Ferguson Jenkins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ferguson Jenkins |
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Jenkins with the Chicago Cubs in 1973
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: December 13, 1942 Chatham, Ontario, Canada |
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| debut | |||
| September 10, 1965, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 26, 1983, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 284–226 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.34 | ||
| Strikeouts | 3,192 | ||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 1991 | ||
| Vote | 75.4% (third ballot) | ||
Ferguson Arthur "Fergie" Jenkins is a famous Canadian former professional baseball pitcher. He was also a coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1965 to 1983. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, and Boston Red Sox.
Jenkins spent most of his career with the Chicago Cubs. He was an All-Star three times. In 1971, he made history by becoming the first Canadian and first Cubs pitcher to win a Cy Young Award. This award goes to the best pitcher in each league.
He was known for winning 20 games or more in seven different seasons. Six of these were in a row for the Cubs. He led his league in wins in 1971 and 1974. He also led in complete games (finishing a game without a relief pitcher) several times. Jenkins led the league in strikeouts in 1969. He ended his career with over 3,000 strikeouts. His 284 wins are the most by any black pitcher in MLB history.
During the off-season, Jenkins even played basketball for the famous Harlem Globetrotters. After his MLB career, he pitched for two seasons in Canada for the minor league London Majors. In 1991, Jenkins became the first Canadian to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He was the only Canadian there until Larry Walker joined him in 2020.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Start
Jenkins was born on December 13, 1942, in Chatham, Ontario. He was the only child of Delores Jackson and Ferguson Jenkins Sr. His father was a chef and driver. His mother's family had escaped slavery in the US through the Underground Railroad. Both of his parents were good athletes. His father played semi-pro baseball for the Chatham Coloured All-Stars.
Fergie was a very talented athlete. In school, he played track and field, ice hockey, and basketball. He earned five varsity letters. When he started playing baseball as a teenager, he was a first baseman. He practiced his pitching by throwing coal at targets. A scout for the Philadelphia Phillies, Gene Dziadura, encouraged him to keep working on his pitching. They trained together until Jenkins finished high school.
Playing Professional Baseball
Starting His MLB Career
In 1962, a Phillies scout named Tony Lucadello signed Jenkins. He made his first major league appearance in 1965. He was 22 years old and pitched as a relief pitcher. The next year, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs. This trade helped him become one of the best pitchers in baseball.
In 1967, his first full year as a starting pitcher for the Cubs, Jenkins won 20 games. He had a great ERA of 2.80 and 236 strikeouts. He finished second in the Cy Young Award voting that year. He was also chosen for the All-Star Game for the first time.
In 1968, his pitching got even better. He won 20 games again, and his ERA dropped to 2.63. He had 260 strikeouts. Jenkins became known for his strong pitching even though he played in Wrigley Field. This ballpark was known as a "hitter's ballpark," meaning it was easier for batters to hit home runs there. In 1968, he lost five games by a score of 1–0.
His Amazing 1971 Season
Jenkins had his best season in 1971. On April 6, he started the Cubs' opening day game. The Cubs won 2–1 against the St. Louis Cardinals in 10 innings. Jenkins pitched the entire game, and Billy Williams hit a home run to win it. On September 1, 1971, Jenkins pitched another complete game. He also hit two home runs in that game! The Cubs won 5–2 against the Montreal Expos. He was named the NL Player of the Month in July.
That season, Jenkins pitched a complete game in 30 of his 39 starts. He finished with 24 wins and 13 losses. He only walked 37 batters while striking out 263 in 325 innings. He played in the All-Star Game. Jenkins also hit well, with six home runs and 20 runs batted in.
Jenkins won the 1971 NL Cy Young Award. He was the first Cubs pitcher and the first Canadian to win this award. He received 17 of 24 first-place votes. Even though another pitcher, Tom Seaver, had slightly better stats, Jenkins pitched in a park that favored hitters, while Seaver pitched in a park that favored pitchers.
Later Seasons and Challenges
In 1972, Jenkins completed his sixth year in a row with 20 or more wins. By the middle of the next season, he felt tired of playing baseball. He finished the season but had a 14–16 win–loss record.
Jenkins was traded from the Cubs to the Texas Rangers in October 1973. The Rangers manager, Billy Martin, was very happy about the trade. He called Jenkins a "workhorse" and a "winner." In 1974, Jenkins had a personal best of 25 wins. This is still a record for the Rangers team. He finished second in the Cy Young Award voting that year. He was also named the American League Comeback Player of the Year.
Jenkins got his 250th win on May 23, 1980. He continued to play until he retired after the 1983 season.
Playing in Canada
After retiring from MLB in 1983, Jenkins continued to play baseball in Canada. He pitched for two seasons for the London Majors. This was a minor league team in the Intercounty Major Baseball League in London, Ontario.
Life After Baseball
After his baseball career, Jenkins ran for a political party in Ontario in 1985. He placed third in the election.
Fergie Jenkins' Legacy
Jenkins led his league in wins twice (1971, 1974). He also led in fewest walks per 9 innings five times. He led in complete games nine times. He led the league in strikeouts once in 1969. His streak of six straight seasons with 20 or more wins is the longest in the major leagues since the 1950s.
Jenkins is one of only a few pitchers to have over 3,000 strikeouts with fewer than 1,000 walks. He got his 3,000th strikeout on May 25, 1982.
As a hitter, Jenkins had a .165 batting average. He hit 13 home runs and had 85 RBI. He was also a good fielder, with a .954 fielding percentage.
He is considered a key member of the "Black Aces." This is a group of black pitchers who won at least 20 games in one season.
Awards and Honors
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| Ferguson Jenkins's number 31 was retired by the Chicago Cubs in 2009. |
In 1974, Jenkins became the first baseball player to win the Lou Marsh Trophy. This award goes to Canada's top athlete each year. He was also named the Canadian Press male athlete of the year four times.
Jenkins was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. In 1991, he became the first Canadian ever elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. The 1991 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Toronto was dedicated to him. He threw out the first pitch. Jenkins was also inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1995. He joined Canada's Walk of Fame in 2001. In 2004, he was inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame. The Ontario Sports Hall of Fame created the Ferguson Jenkins Heritage Award in his honor in 2011.
On December 17, 1979, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada. This is a high honor for Canadians. On May 3, 2009, the Cubs retired jersey number 31 in honor of both Jenkins and Greg Maddux. On December 13, 2010, Canada Post announced that Jenkins would be honored with his own postage stamp. The stamp was released on February 1, 2011, for Black History Month. On May 20, 2022, a statue of Jenkins was placed outside Wrigley Field.
Images for kids
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Ferguson Jenkins 1973.jpg
Jenkins with the Chicago Cubs in 1973
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Jenkins with the Red Sox in 1976
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Jenkins in 1997
