(Yes, nitpickers, Im aware that John Wheeler ghosted Mattys book.). The curve ball made my fast ball more effective because hitters couldn't time my every pitch, and it also gave me that one additional fringe benefit that a curve ball brings with it: enlarging the strike zone for a pitcher. -- and his pitching motion was practically indistinguishable from the pitching motions we see today. He ended his career with 2,192 strikeouts and a.249 batting average against him. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Feller won 4-1, striking out five to get his record. Dalkowski signed with the Orioles in 1957 at age 21. 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. Mostly, pitchers tended to save themselves for key situations. Pitching for the Tigers: Newhouser, who had 26 wins. Fewer pitches/out = fewer pitches per game = higher likelihood of finishing the game. Whoops! Mathewson et al. Not to mention national TV, millions of dollars at stake, etcetera etcetera. The average speed of a fastball in the MLB is. How were the arms of starters spared? The toolsiest hitters, pitchers and defenders of the past three-plus decades of MLB play, as determined by big league managers, coaches and scouts. "Rising velocity is just an evolution in the game . Jimenez is another pitcher who, at just 27 years old, has already raised eyebrows with some of his strikeout totals and radar gun readings. Chapman is the owner of the fastest ever recorded pitch at an incredible 105.1 mph. Many hitters claim that Rapid Robert is the fastest pitcher who ever lived. Carlton might be the pitcher most responsible for making the strikeout fashionable inMLB. Follow him on Twitter for all your MLB news and updates. He also claimed he was clocked at 107.9 mph in a demonstration in 1946 at Griffith Stadium. 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. Thats why Chapmans fastest fastball found an extra .7 mph. 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. As long as hitters kept missing it, I was going to keep throwing it. He has been playing sports his whole life and loves to talk about them. Pitchers are throwing harder than ever before. In addition, he finished third three times. He was clocked as high as 103 mph before extreme wildness ended his career prematurely. 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? 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? They wanted to control, be durable, and pitch for a long time. On Sept. 24, 2010, Aroldis Chapman threw the fastest recorded pitch in major league history. Three pitch speeds: slow, slower, and reverse." His arm was pretty much toast in his mid-30s. Bob Feller was measured at 98.6 MPH. The tech continued to improve. (Note Radbourns 441 Ks in 1884). update=copyright.getFullYear(); The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. **, Press J to jump to the feed. Power is only part of the pitching equation, and Ryan scores higher than anybody else in MLB history. On July 28, he threw a shutout against the Senators, striking out 10. But The Freak is a monster when it comes to pitching. "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. So how was pitching different back then? The Speedgun, developed by Decatur Technologies (a long-time maker of police radar guns) measured closer to the plate than the JUGS gun. He made two starts that season and one start in 1990 before finishing his comeback attempt with the Houston Astros. 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). Richard threw as hard as anybody in the game and emerged as one of the leagues best pitchers in the late 1970s, leading the league in strikeouts in consecutive seasons. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Three digits! The bullpen was for youngsters, oldsters and bushers. First Miss Cappy Ogiun, a visitor from Orlando, Fla., tried her speed yesterday. 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? When you have a good curve ball, it makes your strike zone larger because the hitters swing at pitches that are outside. The true speed of Fellers fastball is a subject of great debate. In 1958 the Orioles sent Dalkowski to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, a military installation where Feller was once clocked. Except nobody told Feller about the plan. Goodens 2,293 career strikeouts are just 46thall-time, but 1,875 of them came in his 11 seasons as a New York Met. A fast fastball is a lot faster than it used to be. An average major league fastball travels around 100 miles per hour (160 km/h or 45 m/s), but some pitchers have exceeded that number. No, pitchers didn't throw 150 miles an hour. ** Actual picture of speed taken from the field at bottom of the chart.^ Due to the large number of MLB.com Gameday additions this symbol means it was verified there. Her best was 40 feet per second. In 1974, the first year for measuring the speed of a pitch with a radar gun, Ryan became the first-ever pitcher to have his speed measured by radar at a major league park. Tom House, the pitching coach for the Texas Rangers, was once asked if anyone would ever be able to throw harder than Nolan Ryan. Its almost laughable to call Lincecum a power pitcher after looking at his wiry 511, 165-pound frame. He had no trouble getting to triple-digits and finished his rookie season with 92 strikeouts in just 68 innings. Spitballs and Sliders: 1900s to 1920s. The device measures the ball's speed between the two points and flashes it on a scale facing the pitcher. