Jack Chesbro was born on Friday, June 5, 1874, in North Adams, Massachusetts. Chesbro was 25 years old when he broke into the big leagues on July 12, 1899, with the Pittsburgh Pirates. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous items-of-interest are presented by Baseball Almanac on this comprehensive Jack Chesbro baseball stats page.
"By midseason he (Jack Chesbro) was able to signal to his catcher just how far the ball was going to drop and later admitted, 'Over the last 30 games of the season I pitched spitballs entirely. In those 30 games I didn't pitch a half-dozen balls that weren't spitballs." - Glenn Stout in Yankees Century: 100 Years of New York Yankees Baseball (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing, 09/04/2002, Page 26)
Jack Chesbro |
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Jack ChesbroJack Chesbro Pitching Stats |
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| Year | Age | Team | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD |
| 1899 | 25 | Pirates | 19 | 17 | 2 | 6 | 9 | .400 | 4.11 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 149.0 | 664 | 165 | 68 | 99 | 3 | 59 | - | 28 | 5 | 11 | 0 | - |
| 1900 | 26 | Pirates | 32 | 26 | 4 | 15 | 13 | .536 | 3.67 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 215.2 | 947 | 220 | 88 | 123 | 4 | 79 | - | 56 | 7 | 12 | 0 | - |
| 1901 | 27 | Pirates | 36 | 28 | 8 | 21 | 10 | .677 | 2.38 | 26 | 6 | 1 | 287.2 | 1,187 | 261 | 76 | 104 | 4 | 52 | - | 129 | 5 | 14 | 0 | - |
| 1902 | 28 | Pirates | 35 | 33 | 2 | 28 | 6 | .824 | 2.17 | 31 | 8 | 1 | 286.1 | 1,163 | 242 | 69 | 81 | 1 | 62 | - | 136 | 3 | 21 | 1 | - |
| 1903 | 29 | Highlanders | 40 | 36 | 4 | 21 | 15 | .583 | 2.77 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 324.2 | 1,354 | 300 | 100 | 140 | 7 | 74 | - | 147 | 5 | 9 | 1 | - |
| 1904 | 30 | Highlanders | 55 | 51 | 3 | 41 | 12 | .774 | 1.82 | 48 | 6 | 0 | 454.2 | 1,778 | 338 | 92 | 128 | 4 | 88 | - | 239 | 9 | 7 | 0 | - |
| 1905 | 31 | Highlanders | 41 | 38 | 2 | 19 | 15 | .559 | 2.20 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 303.1 | 1,239 | 262 | 74 | 125 | 5 | 71 | - | 156 | 7 | 6 | 0 | - |
| 1906 | 32 | Highlanders | 49 | 42 | 7 | 23 | 17 | .575 | 2.96 | 24 | 4 | 1 | 325.0 | 1,363 | 314 | 107 | 138 | 2 | 75 | - | 152 | 7 | 10 | 0 | - |
| 1907 | 33 | Highlanders | 30 | 25 | 3 | 10 | 10 | .500 | 2.53 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 206.0 | 843 | 192 | 58 | 83 | 0 | 46 | - | 78 | 3 | 6 | 0 | - |
| 1908 | 34 | Highlanders | 45 | 31 | 13 | 14 | 20 | .412 | 2.93 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 288.2 | 1,202 | 271 | 94 | 133 | 6 | 67 | - | 124 | 11 | 14 | 0 | - |
| 1909 | 35 | Highlanders | 9 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | .000 | 6.34 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 49.2 | 247 | 70 | 35 | 51 | 2 | 13 | - | 17 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - |
| 1909 | 35 | Red Sox | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 4.50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.0 | 26 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | - | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD | ||
| 11 Years | 392 | 332 | 52 | 198 | 132 | .600 | 2.68 | 260 | 35 | 5 | 2,896.2 | 12,013 | 2,642 | 864 | 1,209 | 39 | 690 | - | 1,265 | 62 | 113 | 2 | 0 | ||
Jack ChesbroJack Chesbro Hitting Stats |
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| Year | Age | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| 1899 | 25 | Pirates | 19 | 58 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | - | - | 2 | - | 0 | - | .155 | .197 | .155 |
| 1900 | 26 | Pirates | 32 | 85 | 10 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 6 | - | - | 0 | - | 0 | - | .176 | .231 | .247 |
