Mordecai Brown

American baseball player and manager (1876–1948)

Baseball player

Mordecai Brown

Brown in 1904

Pitcher / Manager
Born: (1876-10-19)October 19, 1876
Nyesville, Indiana, U.S.
Died: February 14, 1948(1948-02-14) (aged 71)
Terre Haute, Indiana, U.S.

Batted: Switch

Threw: Right

MLB debut
April 19, 1903, for the St. Louis Cardinals
Last MLB appearance
September 4, 1916, for the Chicago Cubs
MLB statistics
Win–loss record| 239–130
Earned run average| 2.06
Strikeouts| 1,375
Stats at Baseball Reference
Managerial record at Baseball Reference
Teams
As player

* St. Louis Cardinals (1903)
* Chicago Cubs (1904–1912)
* Cincinnati Reds (1913)
* St. Louis Terriers (1914)
* Brooklyn Tip-Tops (1914)
* Chicago Whales (1915)
* Chicago Cubs (1916)

As manager

* St. Louis Terriers (1914)

Career highlights and awards

* 2× World Series champion (1907, 1908)
* NL wins leader (1909)
* MLB ERA leader (1906)
* Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame

Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction| 1949
Election method| Old-Timers Committee

Mordecai Peter Centennial Brown (October 19, 1876 – February 14, 1948), nicknamed "Three Finger Brown" or "Miner", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher and manager during the first two decades of the 20th century (known as the "dead-ball era"). Due to a farm-machinery accident in his youth (April 17, 1888), Brown lost parts of two fingers on his right hand,[1] and in the process gained a colorful nickname. He turned this handicap into an advantage by learning how to grip a baseball in a way that resulted in an exceptional curveball (or knuckle curve), which broke radically before reaching the plate. With this technique he became one of the elite pitchers of his era.

Brown was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1949.

## Early life

[edit]

Brown was born in Nyesville, Indiana, to Jane and Peter Brown.[2] He was also known as "Miner", having worked in western Indiana coal mines for a while before beginning his professional baseball career. Nicknames like "Miner" (or misspelled as "Minor"[3]) and "Three Finger" (or sometimes "Three-Fingered") were headline writers' inventions. To fans and friends he was probably best known as "Brownie". To his relatives and close friends, he was also known as "Mort". His three-part given name came from the names of his uncle, his father, and the United States Centennial year of his birth, respectively.[2]

Brown's pitching (or "twirling") hand

According to his biography, he had two separate injuries to his right hand. The first and more famous trauma came when he was feeding material into the farm's feed chopper. He slipped and his hand was mangled by the knives, severing much of his index finger and damaging the others. A doctor repaired the rest of his hand as best he could. While it was still healing, the injury was further aggravated by a fall he took, which broke several finger bones. They were not reset properly, especially the middle finger (see photo).

He learned to pitch, as many children did, by aiming rocks at knot-holes on the barn wall and other wooden surfaces. Over time, with constant practice, he developed great control. As a "bonus", the manner in which he had to grip the ball (see photo) resulted in an unusual amount of spin. This allowed him to throw an effective curve ball (or knuckle curve), and a deceptive fast ball and change-up. The extra topspin made it difficult for batters to connect solidly. In short, he "threw ground balls" and was exceptionally effective.

## Career

[edit]

Brown with the Chicago Cubs in 1909 (left) and 1916 (right) Brown in 1911

Brown was a third baseman in semipro baseball in 1898 when his team's pitcher failed to appear for a game and Brown was put in to pitch. Players in the league quickly noticed the spin and movement created by Brown's unusual grip. Fred Massey, Brown's great-nephew, said, "It didn't only curve, it curved and dropped at the same time", Massey said. "It made it extremely hard to hit and if you did hit it, you hit it into the ground [because you] couldn't get under it."[4] After a spectacular minor league career commencing in Terre Haute of the Three-I League in 1901, Brown came to the majors rather late, at age 26, in 1903, and lasted until 1916 when he was close to 40.

