James McCormick (3 November 1856 – 10 March 1918) was a
Scottish
Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including:
*Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland
*Scottish English
*Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...
right-handed
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, ...
in
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 ...
. A native of
Glasgow
Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
Cap Anson
Adrian Constantine Anson (April 17, 1852 – April 14, 1922), nicknamed "Cap" (for "Captain"), "Pop", and "Baby" (early in his career) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) first baseman. Including his time in the National Association ...
, two of the great personalities of early baseball. Anson was McCormick's captain-manager in 1885 and 1886, when Chicago won its last 19th-century pennants.
Career
McCormick's major league career began with the National League's Indianapolis Blues in 1878, where he sported a 1.69 earned run average in 14 games. The next year, he moved on to the NL's Cleveland Spiders, where he spent more than five seasons. He led the NL in losses with 40 in 1879, but led the league in wins with 45 the following year. He led the NL in wins again in 1882, with 36, and led the league in ERA in 1883, matching his 1.84 ERA with a 28-12 record.
In 1884, McCormick pitched 42 games for the Spiders, but then jumped mid-season to the Cincinnati Outlaw Reds of the Union Association. He received a $1,000 bonus for switching leagues mid-season, but the UA only lasted one year.
McCormick started the 1885 season back in the NL, this time with the Providence Grays, but he only pitched in four games before the Grays sold him to the Chicago White Stockings. Chicago won the NL pennant in both of McCormick's seasons with the team, in 1885 and 1886.
After the 1886 championship, club President Albert G. Spalding sold several of his best-known players, mainly for drinking during the season. After selling
George Gore
George F. Gore (May 3, 1854 – September 16, 1933), nicknamed "Piano Legs", was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for 14 seasons, eight for the Chicago White Stockings, five for the New York Giants, one for the St. ...
to New York and King Kelly to Boston, he sent McCormick to Pittsburgh just before the 1887 season. Before the sale, Spalding said "the only trouble between McCormick and the club has been a difference of opinion between him and me as to his habits. Anson is and always has been very partial to 'Mac,' and wants him this season." Ten days later in Louisville, Anson said, "I desire his services very much, however, for I think that, under the new
itching
An itch (also known as pruritus) is a sensation that causes a strong desire or reflex to scratch. Itches have resisted many attempts to be classified as any one type of sensory experience. Itches have many similarities to pain, and while both ...
rules llowing for unrestricted overhand throwing he will be the best pitcher on the diamond. If he is released, it will only be for a good sum of money." About a week after that, Spalding sold McCormick.
McCormick went 13-23 with a 4.30 ERA in Pittsburgh in 1887. He also served as a player/
manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a government bodies through business administration, nonprofit management, or the political science sub-field of public administra ...
for the Cleveland Blues in 1879-1880 and 1882 with a 74–96 record.
In
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson ( ) is the largest City (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.atersonflorist, to get up something handsome, and this consisted of `The Gates Ajar,' the sides of which were made from nephetos resumably nepetas, aromatic herbs in the mint familyand white roses, the base of carnations, yellow roses and white lilies. The gates were made of ivy leaves, the whole being surmounted by a dove."
Back in 1885, after their Chicago team won the pennant, Kelly and McCormick returned by train to Paterson with teammate Tom Burns, who was heading to Connecticut. A local social club met the players and took them to McCormick's bar. There, a state senator handed a silver ball to McCormick, "who was loudly called upon and cheered. He said he was suffering from the effects of a severe cold and he would like to make a speech but even if he did he could not tell them how much he appreciated this token of friendship, more than anything he had ever yet received. Kelly was called on and was cheered; in fact, the crowd at this stage was prepared to cheer everybody. As he arose some one iccalled: 'Make a dead hit this time, Mike!' He said on behalf of Mr. McCormick and himself he desired to thank the donors of the ball; they would never forget this occasion and would ever keep this gift and try to be in the best club ic but we are getting pretty old now."