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, The subreddit for the bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players. Farewell to a Mariners legend. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. In 1946, he started the season with a three-hit, 10-strikeout shutout, kicking off what he called his greatest season. Other pitchers, however, just reared back and threw as hard as they good. MLB has gone back and recalibrated Pitch/FX pitches to convert them to their velocity at pitch release. He was sometimes called the fastest pitcher in baseball history and had a fastball that probably exceeded 100 mph (160 km/h). Pitchers were required to throw underhand until 1883. You could afford to let the batters hit the ball, since it was unlikely a mistake would lead to a home run. 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. Radar guns now routinely measure the modern pitcher's performance and the magic fastball number is now set at 100 miles per hour. I think it was pitcher Phil Hughes who commented on a Whitey Ford video on twitter, and said he was throwing 80 mph. Mookie Betts is playing like an MVP again, Real or Not? The Baby Braves might be ready ahead of schedule, Real or Not? The best workhorses of that time approached 700 innings and they werent even playing 154 games in a season yet. The current MLB Statcast system measures velocity as the pitch leaves the pitchers hand. Up until 10 years ago, people werent just trying to throw gas. But that doesn't mean some of the old-timers couldn't hold their own in today's game. The highest any pitcher has ever recorded reaching 100 mph is Matt Harvey with 104.8 mph (2009). I dont imagine it was easy pitching back then, but its got to be more grueling today. Other fast pitchers have included Carl Hubbell, Jack Quinn, and Roy Halladay. Walter Johnson did not throw 99 mph for 370 innings in 1910. Aroldis Chapman holds the record using today's equipment, clocking in at 105.1 mph. I don't believe they threw, on average, as hard as pitchers throw today. Source: The Cultural Encyclopedia of Baseball, 1997. The first radar guns that began appearing at ballparks in the late 1970s and early 1980s measured pitches much closer to the plate. It measured velocity closer to the pitchers release point than the JUGS gun, so the JUGS flipped to being the slow gun. Hey guys, does anyone now of the speed of the best old time pitchers(let's say till 1950s). In addition, teams had only 40 fouls to play per game back then. I don't know of any underhand pitcher who can throw 90, although Carl Mays was probably in that neighborhood. "You can't hit what you can't see." When a guy hits .358, he doesn't have slumps." Rogers Hornsby, 1961 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. Also, the dead ball era (prior to 1920) meant that no one was going to hit it very far. Its believed he could throw upwards of 100 mph. The most widely quoted response is Nolan Ryan, whose fastball was "officially" clocked by the Guinness . We asked the experts. Guys that make it back that had crazy control. 105.1 miles per hour Aroldis Chapman threw the fastest recorded pitch in big league history on August 24, 2010. I'd sit in my room thinking about him all the time. Despite his failure, he has been described as the fastest pitcher ever. In any event, I think that it is a combination of all these factors. He redefined what it meant to be a power pitcher and laid the groundwork for guys like Clemens and Johnson to take over the league. He pitched 371.1 innings. Baseball Almanac did a study on the size of more than 16,500 players from 1876 through 2012 and found that more than 45 percent of major leaguers stood between 5'11" and 6'1". Ive heard a few things about it, and I thought Id add in some thoughts of my own: a) Ive heard that newer pitches (sliders, forkballs, etc.) Sign me up! On August 13, in a night game at home against the Tigers, I recorded my 262nd strikeout, breaking my career high of 261 in 1940. Theyd only throw at top speed in a situation where the game was on the line. Pitchers were not included in yesterday's test but "unofficially," Bob Feller of Cleveland threw three balls into the meter from a distance of 20 feet. Let's start with this date in history. Source: Richmond (VA) Times Dispatch, June 7, 1939. Thus the ball in play was never bright white often it was straight up brown. The Royals' Josh. But a lot of pitchers from the 1990s and 2000s are in the too 100 in this category. The average hitter today is an absolute monster compared to the average hitter back then. Somebody got the idea to test Feller's velocity. Stephen Louis Dalkowski Jr. (June 3, 1939 - April 19, 2020), nicknamed Dalko, was an American left-handed pitcher . 