Brown's most productive period was when he played for the Chicago Cubs from 1904 through 1912. During this stretch, he won 20 or more games six times and was part of two World Series championships. New York Giants manager John McGraw regarded his own Christy Mathewson and Brown as the two best pitchers in the National League. In fact, Brown defeated Mathewson in competition as often as not, most significantly in the final regular season game of the 1908 season. Brown had a career 13–11 edge on Mathewson, with one no-decision in their 25 pitching matchups.[5]

Brown's most important single game effort was the pennant-deciding contest between the Cubs and the New York Giants on October 8, 1908, at New York. With Mathewson starting for the Giants, Cubs starter Jack Pfiester got off to a weak start and was quickly relieved by Brown, who held the Giants in check the rest of the way as the Cubs prevailed 4–2, to win the pennant. The Cubs then went on to win their second consecutive World Series championship, their last until 2016, a span of 108 years.[6]

In late 1909, Brown was on a team that played some games in Cuba. He planned to spend the winter there, but returned home when he caught a mysterious sickness.[7] Brown saw limited action in 1912 and was released by the Cubs in October, a week before he turned 36. Soon after, he consulted a physician about a minor illness. Examining Brown's knee, the physician advised Brown to retire from baseball because he risked losing the use of his leg.[8] However, Brown continued to play, signing with the Louisville Colonels, who traded him to the Cincinnati Reds for the 1913 season.

After the 1913 season, Brown jumped to the Federal League, signing his contract on the same day as Joe Tinker. While Tinker went to the Chicago Whales, Brown was the player-manager for the St. Louis Terriers in 1914.[9] Brown was dismissed as manager in August, then finished the season with the Brooklyn Tip-Tops, and was rumored to retire again in October 1914.[10] He stayed in the league and played for the Chicago Whales in 1915. He returned to the Cubs for his final season in 1916.[4] Brown and Mathewson wrapped their respective careers by squaring off on September 4, 1916, in the second game of a Labor Day doubleheader.

A promotional poster advertising the Sept. 4, 1916 matchup between Mordecai Brown and Christy Mathewson

The game was billed as the final meeting between the two old baseball warriors, and would turn out to be the final game in each of their careers. The game was a high-scoring one, the two teams combining for 33 hits. But with both teams well back in the pennant race, the two men pitched the entire game. Mathewson's Reds prevailed 10–8 over Brown's Cubs, as the Cubs' ninth-inning rally fell short.

Brown finished his major league career with a 239–130 record, 1375 strikeouts, and a 2.06 ERA,[11] the third best ERA in Major League Baseball history amongst players inducted into the Hall of Fame, after Ed Walsh and Addie Joss. His 2.06 ERA is the best in MLB history for any pitcher with more than 200 wins. Brown was a switch-hitter, which was and is unusual for a pitcher. He took some pride in his hitting, and had a fair batting average for a pitcher, compiling a career .206 batting average (235-for-1143) with 93 runs, 2 home runs and 73 RBI.

## Later life and legacy

[edit]

Following his retirement from the majors, he returned to his home in Terre Haute, where he continued to pitch in the minor leagues and in exhibition games for more than a decade, as well as coaching and managing. According to his biography, in an exhibition game against the famous House of David touring team in 1928, at the age of 51, he pitched three innings as a favor to the local team, and struck out all nine batters he faced.

From 1920 to 1945, Brown ran a filling station in Terre Haute that also served as a town gathering place and an unofficial museum. He was also a frequent guest at Old-Timers' games in Chicago. In his later years, Brown was plagued by diabetes and then by the effects of a stroke in 1947. He died in 1948 of diabetic complications.[12][13] He was posthumously elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in May 1949 alongside Kid Nichols.[14]

F. Scott Fitzgerald refers to "Three-finger Brown" in his first novel, This Side of Paradise (1920).[15] The television series The Simpsons made reference to Brown in "Homer at the Bat", when Mr. Burns lists three ringers he wants for his company's softball team: Honus Wagner, Cap Anson, and Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown. Smithers has to point out that they are not only retired, but long-dead. He was referenced again by Mr. Burns in the episode "The Last Traction Hero".

