Babe Adams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Babe Adams |
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Adams in 1911
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: May 18, 1882 Tipton, Indiana, U.S. |
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| Died: July 27, 1968 (aged 86) Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 18, 1906, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| August 11, 1926, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 194–140 | ||
| Earned run average | 2.76 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,036 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Charles Benjamin "Babe" Adams (born May 18, 1882 – died July 27, 1968) was a famous American baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1906 to 1926. Babe Adams spent almost his whole career with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
He was known for his amazing control when pitching. He rarely gave up walks. His career average was only 1.29 walks for every 9 innings pitched. This was one of the lowest averages in the 20th century. In 1920, he walked only 1 batter for every 14.6 innings. This was a record until 2005.
Babe Adams holds some team records for the Pirates. He shares the record for most career victories by a right-handed pitcher (194 wins). He also holds the team record for career shutouts (47). From 1926 to 1962, he held the team record for most career games pitched (481).
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Early Life of Babe Adams
Adams was born in Tipton, Indiana. When he was a child, his family moved to Mount Moriah, Missouri. Baseball was very popular there.
In 1904, a scout discovered him. He then signed to play minor league baseball. In 1905, he played for the Parsons Preachers in the Missouri Valley League.
Babe Adams' Major League Career
Babe Adams made his first MLB appearance on April 18, 1906. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals. He pitched for 4 innings but did not win the game. After this, he did not pitch for the Cardinals again.
In September 1907, the Pittsburgh Pirates bought his contract. His first full year was 1909. He had a great season with 12 wins and a low 1.11 earned run average (ERA).
World Series Star
Adams became the star of the 1909 World Series. He was a surprise starter for Game 1. The president of the National League, John Heydler, suggested him. Heydler thought Adams' pitching style would be hard for the Detroit Tigers to hit.
Adams won three complete games in the series. Each game was a six-hitter, meaning he allowed only six hits. He pitched a shutout in Game 7. This made him the first rookie in World Series history to start and win Game 7. Only John Lackey has done this since, in the 2002.
Babe Adams was the only player from the 1909 championship team to also be on the Pirates' 1925 World Series winning team. He later won 20 games in both 1911 and 1913.
Later Career and Control Pitching
In 1916, Adams had a tough year. His ERA went up to 5.72. He was sent to play in a minor league. But by late 1918, he was pitching well again. He rejoined the Pirates and stayed with them until 1926.
On May 4, 1913, Adams helped his team win a game. His triple in the third inning brought in Billy Kelly. This was the Pirates' only hit and run of the game. Adams allowed the Cincinnati Reds only 2 hits and 1 walk. The Pirates won 1–0 at Redland Field.
Adams was famous for being an excellent control pitcher. On July 17, 1914, he pitched a very long game. It lasted 21 innings against the New York Giants. He did not allow a single walk in that game. He gave up only 12 hits. However, he lost the game 3–1 when Larry Doyle hit a home run in the 21st inning. This is the longest game in major league history without a walk. In 1920, Adams allowed only 18 walks in 263 innings pitched.
Career Totals and Final Game
In his career, Adams had 194 wins and 140 losses. His career ERA was 2.76. His last game was on August 11, 1926. He was released from the team a few days later. This happened after he joined other players who asked that a former manager, Fred Clarke, not be allowed on the bench. Clarke had been openly criticizing the current manager, Bill McKechnie. Babe Adams never played another major league game after that.
Adams was also a good hitter for a pitcher. He had a .212 batting average. He got 216 hits in 1,019 tries. He scored 79 runs, hit 3 home runs, and had 75 RBI. He also drew 53 bases on balls. He was also a good fielder. His fielding percentage was .976, which was better than average for a pitcher.
Later Life and Passing
After his baseball career, Adams managed teams in the minor leagues. He also worked on a farm in Mount Moriah, Missouri. Later, he worked as a reporter and foreign correspondent during World War II and the Korean War.
Babe Adams passed away in Silver Spring, Maryland, at age 86. He was cremated at Fort Lincoln Cemetery in Brentwood, Maryland. There is a memorial stone for him at Mount Moriah Cemetery, MO.