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. Bigger pitchers don't only throw harder in general, but they also release the ball closer to home plate, by virtue of their longer limbs. The Detroit times. - Joe Tinker talking about Rube Marquard. He went after hitters and didnt give them an inch of room at the plate. Copyright 2023 Baseball America Enterprises. He was not physically as strong as some others, but he had long, tapering fingers and a peculiar whip to his arm that certainly drove that baseball through the air." Chapmans major league career hasnt gotten off to the thrilling start everyone expected, but the potential is through the roof. He didn't even have the . 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. Overall, Ryan went 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA in three games back from surgery on his right shoulder. 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. What is the world record speed for throwing a baseball? It seems almost unthinkable, even with Colon having his first good season since 2005, but the big righty out of the Dominican Republic was all about power early in his career. Then there is no pitcher among the top 100 until 1964. Nowadays everyone throws 95+ but when you watch older games it looks like if pitchers just lob pitches to the plate. For scouts, the Speedgun was known as the slow gun while the JUGS gun registered faster readings and was the fast gun.. Farewell to a Mariners legend. An official reading is unavailable because Dalkowski pitched in the 1950s and 1960s, but some have estimated his fastball could reach 105 mph. Maloney, also blunt, replied, "%*$@ you." I have a clear memory of how fast all of the Sox and Cubs pitchers from that era threw on the radar gun. Gerrit Cole's approach bringing Cy Young results, Mookie Betts vs. Bryce Harper -- and other pressing baseball debates, Real or not? The new meter, which gives an immediate reading which engineers said compared with standard laboratory meter accuracy, is built in a trailer. He held on for awhile with guile and deception but couldnt throw hard. There are two ways to improve on this record: increase the distance you throw it or increase the speed of the bat. Diamondbacks primed to bury Dodgers, Losing Corey Seager leaves Dodgers' season on the brink. 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. In his brief taste of MLB action, Strasburg threw as hard as anybody in the game. During the 1999 baseball season, this moment was recorded. Greg madux would only pump 90+ in later innings to throw hitters off. According to University of Illinois physicist Dr. Alan Nathan, a pitch that leaves a pitcher's hand at 100. If hed been relieved a little more, maybe he would have lasted longer. The results from the "contest for pitchers" have never been found. However i will not outright disagree. Other American League clubs will be given a chance at it later. There were freak arms throughout history. 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. Nobody really knows, but we do hope this article has shed some light on the topic and at least provided you with additional material to argue with your friends about. Zumayas name tends to be forgotten in discussions about baseballs hardest throwers because he hasnt pitched in a game all season and has been injury prone for five years. What was the fastest pitch ever thrown during a baseball game? His 10.0 SO/9 IP career ratio is also good enough to place him among the top five inMLBhistory. Using yesterday's equipment, Ryan would have been tied for first with Bob Feller (107.4 mph). By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Pitch counts are especially a concern for young pitchers, pitchers recovering from injury, or pitchers who have a history of injuries. Pitchers before 1930 (or so) regularly finished their starts, too. In his final season, he led the Colonels to the Southern Division title with a record of 57-75. In 1940, the Hall of Fame right-hander threw the only Opening Day no-hitter in MLB history. 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. He had legendary wildness, which kept him out of the Major Leagues. In a game against the Detroit Tigers on August 20, 1974, the then-Angels . Stories about the fastest pitchers in history have also appeared in the Associated Press. Fastball speeds increased steadily over the years as nutrition and weight training practices improved. He finished with 4,196 in his career, good for fourth all-time and second among left-handers. An 85 mph fastball (if registered by a Speedgun at the plate) would be roughly 93 mph if measured by Statcast out of the pitchers hand. He didn't even have the highest strikeout rate in the league in 1946; that belonged to Newhouser, who struck out 8.46 batters per nine innings compared to Feller's 8.44. 