In 1999, he was named as a finalist to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

Between Brown and Antonio Alfonseca, the Cubs have featured both a "three-fingered" pitcher and a six-fingered pitcher on their all-time roster (Brown technically had four, including the thumb).

## See also

[edit]

* Biography portal
* Baseball portal

* List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
* List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders
* List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
* List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders
* List of Major League Baseball player-managers
* Major League Baseball titles leaders

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Brown, Mordecai". baseballhall.org. Baseball Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
2. ^ a b Thomson, Cindy. "Mordecai Brown". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
3. ^ "Baseball Salaries Reach Top Mark" (PDF). The New York Times. January 18, 1914. Retrieved November 26, 2011.
4. ^ a b Haugh, David (June 29, 2008). "Mordecai Brown a Special Memory in Indiana Farmland". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 14, 2013.
5. ^ "Christy Mathewson". baseballbiography.com. September 4, 1916. Retrieved April 3, 2009.
6. ^ "Chicago Cubs Win 2016 World Series". MLB.com.
7. ^ "Mordecai Brown Sick From Mysterious Cause". Pittsburgh Press. January 3, 1910. Retrieved August 14, 2013.
8. ^ "Mordecai Brown May Never Pitch Again". The Daily Times. November 12, 1912. Retrieved August 14, 2013.
9. ^ "Tinker and Brown Sign Contracts; Their Three Years' Salary Is Guaranteed by a Bonding Company". The New York Times. December 30, 1913. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
10. ^ "Mordecai Brown is Thirty-Eight Years Old Today – About to Quit the Diamond". Milwaukee Journal. October 19, 1914. Retrieved August 14, 2013.
11. ^ "Mordecai Brown". baseballhall.org. Baseball Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
12. ^ "Mordecai Brown Dies; Among Baseball Greats". St. Louis Globe-Democrat. February 15, 1948. p. 15D. Retrieved October 11, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
13. ^ "Mordecai Brown, Great Hurler, Dies". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. February 15, 1948. Retrieved August 14, 2013.
14. ^ "Mordecai Brown Joins Baseball Hall of Fame". The Daily Press. Newport News, Virginia. May 9, 1949. p. 11. Retrieved October 11, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
15. ^ Fitzgerald, F. Scott; Fitzgerald (1896-1940), F. Scott (Francis Scott Key); West, James L. W. (1995). This Side of Paradise. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-40234-7.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

## Further reading

[edit]

* Cindy Thomson & Scott Brown (2006). Three Finger. Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 0-8032-4448-7.
* The Editors of Total Baseball (2000). "Baseball: The Biographical Encyclopedia". Sports Illustrated. pp. 134–135\. ISBN 1-892129-34-5.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mordecai Brown.

* Mordecai Brown at the Baseball Hall of Fame
*   * Career statistics from Baseball Reference · Fangraphs · Baseball Reference (Minors) · Retrosheet
*   * Mordecai Brown managerial career statistics at Baseball-Reference.com
* Mordecai Brown at Find a Grave
* Mordecai Brown Official Website

Achievements

Preceded by

Joe McGinnity

|  All-Time Saves Leader
1910–1925  | Succeeded by

Firpo Marberry

* v
* t
* e

Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1949

BBWAA Vote|

* Charlie Gehringer (85.0%)

