The Great Shutout Pitchers

Throughout baseball’s long history, only twenty pitchers have thrown fifty or more complete game shutouts. In all probability, the author contends, this list of baseball elite has likely seen its last inductee, as the emergence of relief pitchers and the increasing brevity of playing careers have changed the game considerably.
The twenty players are Walter Johnson, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Christy Mathewson, Cy Young, Eddie Plank, Warren Spahn, Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, Bert Blyleven, Don Sutton, Ed Walsh, Bob Gibson, Steve Carlton, Mordecai “Three-Finger” Brown, Jim Palmer, Gaylord Perry, Juan Marichal, Rube Waddell, Vic Willis, and Pud Galvin. All but Blyleven are members of the Hall of Fame. The author presents anecdotal information about each of the pitchers, paying special attention to their shutout games, and also covers other significant games in their careers.

Retired teacher Joe MacKay is a member of The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). He lives in Shirley, New York.

Joe MacKay
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 240
Bibliographic Info: tables, index
Copyright Date: 2004
pISBN: 978-0-7864-1676-9
Imprint: McFarland

“a detailed examination…fascinating anecdotes…clear, lively writing and a good overall perspective in the history of the game”—School Library Journal.