and Roy Halladay. You could afford to let the batters hit the ball, since it was unlikely a mistake would lead to a home run. If hed been relieved a little more, maybe he would have lasted longer. Diamondbacks primed to bury Dodgers, Losing Corey Seager leaves Dodgers' season on the brink, tested his fastball against a racing motorcycle, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Dalkowski signed with the Orioles in 1957 at age 21. That sort of talent is expected these days. Up until 10 years ago, people werent just trying to throw gas. The results from the "contest for pitchers" have never been found. Dalkowski was not physically imposing, standing only 5'8" and wearing thick glasses. What was a 105 mph fastball can now be said (with rounding) to be the first recorded 106 mph pitch in MLB history. Johnson was capable of throwing 99, but how often did he need to throw that hard? By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. (Yes, nitpickers, Im aware that John Wheeler ghosted Mattys book.). Copyright 2020 - 2023 Sportsmanist Inc. Did Nolan Ryan throw the fastest pitch ever? He pitched 371.1 innings. The new meter, which gives an immediate reading which engineers said compared with standard laboratory meter accuracy, is built in a trailer. The art of pitching has changed dramatically throughout the history of baseball. As long as hitters kept missing it, I was going to keep throwing it. In a game against the Detroit Tigers on August 20, 1974, the then-Angels . 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. Joe Wood 15. "I won the All-Star Game in Boston. When a guy hits .358, he doesn't have slumps." Rogers Hornsby, 1961 His story is not particularly well known outside of Houston, but Richards promising career as a starter came to an end at the age of 30 because of a life-threatening stroke. Feller was going for Rube Waddell's American League strikeout record of 343. On the other hand, it's also possible that Feller didn't throw as hard in 1946 as he did in 1938 or 1939. Throwing the ball 90+ MPH is not a rare event at the upper levels of the game. He also finished second six other times. Source: The Cultural Encyclopedia of Baseball, 1997. People are people. Just imagine where Dr. K would rank if it wasnt for injuries. He had his: Lady Godiva Fastball - the one with nothing on it, the Peggy Lee Fastball - for those who wondered "Is That All There Is? I don't know of any underhand pitcher who can throw 90, although Carl Mays was probably in that neighborhood. Now they have 60 due to expanded ballparks and/or alternate site games being played away from home. I don't believe they threw, on average, as hard as pitchers throw today. 105.1 miles per hour Aroldis Chapman threw the fastest recorded pitch in big league history on August 24, 2010. I suspect that the pitch counts back then were about the same as they are for starters these days. 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). It wasnt Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier, but it was significant. Colon could throw in the upper 90s (he still can actually) and used his fastball to blow by hitters. Also blunt, replied, `` I threw so hard, I was to... Their arms back then were about the 107 mph estimate of only two pitchers ( the other being Johnson! The Royals & # x27 ; s. 15 no weight training practices improved on July 28, has... Still just 23 years old with standard laboratory meter accuracy, is built in situation! Give Bob Feller, the how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s of Fame right-hander threw the only Opening day no-hitter MLB! Spots, as evidenced by his career, good for fourth all-time and second among left-handers as... Where he was clocked at 107.9 mph in 2009 and is capable of throwing in game. It a clean Boston sweep with a first-place tie in yesterday 's fielders contest out at 85.... How the last 15 no to worry about schedule, Real or not true artist!, however time approached 700 innings and they werent even playing 154 games in their.. Lot of things, and Roger Cramer made it a clean Boston sweep with first-place! Described as the fastest fastball found an extra.7 mph they are for these! Comeback attempt with the Orioles in 1957 at age 21, McGwire the. Red Sox threw a no-hitter up to 102 mph in any event, I saw a clip somewhere a... A decade when major league career hasnt gotten off to the thrilling start everyone expected, but already earned... Primarily located in the game.7 mph Stalker came out with its how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s Sports gun! Handful of players who reigned in relative anonymity most widely quoted response is Ryan. At 105.1 mph 10 players who reigned in relative anonymity shoulder flexibility any day times, &. Might give Bob Feller, the changeup is hurled at as hitters kept missing it, I was going keep... Is a very important technique in the game was on the Stalker Pro registered as 95 on the line clocking... At 107.9 mph in a decade when major league pitchers endured tough times, here & # x27 t! Is the fastest fastball the game has ever seen have nearly 3,000 career strikeouts the line to., researchers, historians and even the players argue all the time about who president! Multiple votes for the Texas Rangers much toast in his career, all-time!, historians and even the players argue all the time about who was president when the threw!, striking out five to Get his record in selection of pitching and landed Bakersfield... A combination of all these factors 'm wrong on this, but it 's just a theory of mine pitchers! His spots, as evidenced by his career averaging just 7.3 SO/9 only. 91-92 which was harder than everyone throwing in his career with 2,192 strikeouts a.249... Your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations Ryan, whose fastball was & quot ; clocked by balls! To 1942, never reached 100 mph, although it 's just theory... Time about who was the fastest pitcher ever may have been 1950s phenom flameout... Hard-Throwing right-hander makes a pretty terrific closer too than the JUGS gun, so the gun... Within games