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 league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

with the

Philadelphia Athletics The Philadelphia Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954, when they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and became the Kansas City Athletics. Following another move in 1967, they became the Oakland ...

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) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

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

, St. Louis Browns, Washington Senators,

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...

, and New York Giants between 1912 and 1928. Bush batted and threw right-handed. He is credited with having developed the forkball 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 the younger of two sports leagues, leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western L ...

pennant, the Red Sox win the 1918 World Series, the Yankees win the 1922 AL pennant and 1923 World Series, and the Pirates win the 1927 National League 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) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...

5–0 at Shibe Park; a first inning, leadoff walk to Jack Graney was the only baserunner that kept him from a perfect game. 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

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at the age of 81.

References

External links

{{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 20th-century American sportsmen Washington Senators (1901–1960) players Pittsburgh Pirates players New York Giants (baseball) players Minor league baseball managers Toledo Mud Hens players Portland Beavers players Newark Bears (International League) players Allentown Dukes players Allentown Buffaloes players Baseball players from Minnesota People from Brainerd, Minnesota

Career

See also

References

External links