| 1901 | 27 | Pirates | 36 | 116 | 9 | 25 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3 | - | - | 4 | - | 1 | - | .216 | .242 | .302 |
| 1902 | 28 | Pirates | 35 | 112 | 11 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | - | - | 4 | - | 0 | - | .179 | .200 | .223 |
| 1903 | 29 | Highlanders | 40 | 124 | 8 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 2 | - | - | 3 | - | 0 | - | .185 | .198 | .266 |
| 1904 | 30 | Highlanders | 56 | 174 | 17 | 41 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 4 | - | - | 3 | - | 0 | - | .236 | .253 | .339 |
| 1905 | 31 | Highlanders | 41 | 112 | 6 | 21 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | - | - | 2 | - | 0 | - | .188 | .202 | .295 |
| 1906 | 32 | Highlanders | 49 | 125 | 10 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | - | - | 0 | - | 0 | - | .208 | .214 | .264 |
| 1907 | 33 | Highlanders | 30 | 76 | 1 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | - | 0 | - | .197 | .197 | .276 |
| 1908 | 34 | Highlanders | 45 | 102 | 8 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | - | 3 | - | 1 | - | .176 | .184 | .216 |
| 1909 | 35 | Highlanders | 9 | 17 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 0 | - | 0 | - | .176 | .222 | .176 |
| 1909 | 35 | Red Sox | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | - | 0 | - | .500 | .500 | .500 |
| Career | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG | ||
| 11 Years | 393 | 1,103 | 85 | 217 | 37 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 82 | 25 | 0 | - | 21 | - | 2 | - | .197 | .216 | .267 | ||
Jack ChesbroJack Chesbro Fielding Stats |
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| Team | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
| 1899 Pirates | P | 19 | 17 | 447 | 34 | 1.8 | 31 | 5 | 26 | 3 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .912 | 1.87 |
| 1900 Pirates | P | 32 | 26 | 647 | 55 | 1.7 | 48 | 4 | 44 | 7 | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .873 | 2.00 |
| 1900 Pirates | RF | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .000 | 0.00 |
| 1901 Pirates | P | 36 | 28 | 863 | 74 | 2.1 | 69 | 12 | 57 | 5 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .932 | 2.16 |
| 1902 Pirates | P | 35 | 33 | 859 | 75 | 2.1 | 71 | 11 | 60 | 4 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .947 | 2.23 |
| 1903 Highlanders | P | 40 | 36 | 974 | 118 | 3.0 | 116 | 13 | 103 | 2 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .983 | 3.22 |
| 1904 Highlanders | P | 55 | 51 | 1,364 | 202 | 3.7 | 190 | 24 | 166 | 12 | 7 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .941 | 3.76 |
| 1905 Highlanders | P | 41 | 38 | 910 | 115 | 2.8 | 108 | 11 | 97 | 7 | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .939 | 3.20 |
| 1906 Highlanders | P | 49 | 42 | 975 | 111 | 2.3 | 106 | 11 | 95 | 5 | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .955 | 2.94 |
| 1907 Highlanders | P | 30 | 25 | 618 | 79 | 2.6 | 74 | 3 | 71 | 5 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .937 | 3.23 |
| 1908 Highlanders | 1B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .000 | 0.00 |
| 1908 Highlanders | P | 45 | 31 | 866 | 109 | 2.4 | 103 | 7 | 96 | 6 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .945 | 3.21 |
| 1909 Highlanders | P | 9 | 4 | 149 | 22 | 2.4 | 22 | 1 | 21 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 3.99 |
| 1909 Red Sox | P | 1 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 1.50 |
| Career | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
| P Totals | 392 | 332 | 8,690 | 995 | 2.5 | 939 | 103 | 836 | 56 | 28 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .944 | 2.92 | |
