Baseball's Best Decade (23 page)

Lefty Grove was the only southpaw since 1900 to win 30 or more games in a season, going 31-4 for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1931. Only 3 right-handers have had 30-win seasons since 1920: Jim Bagby (31-12 for the Cleveland Indians in 1920), Dizzy Dean (30-7 for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1934), and Denny McLain (31-6 for the Detroit Tigers in 1968).

After losing 22 games for the Phillies in 1920, Eppa Rixey was traded to the Cincinnati Reds, where he averaged 17 victories over the next 8 seasons.

Burleigh Grimes had more wins than any other major league pitcher in the 1920s.

Yankee aces Herb Pennock (left) and Waite Hoyt combined for more than 320 victories during the 1920s.

Grover Alexander won 165 games during the 1920s, after winning more than 200 prior to 1920.

Only 2 pitchers have won 15 or more games in 18 seasons: Cy Young and Greg Maddux.

Giants’ left-hander Carl Hubbell dominated the National League during the 1930s, leading all NL pitchers in victories (188), strikeouts (1.281) and earned run average (2.71).

Wes Ferrell was a 5-time 20-game winner for the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox during the 1930s.

1920s –
Burleigh Grimes, baseball’s last legitimate spitballer, was also the winningest pitcher during the 1920s, collecting 190 victories by winning 20 or more games 5 times. Eppa Rixey won 20 or more games for the Cincinnati Red 3 times during the 1920s. In 1927, Grover Alexander won 21 for the St. Louis Cardinals at age 40. Herb Pennock, who started the decade with the Boston Red Sox, was traded to the Yankees in 1923 and won 124 games for the Bronx Bombers through the rest of the 1920s. Waite Hoyt was also traded to the Yankees by the Red Sox, and won 136 games for New York from 1922 to 1929.

Who almost made the list?
Urban Shocker at 156, Eddie Rommel at 154, George Uhle at 152.

1930s –
Lefty Grove won more games than any other major league pitcher in the 1930s, and had more decade wins than all major league pitchers since with the exception of Robin Roberts (199) and Warren Spahn (202). Carl Hubbell’s 188 wins for the New York Giants during the 1930s included 31 shutouts. Red Ruffing, another Yankee Hall-of-Famer who arrived in New York via Boston, went from back-to-back 20-game loser for the Red Sox to winning 175 games in 10 years, including a quartet of 20-victory seasons. Wes Ferrell was a 5-time 20-game winner for the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox. Lefty Gomez won 165 games for the New York Yankees during the decade, leading the American League in victories in both 1934 (26) and 1937 (21).

Who almost made the list?
Mel Harder at 158, Tommy Bridges at 150, Paul Derringer at 148.

1940s –
No pitchers had ever dominated a decade the way Hal Newhouser and Bob Feller did in the 1940s. Pitching for the Detroit Tigers, Newhouser won 136 games for the Tigers from 1944 to 1949, leading the American League in ERA, complete games and strikeouts twice each during that period. Feller’s “part-time” performance in the 1940s included 137 victories in only 6 full seasons, when Feller led the American League in victories and shutouts 4 times each, and in strikeouts 5 times. 

Who almost made the list?
Tex Hughson at 114, Claude Passeau at 111, Harry Brecheen, Kirby Higbe and Rip Sewell at 105.

The Top
Winning Pitchers for Each Decade (1950s-1970s)