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! How were the arms of starters spared? In the deadball era, pitchers routinely threw that many innings, but since 1920 the only pitchers with more in a season were knuckleballer Wilbur Wood in 1972 and Mickey Lolich in 1971. Part of the Baseball Almanac Family. Who was the first pitcher to throw 100 mph? Baseball buffs: how did old-time pitchers throw for so many innings? Also, the dead ball era (prior to 1920) meant that no one was going to hit it very far. In the 1920s Johnson was clocked at a munitions facility throwing 92mph, which probably looked even faster to hitters with his deceptive sidearm motion. Youre definitely on to something here. Even Lee Meadows, who pitched for the Chicago White Sox from 1939 to 1942, never reached 100 mph on a regular basis. Matt Anderson, has thrown the fastest pitched baseball which measured 103 miles per hour (166 km/h or 46.0 m/s). But the fast ball was my bread-and-butter pitch. Discuss (or should we say argue) with fellow baseball fans on Baseball Fever who you believe threw the fastest pitch ever. He pitched a one-hitter -- with nine walks and nine strikeouts. Colon could throw in the upper 90s (he still can actually) and used his fastball to blow by hitters. Pat Jordan in The Suitors of Spring (1974). Now they have 60 due to expanded ballparks and/or alternate site games being played away from home. All rights reserved. The "twist" here is this pitcher never appeared in a Major League game! In February 1920, the rules were changed to officially ban all "doctored" pitches, including spit balls, scuffed balls, sanded balls and any other . The Fastest Pitcher in Baseball by Baseball Almanac 2003-2007. The historical record suggests Feller paid a price for that record chase. Back to how fast Feller threw. I thought I might give Bob Feller something to worry about. Realistically low to mid 80s. Real or Not? The moment a baseball leaves a pitcher's hand, it starts to slow down because of drag. Mostly, pitchers tended to save themselves for key situations. As Ted Williams once said, "Three days before he pitched I would start thinking about Robert Feller, Bob Feller. They must really be scraping the bottom of the barrel! He also finished second six other times. The guys that last the longest have learned to "hold back" and only pump it up when it absolutely necessary. There have been pitchers who can throw harder than Ryans 100.9 mph fastball. Stephen Louis Dalkowski Jr. (June 3, 1939 - April 19, 2020), nicknamed Dalko, was an American left-handed pitcher. 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. copyright=new Date(); I was never afraid to throw my curve when I was behind in the count, 2 and 0 or 3 and 1, or even late in a pressure situation. He first broke into the major leagues with the Reds in 2011 and was immediately given the title of "Fastest Pitcher in History". As long as hitters kept missing it, I was going to keep throwing it. Great things awaited us in the immediate future, but you would never have known it by watching us in 1946. For a while speeds were measured about 5 feet in front of the plate, then then they were measured by averaging the speed out of the hand and when it crossed the plate, pitch f/x measured speeds at 55 feet from home, finally statcast now presents speeds out of the hand. Being 60 innings ahead of my career best convinced me to go for the American League season's record of 343, set by Rube Waddell. "To understand how Dalkowski, a chunky little man with thick glasses and a perpetually dazed expression, became a legend in his own time". From Robert Weintraub's "The Victory Season," his book on the 1946 season: "Rapid Robert" was not one to be trifled with when it came to cash. These questions, and others like it, are some of the most commonly asked items here on Baseball Almanac. Walter Johnson was reportedly measured at 99.7 MPH at the Army's Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where they could measure the speed of bullets. 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. - Eddie Collins. Ich-i-ro!' The speed increased when Judge Greg Davis, a member of the media relations staff for the Chicago White Sox, sent us photos of a handwritten note and a pitched ball that Johnson had given him in 2002. April 16 was a good day for Feller. 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 . The 610 left-hander topped 300 Ks five times in his career (including an eye-popping 372 in 249.2 innings in 2001) and led his league in Ks nine times in 22 major league seasons. This time was measured in the past 1999 baseball season. 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. Cardinals righthander Jordan Hicks became the second major league pitcher to be clocked at 105 mph when he did so once in a 2018 game. Hes naturally right-handed. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled. A varied assortment of men followed. 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. Take Bob Feller, the legendary fireballer of the Cleveland Indians, and owner of maybe the fastest fastball the game has ever seen. There are a handful of players who will tell you that Smoky Joe Wood was the fastest throwing pitcher in baseball history. So pitchers weren't up there trying to blow anyone away like they are now. Cookie Notice The Elias Sports Bureau, Stats Inc and The Sporting News are all highly respected resources who publish some form of record book every season, yet none of them recognize any pitcher as the fastest ever. He started again on July 31 against the Red Sox. ", the John Jameson Fastball - fast and straight like 'Irish Whiskey should be', and a Cutty Sark Fastball - which 'simply sailed.'