About Anson, McCormick reportedly said the following in 1887, soon after being sold by Chicago to Pittsburgh: "Before I played ball with Anson I used to think he was a big dub, but I thought him a pretty fair fellow afterward. He never said much to me. If any one wants to get Anson mad let him say he is in one of those trances resumably, mellow moments during a game Kelly used to make him wild by shouting in from the outfield: 'Have you got them again?'"
At 16th all-time, McCormick has the 2nd highest Jaffe Wins Above Replacement Score (JAWS) of any eligible pitcher of any player not in the
Baseball Hall of Fame
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by a private foundation. It serves as the central collection and gathering space for the history of baseball in the United S ...
.
Likewise, he has the highest Baseball-Reference WAR of any eligible player not in the Hall of Fame who is not in either due to not being eligible
yet or being held back by a scandal such as gambling or PED use.
Death
He died in
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson ( ) is the largest City (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Totowa, New Jersey
Totowa (pronounced "TO-tuh-wuh" ) is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 11,065, an increase of 261 (+ ...
.
Highlights
*He helped the White Stockings to win the 1885 and 1886
National League
National League often refers to:
*National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada
*National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
pennants.
*Led the National League in walks allowed (74) and losses (40) in 1879.
*Led the National League in wins (45),
games pitched
In baseball statistics, games pitched (denoted by Games G in tables of only pitching statistics) is the number of games in which a player appears as a pitcher. The statistic is also referred to as appearances, especially to refer to the number of ...
(74),
innings pitched
In baseball, the statistic innings pitched (IP) is the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of Batter (baseball), batters and baserunners that have been put out while the pitcher is on the Baseball field#Pitcher's mou ...
(657),
games started
In baseball statistics, games started (denoted by GS) indicates the number of games pitched, games that a pitcher has starting pitcher, started for his team. A pitcher is credited with starting the game if he throws the first pitch to the first opp ...
(74),
complete game
In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
s (72) and batters faced (2,669) in 1880.
*Led the National League in
hits
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Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* '' H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block
* ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998
* ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014, a British compilation album s ...
allowed per 9 innings pitched (8.28) and complete games (57) in 1881.
*Led the National League in wins (36), games (68), innings (595), games started (67), complete games (65) and batters faced (2,412) in 1882.
*Led the National League in
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(1.84) and winning percentage (.700) in 1883.
*Led the Union Association in ERA (1.54), hits per 9 innings (6.47) and
shutout
In team sports, a shutout (North American English, US) or clean sheet (Commonwealth English, UK) is a game in which the losing team fails to score. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketba ...
s (7) in 1884.
*Ranks 34th on the MLB all-time ERA list (2.43).
*Ranks 39th on the MLB all-time wins list (265).
*Ranks 29th on the MLB all-time walks per 9 innings list (1.58).
*Ranks 34th on the MLB all-time innings list (4,275).
*Ranks 150th on the MLB all-time
strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It means the batter is out, unless the third strike is not caught by the catcher and the batter reaches first base safe ...
s list (1,704).
*Ranks 58th on the MLB all-time games started list (485).
*Ranks 11th on the MLB all-time complete games list (466).
*Ranks 87th on the MLB all-time shutouts list (33).
*Ranks 36th on the MLB all-time batters faced list (16,884).
List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders
In baseball, earned run average (ERA) is a statistic used to evaluate pitchers, calculated as the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. A pitcher is men by a baserunner who reached base while batting against that pitc ...
*
List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders
Major League Baseball recognizes the player or players in each league with the most wins each season. In baseball, Win (baseball), wins are a baseball statistics, statistic used to evaluate pitchers. Credit for a win is given by the official scor ...
*
List of Major League Baseball player-managers
Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Founded in 1869, it is composed of 30 Current Major League Baseball franchises, teams. Each team in the league has a manager (baseball), manager, wh ...