Veterans Committee|

* Mordecai Brown
* Kid Nichols

* v
* t
* e

Members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame

Pitchers|

* Alexander
* Bender
* Blyleven
* M. Brown
* R. Brown
* Bunning
* Carlton
* Chesbro
* Clarkson
* Cooper
* Coveleski
* Day
* Dean
* Dihigo
* Drysdale
* Eckersley
* Faber
* Feller
* Fingers
* Ford
* B. Foster
* Galvin
* B. Gibson
* Glavine
* Gomez
* Gossage
* Grimes
* Grove
* Haines
* Halladay
* Hoffman
* Hoyt
* Hubbell
* Hunter
* Jenkins
* R. Johnson
* W. Johnson
* Joss
* Kaat
* Keefe
* Koufax
* Lemon
* Lyons
* Maddux
* Marichal
* Marquard
* P. Martínez
* Mathewson
* McGinnity
* Méndez
* Morris
* Mussina
* Newhouser
* Nichols
* Niekro
* Paige
* Palmer
* Pennock
* Perry
* Plank
* Radbourn
* Rivera
* Rixey
* Roberts
* Rogan
* Ruffing
* Rusie
* Ryan
* Sabathia
* Seaver
* H. Smith
* L. Smith
* Smoltz
* Spahn
* Sutter
* Sutton
* Vance
* Waddell
* B. Wagner
* Walsh
* Welch
* Wilhelm
* J. Williams
* Willis
* Wynn
* Young

Catchers|

* Bench
* Berra
* Bresnahan
* Campanella
* Carter
* Cochrane
* Dickey
* Ewing
* Ferrell
* Fisk
* J. Gibson
* Hartnett
* Lombardi
* Mackey
* Mauer
* Piazza
* Rodríguez
* Santop
* Schalk
* T. Simmons

First basemen|

* Allen
* Anson
* Bagwell
* Beckley
* Bottomley
* Brouthers
* Cepeda
* Chance
* Connor
* Foxx
* Gehrig
* Greenberg
* Helton
* Hodges
* G. Kelly
* Killebrew
* Leonard
* McCovey
* McGriff
* Mize
* Murray
* Pérez
* Sisler
* Suttles
* Taylor
* Terry
* Thomas
* Thome

Second basemen|

* Alomar
* Biggio
* Carew
* E. Collins
* Doerr
* Evers
* Fox
* Frisch
* Gehringer
* Gordon
* Herman
* Hornsby
* Lajoie
* Lazzeri
* Mazeroski
* McPhee
* Morgan
* J. Robinson
* Sandberg
* Schoendienst

Third basemen|

* Baker
* Beltré
* Boggs
* Brett
* J. Collins
* Dandridge
* J. Johnson
* Jones
* Kell
* Lindstrom
* Mathews
* Molitor
* B. Robinson
* Rolen
* Santo
* Schmidt
* Traynor
* D. White
* J. Wilson

Shortstops|

* Aparicio
* Appling
* Bancroft
* Banks
* Boudreau
* Cronin
* Davis
* T. Jackson
* Jennings
* Jeter
* Larkin
* Lloyd
* Maranville
* Reese
* Ripken Jr.
* Rizzuto
* Sewell
* O. Smith
* Tinker
* Trammell
* Vaughan
* H. Wagner
* Wallace
* Ward
* Wells
* Yount

Left fielders|

* Brock
* Burkett
* Clarke
* Delahanty
* Goslin
* Hafey
* Henderson
* Irvin
* Kelley
* Kiner
* Manush
* Medwick
* Miñoso
* Musial
* O'Rourke
* Raines
* J. Rice
* A. Simmons
* Stargell
* Wheat
* B. Williams
* T. Williams
* Yastrzemski

Center fielders|

* Ashburn
* Averill
* Bell
* W. Brown
* Carey
* Charleston
* Cobb
* Combs
* DiMaggio
* Doby
* Duffy
* Griffey Jr.
* Hamilton
* Hill
* Mantle
* Mays
* Puckett
* Roush
* Snider
* Speaker
* Stearnes
* Torriente
* L. Waner
* H. Wilson

Right fielders|

* Aaron
* Clemente
* Crawford
* Cuyler
* Dawson
* Flick
* Guerrero
* Gwynn
* Heilmann
* Hooper
* R. Jackson
* Kaline
* Keeler
* K. Kelly
* Klein
* T. McCarthy
* Oliva
* Ott
* Parker
* S. Rice
* F. Robinson
* Ruth
* Slaughter
* Suzuki
* Thompson
* Walker
* P. Waner
* Winfield
* Youngs