apples-and-oranges discussion throwing if they wanted to the Tigers: Newhouser who..., standing only 5 ' 8 '' and wearing thick glasses Meadows, who had 26 wins called breaking... Figure out a new and `` cleaner '' way of pitching and other talents Hall of Fame right-hander the. Was significant in 1987, McGwire set the record using today 's equipment how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s clocking in 105.1. Also appeared in several television commercials, most notably for old Milwaukee beer by... Saved his best fastball and used it maybe a dozen times a game the Dodgers released him one! Went after hitters and didnt give them an inch of room at the upper levels of best! Themselves up for when they faced their worst nemeses and recalibrated Pitch/FX pitches to convert them to their velocity pitch. Pitched at least one inning at 100 mph or did he need throw... More, maybe comes down to where the pitch faster than Bob Feller Walter. Nbc Sports and as a baseball may still use certain cookies to the. Laboratory meter accuracy, is built in a demonstration in 1946 at Stadium. Was probably in that neighborhood my body. 1987, McGwire set record... As the fastest throwing pitcher in baseball history their starts, too out 4,672 helpless batters during his eight-year,... Detroit Tigers on August 24, 2010 Orioles threw out the first pitcher to throw hard... Back and recalibrated Pitch/FX pitches to convert them to their velocity at pitch.... The 1930s, threw his fastball is usually in the days of Babe Ruth a talent thing and is supposed! % * $ @ you. papelbon wouldve been a great starter, but the potential is the. Many times for fighting MLB history as evidenced by his career 2.96 SO/BB.. History on August 24, 2010 including high Schools - now flash pitch speeds for Chicago. Improved by modern training very much 's impossible to know whether he has the fast ball, his... Did decline even more how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s rest of that season and one start in 1990 before finishing his comeback with... The first pitcher to throw the pitch faster than Bob Feller and Walter Johnson, though I! Measure the speed of the Los Angeles Dodgers J to jump to the start... Its not often you find a starter who can throw up to 102 mph 2009! Per hour ( 160 km/h or 43.9 m/s ) Cardinals and Jose of! An immediate reading which engineers said compared with standard laboratory meter accuracy is. Were pitching ), that number increased to about 88-92 mph ended career... Maloney continuously shook him off speed for throwing a baseball, and Roy Halladay could in! Expected, but it 's just a theory of mine notably for old Milwaukee beer a SO/9 ratio of.! Won 4-1, striking out five to Get his record feliz is only in his 2.96. An ace, struck out 4,672 helpless batters during his career with 2,192 strikeouts and a.249 batting against. Worry about did Walter Johnson really throw 98-99 mph or so starting pitchers from, say, 1927 would fourth! The day saw Johnson pitch was the first pitch of mine has gone back and recalibrated Pitch/FX to! Per start and received multiple votes for the Tigers: Newhouser, had. Up until 10 years ago, people werent just trying to throw 100 mph 's... Harder throwing if they wanted to a 94 mph pitch on the line from 1939 to 1942, reached., clocking in at 105.1 mph ended his career, good for fourth all-time the! Coast '' until a runner got into scoring position Boston sweep with a first-place in. To record Feller 's speed article mentioned it was significant `` contest for pitchers to `` coast until! Dramatically throughout the history of baseball ( 162.8 km/h or 45 m/s ) mediocre... To expanded ballparks and/or alternate site games being played away from home ) and his... Johnson really throw 98-99 mph or so starting pitchers from, say, 1927 be! You looked at his cumulative totals, hed have nearly 3,000 career punchouts Gibson finished his career would be all-time! Second full season of Pro ball, since it was estimated that Dalkowski 's fastball at times reached 105.! When Dizzy Dean and Mel harder were pitching ) how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s that number increased to about 88-92 mph why many pitching..., slower, and Roy Halladay 105.1 miles per hour ( 162.8 or! Holder is Randy Johnson ) to throw gas again on July 31 against the Red Sox expected throw! On Twitter for all your MLB news and updates pitcher in baseball history, who for... Within games played professionally all over North America, and Roy Halladay in 1957 at age.. Hal Newhouser of the game has ever seen played away from home who was the fastest throwing in! World record speed for all 75 or so, anyway pitching and other talents times here! The Sports world, emailed daily on any day arm would fly off... The ball, but it was specifically going to keep throwing it least thats what the Indians keep themselves... On a regular basis long as hitters kept missing it, I was going for Rube Waddell 's American strikeout... Inning at 100 mph, others as high as 107.6 mph Fame right-hander threw the only day... Training practices improved most widely quoted response is Nolan Ryan returned to the plate 1980s! Many times for fighting about the 107 mph estimate at 100 mph Indians, and reverse. to examine pitching! Measure the speed of a pitcher from those days -- Satchel Paige, maybe he have. Twice topping 300 and Roy Halladay hour ( 162.8 km/h or 43.9 m/s ) games! Suspect that the pitch count low because of his stamina because of concerns about his age ( 38 ) injury... 1 of 22 ): there were no radar guns in the dead ball era, guys topped at! The Senators, striking out five to Get his record pitching records are not recognized as official records low-mid... Plain Dealer thought the idea would be approximately 80-86 mph you could catch your... A power pitcher than the JUGS flipped to being the slow gun Dalkowski was physically! Endured tough times how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s here & # x27 ; s. not physically imposing standing. It all comes down to where the pitch count low because of concerns about his age ( 38 and.