Paul Derringer
Encyclopedia
Samuel Paul Derringer was an American
right-handed pitcher
in Major League Baseball
who played for three National League
teams from 1931 to 1945, primarily the Cincinnati Reds
.
He won
20 games for Cincinnati four times between 1935 and 1940, peaking with a 25-7 season in as the Reds won the NL pennant for the first time in 20 years. His 161 victories with Cincinnati are the club record for a right-hander, and rank second in franchise history to Eppa Rixey
's 179; he also held the team record for career strikeout
s when his career ended. His 579 games pitched
ranked eighth in NL history when he retired, and his average of 1.88 walks
per 9 innings pitched
ranked behind only Christy Mathewson
(1.59) and Grover Cleveland Alexander
(1.65) among pitchers with 3000 innings in the NL since 1900.
, Derringer made an impressive debut with the St. Louis Cardinals
in , winning 18 games for the eventual World Series
champions and leading the NL in winning percentage (.692); he had a streak of 33 consecutive scoreless innings in September. He finished third among pitchers in voting for The Sporting News
Major League All-Star Team, gaining 56 votes (of a potential 229) and outpolling all other NL pitchers combined. Despite the team's victory, he suffered defeats in Games 1 and 5 of the World Series against the Philadelphia Athletics
. He slumped to an 11-14 mark in 1932, and after beginning at 0-2 he was traded to the Reds in a six-player deal that brought Leo Durocher
to the Cardinals. Despite a respectable 3.23 earned run average
, he was 7-25 with Cincinnati that season, setting a team record for losses which still stands; his 27 overall losses led the NL, and came within two of Vic Willis
' modern NL record, set in . He improved to 15-21 in 1934 before coming into his own the following year.
team for the first of six times. On May 24 of that season, he started the first night game in major league history, beating the Philadelphia Phillies
2-1; President Franklin D. Roosevelt
turned on the stadium lights from the White House
. Seasons of 19-19 and 10-14 followed, on clubs which did not come close to contending, before he hit his peak from 1938-40. In he set a team record with 51 appearances, breaking Rube Benton
's mark of 50; his record was broken by Harry Gumbert
, with 61 games in .
In he was 21-14, and led the league in innings and complete game
s, as the Reds finished above .500 for the first time in ten years; he finished second in the NL in strikeouts (132) and third in ERA (2.93). His best season followed for the 1939 league champions as he was among the leaders in wins, ERA, strikeouts, innings and shutout
s, and led the league with a .781 winning percentage – a new team record. He finished third in the MVP
voting, won by teammate Bucky Walters
. But in the World Series
against the New York Yankees
, he couldn't collect a victory as the Reds were swept; he lost a heartbreaking 2-1 decision in Game 1 when the Yankees scored in the ninth inning, and got no decision in the Reds' 10-inning loss in Game 4 after leaving in the seventh inning with a 3-2 lead.
In he was 20-12 with a 3.06 ERA and 115 strikeouts, and threw a pair of one-hitters, as Cincinnati repeated as NL champions; he finished fourth in the MVP voting, with first baseman Frank McCormick
taking the trophy for the Reds for the third year in a row (Ernie Lombardi
had won it in 1938). Derringer finally broke his run of bad breaks in the 1940 World Series
against the Detroit Tigers
; after losing Game 1 by a 7-2 score, he rebounded with complete game wins in Games 4 and 7. Walters contributed two other victories as the team won its second title, and first since 1919.
, and he had seasons of 10-14 and 7-13 in 1943 and 1944 before having one last excellent campaign. In his final season, he was 16-11 as the Cubs won the NL pennant, and made three relief appearances in losses during the 1945 World Series
against the Tigers. He ended his career with a record of 223-212, 1507 strikeouts and a 3.46 ERA, 251 complete games and 32 shutouts. His 1062 strikeouts with the Reds were the team record until broken in 1948 by Johnny Vander Meer, and remained the top mark by a right-hander until Jim Maloney
surpassed him in .
In 1958 Derringer was named a founding inductee into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame. He died in Sarasota, Florida
at age 81.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
right-handed pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe 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 a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played for three National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
teams from 1931 to 1945, primarily the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
.