| RF Totals | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .000 | 0.00 | |
| 1B Totals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .000 | 0.00 | |
| 11 Years | 394 | 332 | 8,697 | 995 | 2.5 | 939 | 103 | 836 | 56 | 28 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .944 | 2.92 | |
Jack ChesbroJack Chesbro Miscellaneous Stats |
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| Baserunning Statistics | Other Positions | Common Hitting Ratios | Common Pitching Ratios | |||||||||
| Team | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
| 1899 Pirates | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 0.0 | 19.3 | 0.47 | 1.69 | 3.56 |
| 1900 Pirates | 1 | - | - | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9.4 | 0.71 | 2.34 | 3.30 |
| 1901 Pirates | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | n/a | 116.0 | 0.0 | 14.5 | 2.48 | 4.04 | 1.63 |
| 1902 Pirates | 1 | - | - | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 0.0 | 14.0 | 2.19 | 4.27 | 1.95 |
| 1903 Highlanders | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | n/a | 62.0 | 0.0 | 13.8 | 1.99 | 4.07 | 2.05 |
| 1904 Highlanders | 1 | - | - | 0 | 0 | n/a | 174.0 | 0.0 | 10.2 | 2.72 | 4.73 | 1.74 |
| 1905 Highlanders | 2 | - | - | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11.2 | 2.20 | 4.63 | 2.11 |
| 1906 Highlanders | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | n/a | 125.0 | 0.0 | 31.3 | 2.03 | 4.21 | 2.08 |
| 1907 Highlanders | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 0.0 | 19.0 | 1.70 | 3.41 | 2.01 |
| 1908 Highlanders | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 0.0 | 17.0 | 1.85 | 3.87 | 2.09 |
| 1909 Highlanders | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5.7 | 1.31 | 3.08 | 2.36 |
| 1909 Red Sox | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.75 | 4.50 | 6.00 |
| Career | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
| 11 Years | 5 | - | - | 0 | 0 | n/a | 220.6 | 0.0 | 13.5 | 1.83 | 3.93 | 2.14 |
Jack ChesbroJack Chesbro Miscellaneous Items of Interest |
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| Team | Roster | Uniform Numbers | Salary | All-Star | World Series |
| 1899 Pittsburgh Pirates | n/a | Undetermined | n/a | n/a |
| 1900 Pittsburgh Pirates | n/a | Undetermined | n/a | n/a |
| 1901 Pittsburgh Pirates | n/a | $1,900.00 | n/a | n/a |
| 1902 Pittsburgh Pirates | n/a | $2,000.00 | n/a | n/a |
| 1903 New York Highlanders | n/a | $5,000.00 | n/a | - |
| 1904 New York Highlanders | n/a | $7,000.00 | n/a | n/a |
| 1905 New York Highlanders | n/a | $8,000.00 | n/a | - |
| 1906 New York Highlanders | n/a | $8,500.00 | n/a | - |
| 1907 New York Highlanders | n/a | Undetermined | n/a | - |
| 1908 New York Highlanders | n/a | Undetermined | n/a | - |
| 1909 New York Highlanders | n/a | Undetermined | n/a | - |
| 1909 Boston Red Sox | n/a | Undetermined | n/a | - |
| Jack Chesbro Stats by Baseball Almanac | ||||

Did you know that Jack Chesbro was the starting pitcher in the first game for the New York Highlanders (Yankees)? On April 22, 1903, the little righty took the mound, and lost, but would go on to become their first twenty-wins club member that same year. The box score (pictured below) and game write-up appear below (New York Times, 04/23/1903, Page 10):

New York Highlanders (Yankees) Box Score | New York Times | April 23, 1903 (Page 10)
WASHINGTON, April 22. - The New York baseball team of the American League inaugurated the league season here today by the meeting the Washington team. New York lost by 3 to 1 through inability to bat safely at opportune times. The game proved one of the most enjoyable over witnessed local cranks. It was closely contested at every point.
