Gus Weyhing

Infobox MLB retired
name=Gus Weyhing
position=Pitcher


bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=September 29, 1866
city-state|Louisville|Kentucky
deathdate=death date and age|1955|9|4|1866|9|29
city-state|Louisville|Kentucky
debutdate=May 2
debutyear=by|1887
debutteam=Philadelphia Athletics
finaldate=August 21
finalyear=by|1901
finalteam=Cincinnati Reds
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=264-232
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=3.89
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=1665
teams=
* Philadelphia Athletics (by|1887-by|1889)
* Brooklyn Ward's Wonders (by|1890)
* Philadelphia Athletics (by|1891)
* Philadelphia Phillies (by|1892-by|1895)
* Pittsburgh Pirates (by|1895)
* Louisville Colonels (by|1895-by|1896)
* Washington Senators (by|1898-by|1899)
* St. Louis Cardinals (by|1900)
* Brooklyn Superbas (by|1900)
* Cleveland Blues (by|1901)
* Cincinnati Reds (by|1901)
highlights=
*National League pennant: 1900
*12th most complete games in Major League history (448)
*4 200+ strikeout seasons
*7 20-win seasons

August "Gus" Weyhing (September 29, 1866 – September 4, 1955) was a pitcher for nine professional baseball teams in a career that spanned 14 years from by|1887 to by|1901. He was small for a pitcher, by today's standards, listed at 5 feet 10 inches tall and between 120-145 pounds. He enjoyed quite a bit of success, winning 25 games or more for six years in a row, capped by a 32 win season in by|1892 for the Philadelphia Phillies. He completed 46 of his 49 starts that year, hurled six shutouts, and logged 469 2/3 innings. He collected 216 wins in his first eight professional seasons. Weyhing was nicknamed "Cannonball", "Rubber Arm", and "Rubber-Winged Gus". Weyhing was known to be a poor hitter and suspect fielder. He holds the dubious record of having hit the most batters in a career (277).

Career

Weyhing was a solid pitcher, though he never led the league in any specific categories. He did have a few career highlights, however. In one memorable week in the 1888 season, Weyhing pitched three consecutive complete game victories against Brooklyn to eliminate that team from the pennant race. In addition, Weyhing came close to throwing a perfect game when he hurled a no-hitter on July 31, 1888, against the Kansas City Cowboys. He walked one batter and another reached base via an error. Both runners were erased by caught stealing, meaning Weyhing faced the minimum 27 batters.

Accusations of theft

One odd report, taken from the local Louisville, Kentucky newspaper, tells the tale of Weyhing's possible involvement in a pigeon theft. The following report is from newspaper accounts in Louisville (Weyhing's hometown) in 1892:

It appears that Weyhing was either cleared of the charges, or found guilty and took care of the matter before the 1892 season commenced. He was with the Phillies all of 1892, and won 32 games.

ee also

* List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
* List of Major League Baseball saves champions
* MLB All-Time Hit Batsmen List
* List of Major League Baseball no-hitters

References