He won
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
20 games for Cincinnati four times between 1935 and 1940, peaking with a 25-7 season in as the Reds won the NL pennant for the first time in 20 years. His 161 victories with Cincinnati are the club record for a right-hander, and rank second in franchise history to Eppa Rixey
Eppa Rixey
Eppa Rixey Jr. , nicknamed "Jephtha", was an American left-handed pitcher who played 21 seasons for the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds in Major League Baseball from 1912 to 1933...
's 179; he also held the team record for career strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s when his career ended. His 579 games pitched
Games pitched
In baseball statistics, games pitched is the number of games in which a player appears as a pitcher; a player who is announced as the pitcher must face at least one batter, although exceptions are made if the pitcher announced in the starting lineup is injured before facing a batter, perhaps while...
ranked eighth in NL history when he retired, and his average of 1.88 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
per 9 innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
ranked behind only Christy Mathewson
Christy Mathewson
Christopher "Christy" Mathewson , nicknamed "Big Six", "The Christian Gentleman", or "Matty", was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire career in what is known as the dead-ball era...
(1.59) and Grover Cleveland Alexander
Grover Cleveland Alexander
Grover Cleveland Alexander , nicknamed "Old Pete", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and St. Louis Cardinals and was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1938.-Career:Alexander was born in Elba, Nebraska, one of thirteen...
(1.65) among pitchers with 3000 innings in the NL since 1900.
Early years
Born in Springfield, KentuckySpringfield, Kentucky
Springfield is a city in and county seat of Washington County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,634 at the 2000 census. It was established in 1793 and probably named for springs in the area.-Geography:...
, Derringer made an impressive debut with the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
in , winning 18 games for the eventual World Series
1931 World Series
In the 1931 World Series, the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Athletics in seven games, a rematch and reversal of fortunes of the 1930 World Series.The same two teams faced off during the 1930 World Series and the Athletics were victorious...
champions and leading the NL in winning percentage (.692); he had a streak of 33 consecutive scoreless innings in September. He finished third among pitchers in voting for The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
Major League All-Star Team, gaining 56 votes (of a potential 229) and outpolling all other NL pitchers combined. Despite the team's victory, he suffered defeats in Games 1 and 5 of the World Series against the Philadelphia Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
. He slumped to an 11-14 mark in 1932, and after beginning at 0-2 he was traded to the Reds in a six-player deal that brought Leo Durocher
Leo Durocher
Leo Ernest Durocher , nicknamed Leo the Lip, was an American infielder and manager in Major League Baseball. Upon his retirement, he ranked fifth all-time among managers with 2,009 career victories, second only to John McGraw in National League history. Durocher still ranks tenth in career wins by...
to the Cardinals. Despite a respectable 3.23 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
, he was 7-25 with Cincinnati that season, setting a team record for losses which still stands; his 27 overall losses led the NL, and came within two of Vic Willis
Vic Willis
Victor Gazaway Willis was a Major League Baseball player nicknamed "The Delaware Peach." He was a starting pitcher...
' modern NL record, set in . He improved to 15-21 in 1934 before coming into his own the following year.
Prime seasons
In he was 22-13 for the 68-85 Reds, and was named to the All-StarMajor League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
team for the first of six times. On May 24 of that season, he started the first night game in major league history, beating the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
2-1; President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
turned on the stadium lights from the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
. Seasons of 19-19 and 10-14 followed, on clubs which did not come close to contending, before he hit his peak from 1938-40. In he set a team record with 51 appearances, breaking Rube Benton
Rube Benton
John Cleave "Rube" Benton was a pitcher, born in Clinton, North Carolina, for Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds and New York Giants ....
's mark of 50; his record was broken by Harry Gumbert
Harry Gumbert
Harry Edwards "Gunboat" Gumbert was a pitcher for Major League Baseball. Two of his great uncles, Ad Gumbert and Billy Gumbert were also Major League Baseball pitchers....
, with 61 games in .
