In 1908 Ed Walsh, Won An Astounding 40 Games & Requested A Salary Raise To $7,500 For 1909
White Sox Owner Charles Comiskey Instead Offered To Reduce Walsh’s Salary
Walsh Then Held Out…And Lost
The Battle That Never Ends
Mordecai (Three Finger) Brown (left), Chicago Cubs pitcher just after the turn of the century; Urban (Red) Faber (center), former Chicago White Sox Spitballer, and Ed Walsh big moose of White Sox hurling fame before World War I, discuss curve versus spitball at Diamond Jubilee dinner of The Old Time Players’ Association at Chicago, IL, Feb. 3. – Associated Press Photo 2/4/1944
For six seasons Ed Walsh was one of the best pitchers in baseball. Today his name is rarely mentioned among the early pitching greats such as Cy Young, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson and Pete Alexander.
Walsh’s greatness was recognized by his peers however and he was the guest of honor at the 1944 Old Time Players’ Association Dinner. As can be seen in the above press photo Walsh was glad to see old teammates and former rivals.
Ed Walsh photo Charles Conlon
From 1907 -1912, Walsh won a total of 178 games. In 1908, Walsh pitched 464 innings in 66 games, winning 40 while posting a minuscule 1.42 ERA. As the White Sox battled for the pennant down to the last week of the season, Walsh pitched in an incredible seven of the last nine games of the season.
On September 29, Walsh pitched two complete games beating the Boston Red Sox in a doubleheader by scores of 5-1 and 2-0. Continue reading →
Baltimore, MD, Sept. 24 – KALINE GETS HIT NO. 3,000 — Al Kaline swings at the first pitch in the fourth inning and lashes a double to right field for the 3,000th hit of his major league career. The hit came off Baltimore pitcher Dave McNally and enabled Kaline to become the 12th player in major league history to reach the 3,000 hit plateau. He was the first American Leaguer to reach that mark since 1925. credit AP Wirephoto, September 29, 1974