Designated hitters|

* Baines
* E. Martínez
* Ortiz

Managers|

* Alston
* Anderson
* Cox
* Durocher
* R. Foster
* Hanlon
* Harris
* Herzog
* Huggins
* La Russa
* Lasorda
* Leyland
* López
* Mack
* J. McCarthy
* McGraw
* McKechnie
* W. Robinson
* Selee
* Southworth
* Stengel
* Torre
* Weaver
* D. Williams

Executives
and pioneers|

* Barrow
* Bulkeley
* Cartwright
* Chadwick
* Chandler
* Comiskey
* Cummings
* Dreyfuss
* Fowler
* Frick
* Giles
* Gillick
* Grant
* Griffith
* Harridge
* Hulbert
* B. Johnson
* Kuhn
* Landis
* La. MacPhail
* Le. MacPhail
* Manley
* Miller
* O'Malley
* O'Neil
* Pompez
* Posey
* Rickey
* Ruppert
* Schuerholz
* Selig
* Spalding
* Veeck
* Weiss
* S. White
* Wilkinson
* G. Wright
* H. Wright
* Yawkey

Umpires|

* Barlick
* Chylak
* Conlan
* Connolly
* Evans
* Harvey
* Hubbard
* Klem
* McGowan
* O'Day

* v
* t
* e

St. Louis Cardinals in the National Baseball Hall of Fame

Inducted as a Cardinal|

* Jim Bottomley
* Lou Brock
* Dizzy Dean
* Frankie Frisch
* Bob Gibson
* Chick Hafey
* Jesse Haines
* Rogers Hornsby
* Whitey Herzog
* Joe Medwick
* Johnny Mize
* Stan Musial
* Scott Rolen
* Red Schoendienst
* Ted Simmons
* Enos Slaughter
* Ozzie Smith
* Billy Southworth
* Bruce Sutter

Inductees who played
for the Cardinals|

* Grover Cleveland Alexander
* Dick Allen
* Walter Alston
* Jake Beckley
* Roger Bresnahan
* Mordecai Brown
* Jesse Burkett
* Steve Carlton
* Orlando Cepeda
* Charles Comiskey
* Leo Durocher
* Dennis Eckersley
* Burleigh Grimes
* Miller Huggins
* Jim Kaat
* Rabbit Maranville
* John McGraw
* Kid Nichols
* Wilbert Robinson
* Lee Smith
* Joe Torre
* Dazzy Vance
* Larry Walker
* Bobby Wallace
* Hoyt Wilhelm
* Vic Willis
* Cy Young

Cardinals managers|

* Roger Bresnahan
* Charles Comiskey
* Frankie Frisch
* Whitey Herzog
* Miller Huggins
* Tony La Russa
* Bill McKechnie
* Kid Nichols
* Branch Rickey
* Red Schoendienst
* Billy Southworth
* Joe Torre

Others|

* Branch Rickey

Ford C. Frick Award|

* Jack Buck
* Harry Caray
* Joe Garagiola

* v
* t
* e

Chicago Cubs in the National Baseball Hall of Fame

Inducted as a Cub|

* Cap Anson
* Ernie Banks
* Mordecai Brown
* Frank Chance
* Kiki Cuyler
* Johnny Evers
* Gabby Hartnett
* Billy Herman
* Ferguson Jenkins
* King Kelly
* Ryne Sandberg
* Ron Santo
* Lee Smith
* Billy Williams
* Hack Wilson

Inductees who played
for the Cubs|

* Grover Cleveland Alexander
* Richie Ashburn
* Roger Bresnahan
* Lou Brock
* John Clarkson
* Andre Dawson
* Hugh Duffy
* Dennis Eckersley
* Jimmie Foxx
* Goose Gossage
* Clark Griffith
* Burleigh Grimes
* Rogers Hornsby
* Monte Irvin
* George Kelly
* Ralph Kiner
* Chuck Klein
* Tony La Russa
* Tony Lazzeri
* Freddie Lindstrom
* Greg Maddux
* Rabbit Maranville
* Fred McGriff
* Hank O'Day
* Robin Roberts
* Frank Selee
* Bruce Sutter
* Joe Tinker
* Rube Waddell
* Deacon White
* Hoyt Wilhelm