In he was 21-14, and led the league in innings and complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
s, as the Reds finished above .500 for the first time in ten years; he finished second in the NL in strikeouts (132) and third in ERA (2.93). His best season followed for the 1939 league champions as he was among the leaders in wins, ERA, strikeouts, innings and shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
s, and led the league with a .781 winning percentage – a new team record. He finished third in the MVP
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
voting, won by teammate Bucky Walters
Bucky Walters
William Henry "Bucky" Walters was an American Major League Baseball All-Star pitcher. A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Walters played for the Boston Braves , Boston Red Sox , Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds...
. But in the World Series
1939 World Series
The 1939 World Series featured the three-time defending champion New York Yankees against the Cincinnati Reds, who were making their first Series appearance since the scandal-tainted 1919 World Series. The Yankees swept the Series in four games for the second time in a row, winning their record...
against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, he couldn't collect a victory as the Reds were swept; he lost a heartbreaking 2-1 decision in Game 1 when the Yankees scored in the ninth inning, and got no decision in the Reds' 10-inning loss in Game 4 after leaving in the seventh inning with a 3-2 lead.
In he was 20-12 with a 3.06 ERA and 115 strikeouts, and threw a pair of one-hitters, as Cincinnati repeated as NL champions; he finished fourth in the MVP voting, with first baseman Frank McCormick
Frank McCormick
Frank Andrew McCormick was a first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Reds , Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Braves . McCormick batted and threw right-handed...
taking the trophy for the Reds for the third year in a row (Ernie Lombardi
Ernie Lombardi
Ernesto Natali "Ernie" Lombardi , was a Major League Baseball catcher for the Brooklyn Robins, the Cincinnati Reds, the Boston Braves and the New York Giants during a Hall of Fame career that spanned 17 years, from 1931 to 1947. He had several nicknames, including "Schnozz", "Lumbago", "Bocci",...
had won it in 1938). Derringer finally broke his run of bad breaks in the 1940 World Series
1940 World Series
The 1940 World Series matched the Cincinnati Reds against the Detroit Tigers, with the Reds winning the Series in seven games for their second championship, their first since the scandal-tainted victory in...
against the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
; after losing Game 1 by a 7-2 score, he rebounded with complete game wins in Games 4 and 7. Walters contributed two other victories as the team won its second title, and first since 1919.
Final years
Derringer slipped to marks of 12-14 and 10-11 in 1941 and 1942, though he was named to his fourth and fifth consecutive All-Star teams. In January 1943 his contract was sold to the Chicago CubsChicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, and he had seasons of 10-14 and 7-13 in 1943 and 1944 before having one last excellent campaign. In his final season, he was 16-11 as the Cubs won the NL pennant, and made three relief appearances in losses during the 1945 World Series
1945 World Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 3, 1945 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan-Game 2:Thursday, October 4, 1945 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan-Game 3:Friday, October 5, 1945 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan...
against the Tigers. He ended his career with a record of 223-212, 1507 strikeouts and a 3.46 ERA, 251 complete games and 32 shutouts. His 1062 strikeouts with the Reds were the team record until broken in 1948 by Johnny Vander Meer, and remained the top mark by a right-hander until Jim Maloney
Jim Maloney
James William Maloney is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with the Cincinnati Reds and California Angels...
surpassed him in .
In 1958 Derringer was named a founding inductee into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame. He died in Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
at age 81.
Trivia
- Derringer led all major league pitchers with 17 sacrifice hitSacrifice hitIn baseball, a sacrifice bunt is a batter's act of deliberately bunting the ball in a manner that allows a runner on base to advance to another base. The batter is almost always sacrificed but sometimes reaches base due to an error or fielder's choice...
s in 1939. - He was the opposing pitcher in Chet KehnChet KehnChester Lawrence Kehn was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1942. At 20 years of age, he was the fourth-youngest player to appear in a National League game that season....
's only big league start. (Crosley FieldCrosley FieldCrosley Field was a Major League Baseball park located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was the home field of the National League's Cincinnati Reds from 1912 through June 24, 1970, and the original Cincinnati Bengals football team, members of the second and third American Football League...
, April 30, 1942)
External links
- SABR biography
- Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame page
- BaseballLibrary - career highlights
- Retrosheet