Leslie Ambrose "Bullet Joe" Bush (November 27, 1892 – November 1, 1974) was an American

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

with the Philadelphia Athletics,

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...

St. Louis Browns The St. Louis Browns were a Major League Baseball team that originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the Milwaukee Brewers. A charter member of the American League (AL), the Brewers moved to St. Louis, Missouri, after the 1901 season, where they p ...

, Washington Senators, Pittsburgh Pirates, and New York Giants between 1912 and 1928. Bush batted and threw right-handed. He is credited with having developed the

forkball The forkball is a type of pitch in baseball. Related to the split-finger fastball, the forkball is held between the first two fingers and thrown hard, snapping the wrist. The forkball differs from the split-fingered fastball, however, in th ...

pitch.

Career

Bush helped the Athletics win the 1913 World Series and the 1914

American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...

pennant, the Red Sox win the

1918 World Series The 1918 World Series was the championship series in Major League Baseball for the 1918 season. The 15th edition of the World Series, it matched the American League champion Boston Red Sox against the National League champion Chicago Cubs. The ...

, the Yankees win the 1922 AL pennant and 1923 World Series, and the Pirates win the 1927

National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...

pennant. Bush led the American League in losses (24) in 1916, walks allowed (109) in 1924, and wild pitches in 1916 (15), 1923 (12), and 1924 (7). While with the Athletics in 1916, when he led the league in losses, he won 15 games; the entire team won only 36 during what was then a Major League-worst 36-117 (.235 won-loss percentage) season. This was 41.7% of the team's total wins. On August 26 of that season, Bush no-hit the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive Fi ...

5-0 at

Shibe Park Shibe Park, known later as Connie Mack Stadium, was a ballpark located in Philadelphia. It was the home of the Philadelphia Athletics of the American League (AL) and the Philadelphia Phillies of the National League (NL). When it opened April 12, 1 ...

; a first inning, leadoff walk to

Jack Graney John Gladstone Graney (June 10, 1886 – April 20, 1978) was a Canadian professional baseball left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball for 14 seasons, all with the Cleveland Indians franchise. In his 1402-game career, Graney batted .250 (1 ...

was the only baserunner that kept him from a

perfect game Perfect game may refer to: Sports * Perfect game (baseball), a complete-game win by a pitcher allowing no baserunners * Perfect game (bowling), a 300 game, 12 consecutive strikes in the same game * Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, New York ...

. Bush finished fourth in voting for the 1922 American League MVP, as he led the league in winning percentage (.788). He also had a 26–7 win–loss record, innings pitched, 85 walks allowed, 92 strikeouts, and a 3.31 earned run average. Over a 17-year career, Bush had a 195–183 win–loss record, 488 games, 370 games started, 225 complete games, 35 shutouts, 93 games finished, 20 saves, innings pitched, 2,990 hits allowed, 1,439 runs allowed, 1,203 earned runs allowed, 96 home runs allowed, 1,263 walks allowed, 1,318 strikeouts, 63 hit batsmen, 87 wild pitches, 13,053 batters faced, 1 balk, and a 3.51 earned run average. Bush was also a very good hitting pitcher in his career, batting .253 (313-for-1239) with 128 runs, 7 home runs, and 140 RBI. He made 80 appearances as a pinch-hitter and was also used in the outfield. Bush died in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at the age of 81.

References

External links

Retrosheet
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bush, Bullet Joe 1892 births 1974 deaths Major League Baseball pitchers Philadelphia Athletics players Boston Red Sox players New York Yankees players St. Louis Browns players Washington Senators (1901–1960) players Pittsburgh Pirates players New York Giants (NL) players Minor league baseball managers Toledo Mud Hens players Portland Beavers players Newark Bears (IL) players Allentown Dukes players Allentown Buffaloes players Baseball players from Minnesota People from Brainerd, Minnesota

Career

See also

References

External links