Cubs managers|

* Cap Anson
* Lou Boudreau
* Leo Durocher
* Frankie Frisch
* Gabby Hartnett
* Joe McCarthy

Other|

* Albert Spalding

Ford C. Frick Award|

* Jack Brickhouse
* Harry Caray
* Bob Elson
* Milo Hamilton
* Pat Hughes

* v
* t
* e

Members of the Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame

Pitchers|

* Alexander
* M. Brown
* Clarkson
* Griffith
* Holtzman
* Jenkins
* Maddux
* Overall
* Root
* Reulbach
* Reuschel
* Smith
* Sutcliffe
* Sutter
* Vaughn
* Wood

Catchers|

* Grimm
* Hartnett
* Hundley
* Kelly

Infielders|

* Banks
* Beckert
* Buckner
* Chance
* Dunston
* Evers
* Grace
* Herman
* Kessinger
* Lee
* Ramírez
* Sandberg
* Santo
* Tinker
* Zimmerman

Outfielders|

* Cardenal
* Cuyler
* Dawson
* Lange
* Pafko
* Ryan
* Sauer
* Schulte
* Sosa
* Stephenson
* Williams
* Wilson

Managers|

* Boudreau
* Cavarretta
* Durocher
* Hack
* Hornsby
* McCarthy

Executives|

* Donahue
* Hulbert
* Spalding
* P. K. Wrigley
* W. Wrigley Jr.
* W. Wrigley III

Broadcasters|

* Brickhouse
* Caray
* Hughes

Others|

* Yosh Kawano (clubhouse manager)
* Pieper (public address announcer)

* v
* t
* e

Chicago Cubs 1907 World Series champions

Mordecai Brown
Frank Chance
Blaine Durbin
Johnny Evers
Chick Fraser
Solly Hofman
Del Howard
Johnny Kling
Carl Lundgren
Pat Moran
Orval Overall
Jack Pfiester
Ed Reulbach
Frank Schulte
Jimmy Sheckard
Jimmy Slagle
Harry Steinfeldt
Joe Tinker
Tom Walsh
Heinie Zimmerman

Manager
Frank Chance

Regular season

* v
* t
* e

Chicago Cubs 1908 World Series champions

Mordecai Brown
Frank Chance
Johnny Evers
Chick Fraser
Solly Hofman
Del Howard
Johnny Kling
Carl Lundgren
Orval Overall
Jack Pfiester
Ed Reulbach
Frank Schulte
Jimmy Sheckard
Harry Steinfeldt
Joe Tinker
Heinie Zimmerman

Manager
Frank Chance

Regular season

* v
* t
* e

Chicago Whales 1915 Federal League champions

* Fred Beck
* Dave Black
* Ad Brennan
* Mordecai Brown
* Jack Farrell
* William Fischer
* Max Flack
* Harry Fritz
* Charlie Hanford
* Claude Hendrix
* Bill Jackson
* Rankin Johnson
* Les Mann
* George McConnell
* Mike Prendergast
* Jimmy Smith
* Joe Tinker
* Art Wilson
* Tex Wisterzil
* Rollie Zeider
* Dutch Zwilling