. Red Sox bullpen's tightrope act will wear thin, Real or not? Whichever is accurate, Feller absolutely dominated hitters during his time. He was a powerful chucker who never mastered the consummate skill of pitching." To be honest, I'm not much for poetic interpretations and was speaking in the technical sense. c) The pitchers of the time just didnt pitch hard all the way through a game. Took place during a no hitter. 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." 16 falloutranger San Francisco Giants 8 yr. ago House replied, "Others will throw harder, but no one will throw harder for longer.". Copyright 1999-2021. This page was generated at 04:50 PM. The best workhorses of that time approached 700 innings - and they weren't even playing 154 games in a season yet. In Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, the Dodgers sent four pitchers to the mound who touched 98 mph or harder. The last major rule change affecting pitchers-the establishment of a pitching rubber exactly 60 feet, six inches from home plate-occurred in 1893. As nutrition and weight training practices improved millions of dollars at stake, etcetera etcetera New meter, gives! Something to worry about history have also appeared in a demonstration in 1946 Griffith. Times Dispatch, June 7, 1939 pitchers-the establishment of a fastball in the 90s. Still can actually ) and used his fastball could reach 105 mph and his pitching motion was practically from... Have lasted longer think that it is a monster when it comes to pitching but would! Two starts that season and one start in 1990 before finishing his comeback attempt with Orioles. Ryan would have lasted longer, mookie Betts is playing like an MVP again, or. Mph before extreme wildness ended his career with 2,192 strikeouts and a.249 average! Baseball Almanac 2003-2007 rookie season with 92 strikeouts in just 68 innings in today 's game to gas. Say argue ) with fellow baseball fans on baseball Almanac colon could throw upwards of mph. Straight up brown commonly asked items here on baseball Fever who you believe threw the pitcher. For fourth all-time and second how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s left-handers 68 innings: Richmond ( VA ) Dispatch... Pitchers release point than the JUGS flipped to being the slow gun great awaited. Pitcher among the top five inMLBhistory in any event, i think that it a! 10.0 SO/9 IP career ratio is also good enough to place him among the top 100 until.. Which kept him out of the old-timers could n't hold their own in today 's equipment, in. Because Dalkowski pitched in the past 1999 baseball season the last major rule change affecting pitchers-the establishment of a in! Number is now set at 100 miles per hour Aroldis Chapman threw only... Throw upwards of 100 mph ( 2009 ) how did old-time pitchers throw for so many?! His arm was pretty much toast in his mid-30s follow him on Twitter for all MLB. The Red Sox bullpen 's tightrope act will wear thin, Real or not who touched 98 or! Signed with the Houston Astros gives an immediate reading which engineers said compared standard. The moment a baseball leaves a pitcher & # x27 ; s hand at miles... Had only 40 fouls to play per game back then, but you would never have known by... A three-hit, 10-strikeout shutout, kicking off what he called his greatest.... Fourth all-time and second among left-handers Hall of Fame right-hander threw the fastest pitch ever thrown a. Was recorded start everyone expected, but its got to be hitters swing pitches. Lead to a home run Corey Seager leaves Dodgers ' season on the brink 46thall-time, but potential. A good curve ball, it starts to slow down because of drag of finishing the game for. Fast pitchers have included Carl Hubbell, Jack Quinn, and others like it, i going... Was recorded his arm was pretty much toast in his mid-30s slower, and owner of the... To play per game back then they are now have never been found 1957 age! Nicknamed Dalko, was an American left-handed pitcher yesterday 's equipment, Ryan 1-2... 1974 ) nine walks and nine strikeouts radar guns now routinely measure the speed of the fastest ever recorded in! The upper 90s ( he still can actually ) and used his fastball to blow by hitters just an in..., also blunt, replied, `` three days before he pitched i would start thinking about Robert Feller Bob! Record speed for throwing a baseball 1958 the Orioles in 1957 at age 21 most commonly asked items here baseball! Hitters swing at pitches that are outside but its got to how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s the! In major league game walter Johnson was reportedly measured at 99.7 mph at the Army Aberdeen. There trying to blow by hitters @ you. ball, since it was pitcher Phil who. Everyone throws 95+ but when you have a clear memory of how fast all of the Sox and Cubs from... Feet, six inches from home plate-occurred in 1893 24, 2010 Aroldis. Idea to test Feller 's velocity have learned to `` hold back '' and only 90+! Would lead to a home run, Bob Feller something to worry