The game proved to be a pitchers' battle, and was won by Washington on the merits of a timely fusillade of safe hits in the fifth inning. New York was first to score, through a rare piece of base running by Willie Keeler. Keeler got his base on balls, and started for second, when Fultz singled to Delahanty. Delahanty immediately returned the ball to Coughlin, who jabbed at Keeler as the little wonder dropped to the ground and made an exceptionally long slide safely into third base, amid the applause of the multitude that occupied every available seat and completely surrounded the outfield.
Washington had three men passed to first on balls, with only one out in the first inning, when a quick double play by Chesbro, O'Connor and Ganzel prevented any scoring. Delahanty was thrown out at third base in the fourth inning, while Carey reached second after singling. Demont's two bagger against the left field fence scored Carey. Three singles by Robinson, Selbach and Delahanty, and an out gave Washington two more runs and the game in the fifth inning. Chesbro then settled down to perfect control of the ball, and, except Coughlin's two bagger, beginning at the sixth inning, the next twelve men went out in one, two, three order. Al Orth pitched in his best form for Washington and held the New Yorks practically at his mercy. The latter succeeded in securing as many as two hits in only one inning, which, however, proved unproductive. Hard luck robbed New York of at least one run in the seventh inning. Long was thrown out at the plate. O'Connor reached second base safely and was caught out between the bases, leaving Chesbro on first to be forced out at second on Davis's hit to Robinson. Long, Keeler, Williams, Fultz, Ganzel, and Conroy all played in their best style, but the masterly delivery of Orth baffled all of them except Fultz.
District Commissioner H.L. West and Senator Gorman participated in the formal opening of the game.

Jack Chesbro | 1903 E107 Breisch Williams Baseball Card
Happy Jack Chesbro set an American League record for Most Wins in a Season (41) in 1904. We hope you enjoy the following brief biographical information written by Dennis E. Yuhasz for Baseball Almanac:
JACK CHESBRO BIOGRAPHY
Jack Chesbro averaged 25 wins over a six year period during his prime, but it is his 1904 season that stands alone as the ultimate example of a pitcher combining durability with success.
Chesbro joined the Pirates in 1899 and two years later found his stride, winning a league leading 21 games and topping the NL is shutouts with six, to help lead Pittsburgh to a pennant. He added the spitball to his assortment of pitches in 1902 and he again led the league with 28 victories and eight shutouts to lead the Pirates to another flag. Chesbro jumped to the American League's Highlanders (later the Yankees) the following season and continued his winning ways notching 21 victories.
Then came the season of all seasons, 1904. The single season numbers seem mind boggling for any era, 41 wins, 48 complete games in 51 starts, 454 innings pitched and a sparkling 1.82 ERA. Chesbro became the first hurler hurler to amass 40 victories in the modern era (Ed Walsh would win 40 in 1908). He led the league in wins, appearances, innings pitched, starts and complete games.
Chesbro had two more stellar seasons for the Yankees, garnering his last 20 win year in 1906. But workhorse seasons (he totaled 1,979 innings pitched from 1901-06, an average of 329 innings per year) caught up to him and his career concluded in 1909 after 11 campaigns. He won 20 games five times and led the National League in appearances, wins, winning percentage and shutouts twice. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1946.

Jack Chesbro | National Baseball Hall of Fame Plaque | Class of 1946 (HOF)
The Veterans Committee elected Jack Chesbro (pictured above on his first baseball card, a 1903 E107 Breisch Williams) to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946, after being passed over by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Do you agree with his induction at Cooperstown (tell us either way on Baseball Fever)?