* Manager: Joe Tinker

* v
* t
* e

National League season wins leaders

* 1876: Spalding
* 1877: Bond
* 1878: Bond
* 1879: Ward
* 1880: J. McCormick
* 1881: Corcoran & Whitney
* 1882: J. McCormick
* 1883: Radbourn
* 1884: Radbourn
* 1885: Clarkson
* 1886: Baldwin & Keefe
* 1887: Clarkson
* 1888: Keefe
* 1889: Clarkson
* 1890: Hutchison
* 1891: Hutchison
* 1892: Hutchison & Young
* 1893: Killen
* 1894: Rusie
* 1895: Young
* 1896: Killen & Nichols
* 1897: Nichols
* 1898: Nichols
* 1899: Hughes & McGinnity
* 1900: McGinnity
* 1901: Donovan
* 1902: Chesbro
* 1903: McGinnity
* 1904: McGinnity
* 1905: Mathewson
* 1906: McGinnity
* 1907: Mathewson
* 1908: Mathewson
* 1909: Brown
* 1910: Mathewson
* 1911: Alexander
* 1912: Cheney & Marquard
* 1913: Seaton
* 1914: Alexander
* 1915: Alexander
* 1916: Alexander
* 1917: Alexander
* 1918: Vaughn
* 1919: Barnes
* 1920: Alexander
* 1921: W. Cooper & Grimes
* 1922: Rixey
* 1923: Luque
* 1924: Vance
* 1925: Vance
* 1926: Donohue, Kremer, Meadows & Rhem
* 1927: Root
* 1928: Benton & Grimes
* 1929: Malone
* 1930: Kremer & Malone
* 1931: Elliott, Hallahan & Meine
* 1932: Warneke
* 1933: Hubbell
* 1934: Dean
* 1935: Dean
* 1936: Hubbell
* 1937: Hubbell
* 1938: Lee
* 1939: Walters
* 1940: Walters
* 1941: Higbe & Wyatt
* 1942: M. Cooper
* 1943: M. Cooper, Riddle & Sewell
* 1944: Walters
* 1945: Barrett
* 1946: Pollet
* 1947: Blackwell
* 1948: Sain
* 1949: Spahn
* 1950: Spahn
* 1951: Jansen & Maglie
* 1952: Roberts
* 1953: Roberts & Spahn
* 1954: Roberts
* 1955: Roberts
* 1956: Newcombe
* 1957: Spahn
* 1958: Friend & Spahn
* 1959: Burdette, S. Jones & Spahn
* 1960: Broglio & Spahn
* 1961: Jay & Spahn
* 1962: Drysdale
* 1963: Koufax & Marichal
* 1964: L. Jackson
* 1965: Koufax
* 1966: Koufax
* 1967: M. McCormick
* 1968: Marichal
* 1969: Seaver
* 1970: Gibson & Perry
* 1971: Jenkins
* 1972: Carlton
* 1973: Bryant
* 1974: Messersmith & P. Niekro
* 1975: Seaver
* 1976: R. Jones
* 1977: Carlton
* 1978: Perry
* 1979: J. Niekro & P. Niekro
* 1980: Carlton
* 1981: Seaver
* 1982: Carlton
* 1983: Denny
* 1984: Andújar
* 1985: Gooden
* 1986: Valenzuela
* 1987: Sutcliffe
* 1988: Hershiser & D. Jackson
* 1989: Scott
* 1990: Drabek
* 1991: Glavine & Smiley
* 1992: Glavine & Maddux
* 1993: Burkett & Glavine
* 1994: Hill & Maddux
* 1995: Maddux
* 1996: Smoltz
* 1997: Neagle
* 1998: Glavine
* 1999: Hampton
* 2000: Glavine
* 2001: Morris & Schilling
* 2002: Johnson
* 2003: Ortiz
* 2004: Oswalt
* 2005: Willis
* 2006: Harang, Lowe, Penny, Smoltz, Webb & Zambrano
* 2007: Peavy
* 2008: Webb
* 2009: Wainwright
* 2010: Halladay
* 2011: Kennedy & Kershaw
* 2012: González
* 2013: Wainwright & Zimmermann
* 2014: Kershaw
* 2015: Arrieta
* 2016: Scherzer
* 2017: Kershaw
* 2018: Lester, Mikolas & Scherzer
* 2019: Strasburg
* 2020: Darvish
* 2021: Urías
* 2022: Wright
* 2023: Strider
* 2024: Sale