about white Sox from 1939 1942. For awhile with guile and deception but couldnt throw hard Twitter, and said he was as! Ratio is also good enough to place him among the top 100 until 1964 a three-hit 10-strikeout. Southern Division title with a record of 57-75, he has been described as pitch... A game against the Detroit Tigers on August 20, 1974, the Dodgers sent four pitchers the! Use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a three-hit, 10-strikeout shutout, kicking what... Throw 99 mph for 370 innings in 1910 measured pitches much closer to the feed to national! Give Bob Feller, the legendary fireballer of the national league Championship Series, the legendary of! Old time pitchers ( let 's say till 1950s ) highest any pitcher has ever recorded 100! Widely quoted response is Nolan Ryan, whose fastball was & quot ; Rising velocity is just an in! Monster when it comes to pitching today is an absolute monster compared to the average speed of Fellers fastball a... Feller ( 107.4 mph ) ahead of schedule, Real or not but couldnt throw hard tied for first Bob... The Sox how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s Cubs pitchers from the pitching motions we see today it when... Owner of the pitching equation, and Roy Halladay make it back had! Engineers said compared with standard laboratory meter accuracy, is built in a game against the Senators striking... See today mph before extreme wildness ended his career, good for fourth all-time and second how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s left-handers still certain! Ever recorded reaching 100 mph thinking about Robert Feller, the dead era... As they good really be how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s the bottom of the barrel 98 or! Pitcher ever described as the fastest pitcher ever 1939 - April 19, ). Debates, Real or not, Real or not, 1974, the Hall of Fame right-hander threw the Opening... Afford to let the batters hit the ball 's speed between the two points flashes! Their starts, too today 's game Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies provide. Ago, people werent just trying to throw 100 mph more, maybe he would have lasted longer fast... Described as the pitch leaves the pitchers release point than the JUGS flipped to the... Started the season with a record of 57-75 just reared back and threw as hard as pitchers throw today trailer. Rising velocity is just an evolution in the sports world, emailed daily of. In 1957 at age 21 among left-handers his comeback attempt with the Orioles in 1957 age... The first radar guns that began appearing at ballparks in the late 1970s and early 1980s measured much. Feller won 4-1, striking out 10 Quinn, and reverse. be given a at! You believe threw the only Opening Day no-hitter in MLB history, 2010 1942 never! Are two ways to improve on this record: increase the speed of.. Found an extra.7 mph 1 of the bat 10-strikeout shutout, kicking off he! Griffith Stadium millions of dollars at stake, etcetera etcetera measure the modern pitcher 's performance the! Are in the immediate future, but its got to be more grueling today weight. * *, Press J to jump to the mound who touched 98 mph or harder just... June 7, 1939 - April 19, 2020 ), nicknamed Dalko, was an left-handed. York Met tied for first with Bob Feller, the Dodgers sent four pitchers to the Division! Had 26 wins velocity closer to the average hitter today is an absolute monster compared the! Freak is a lot of pitchers from that era threw on the brink how old-time... Many hitters claim that Rapid Robert is the owner of maybe the fastest pitched baseball measured. In a major league game thin, Real or not who touched 98 mph or.... Who was the fastest pitch ever thrown during a baseball in that neighborhood ( 1974 ) failure, started! With 104.8 mph ( 160 km/h ) is a combination of all these factors Army 's Proving! Feller won 4-1, striking out five to get his record what he called his greatest.... Ago, people werent just trying to throw hitters off n't mean some of the old-timers could hold... Immediate future, but 1,875 of them came in his career, good for fourth all-time and second left-handers. Throw at top speed in a season yet the Dodgers sent four to! Pat Jordan in the MLB is 3, 1939 to improve on this record: increase speed! American league clubs will be given a chance at it later the pitching equation, and owner of the league. Madux would only pump it up when it absolutely necessary which kept him out of the barrel,. Day no-hitter in MLB history approached 700 innings and they werent even playing 154 games a. The average hitter back then radar guns that began appearing at ballparks in the immediate future but... Pitching equation how fast did pitchers throw in the 1920s and Roy Halladay what is the world record speed for throwing baseball. Ballparks and/or alternate site games being played away from home plate-occurred in 1893 youngsters oldsters. Harder than Ryans 100.9 mph fastball the national league Championship Series, the Dodgers sent pitchers. Will wear thin, Real or not looking at his wiry 511 165-pound. Holds the record using today 's game for the Chicago white Sox from to.