Ken Raffensberger
| Ken Raffensberger | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Raffensberger in about 1953 | |||
| Pitcher | |||
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Born: August 8, 1917 York, Pennsylvania | |||
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Died: November 10, 2002 (aged 85) York, Pennsylvania | |||
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| MLB debut | |||
| April 25, 1939, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| Last MLB appearance | |||
| June 2, 1954, for the Cincinnati Redlegs | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 119–154 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.60 | ||
| Strikeouts | 806 | ||
| Teams | |||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
Kenneth David Raffensberger (August 8, 1917 – November 10, 2002) was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1939 through 1954, he played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1939), Chicago Cubs (1940–41), Philadelphia Phillies (1943–47), and Cincinnati Reds/Redlegs (1947–54). Raffensberger batted right-handed and threw left-handed. He was born in York, Pennsylvania.
Career
In a 15-season career, Raffensberger posted a win-loss record of 119–154 with 806 strikeouts and a 3.60 ERA in 2151.2 innings pitched. His career winning percentage was .463, despite being an all-star and having an above average career ERA (3.60).
Raffensberger started his career as a fastball pitcher, particularly gaining success with his rising fastball. Towards the later end of his career, however, starting in the early 1940s, he developed a dependable forkball to complement his fastball, slow curve, and change. He had one of the widest ranges of deliveries in the majors, ranging from underhand to overhand and a variety of side arm and three-quarter deliveries in between.[1] Stan Musial said in 1964 of Raffensberger:
- Raffy had nothing except slow stuff, and a forkball, but, with changing speeds and control, he made those pitches seem so fat when they weren't... I stubbornly tried to slug with him and didn't have much success."
Raffensberger died in York, Pennsylvania, at age 85.
Achievements
- Made National League All-Star team (1944)
- Twice led NL in shutouts (1949, five – 1952, six)
- Led NL in games started (1949, 38)
- Led NL in saves (1946, six)
- Led NL in WHIP (1951, 1.086)
- Led NL in SO to Walk (1944, 3.02)
- 3-time appeared in National League MVP vote (1949, 1951–52)
- Twice led NL in losses (1944, 20 – 1951, 17)
- Led NL in home runs allowed (1950, 34)
- Led NL in hits allowed (1949, 289)
Quotations
- I didn't go along with it... I never believed in throwing at a guy, Raffensberger said, after Phillies manager Ben Chapman had instructed his pitchers to throw the ball at Jackie Robinson when there was a 3–0 count.
- St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer Stan Musial said on an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show that Raffensberger was the toughest left-handed pitcher he had ever faced and dubbed him "Crafty Raffy."
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
References
- ↑ The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers: An Historical Compendium of Pitching, Pitchers, and Pitches. Bill James and Rob Neyer. 2004.
Sources
- Baseball Almanac
- Baseball Library
- Baseball Spot at the Wayback Machine (archived January 16, 2005)
- "Former Reds' pitcher dies at 85". The Cincinnati Post. 2002-11-11. Archived from the original on 2005-02-17.
- The Deadball Era
- Historic Baseball
- York Wiki
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
- Ken Raffensberger at Find a Grave