* v
* t
* e

National League season ERA leaders

* 1876: Bradley
* 1877: Bond
* 1878: Ward
* 1879: Bond
* 1880: Keefe
* 1881: Weidman
* 1882: Corcoran
* 1883: J. McCormick
* 1884: Radbourn
* 1885: Keefe
* 1886: Boyle
* 1887: Casey
* 1888: Keefe
* 1889: Clarkson
* 1890: Rhines
* 1891: Ewing
* 1892: Young
* 1893: Breitenstein
* 1894: Rusie
* 1895: Maul
* 1896: Rhines
* 1897: Rusie
* 1898: Griffith
* 1899: Willis
* 1900: Waddell
* 1901: Tannehill
* 1902: Taylor
* 1903: Leever
* 1904: McGinnity
* 1905: Mathewson
* 1906: M. Brown
* 1907: Pfiester
* 1908: Mathewson
* 1909: Mathewson
* 1910: Cole
* 1911: Mathewson
* 1912: Tesreau
* 1913: Mathewson
* 1914: Doak
* 1915: Alexander
* 1916: Alexander
* 1917: Anderson
* 1918: Vaughn
* 1919: Alexander
* 1920: Alexander
* 1921: Doak
* 1922: Douglas
* 1923: Luque
* 1924: Vance
* 1925: Luque
* 1926: Kremer
* 1927: Kremer
* 1928: Vance
* 1929: Walker
* 1930: Vance
* 1931: Walker
* 1932: Warneke
* 1933: Hubbell
* 1934: Hubbell
* 1935: Blanton
* 1936: Hubbell
* 1937: Turner
* 1938: Lee
* 1939: Walters
* 1940: Walters
* 1941: Riddle
* 1942: Cooper
* 1943: Lanier
* 1944: Heusser
* 1945: Prim
* 1946: Pollet
* 1947: Spahn
* 1948: Brecheen
* 1949: Koslo
* 1950: Maglie
* 1951: Nichols Jr.
* 1952: Wilhelm
* 1953: Spahn
* 1954: Antonelli
* 1955: Friend
* 1956: Burdette
* 1957: Podres
* 1958: Miller
* 1959: S. Jones
* 1960: M. McCormick
* 1961: Spahn
* 1962: Koufax
* 1963: Koufax
* 1964: Koufax
* 1965: Koufax
* 1966: Koufax
* 1967: Niekro
* 1968: Gibson
* 1969: Marichal
* 1970: Seaver
* 1971: Seaver
* 1972: Carlton
* 1973: Seaver
* 1974: Capra
* 1975: R. Jones
* 1976: Denny
* 1977: Candelaria
* 1978: Swan
* 1979: Richard
* 1980: Sutton
* 1981: Ryan
* 1982: Rogers
* 1983: Hammaker
* 1984: Peña
* 1985: Gooden
* 1986: Scott
* 1987: Ryan
* 1988: Magrane
* 1989: Garrelts
* 1990: Darwin
* 1991: D. Martínez
* 1992: Swift
* 1993: Maddux
* 1994: Maddux
* 1995: Maddux
* 1996: K. Brown
* 1997: P. Martínez
* 1998: Maddux
* 1999: R. Johnson
* 2000: K. Brown
* 2001: R. Johnson
* 2002: R. Johnson
* 2003: Schmidt
* 2004: Peavy
* 2005: Clemens
* 2006: Oswalt
* 2007: Peavy
* 2008: Santana
* 2009: Carpenter
* 2010: J. Johnson
* 2011: Kershaw
* 2012: Kershaw
* 2013: Kershaw
* 2014: Kershaw
* 2015: Greinke
* 2016: Hendricks
* 2017: Kershaw
* 2018: deGrom
* 2019: Ryu
* 2020: Bauer
* 2021: Burnes
* 2022: Urías
* 2023: Snell
* 2024: Sale

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* FAST
* WorldCat

National|

* United States
* Israel

Other|

* SNAC
* Yale LUX

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