Tim Keefe

Tim Keefe
Pitcher
Born: (1857-01-01)January 1, 1857 Cambridge, Massachusetts
Died: April 23, 1933(1933-04-23) (aged 76) Cambridge, Massachusetts
Batted: Right	Threw: Right
MLB debut
August 6, 1880 for the Troy Trojans
Last MLB appearance
August 15, 1893 for the Philadelphia Phillies
Career statistics
Win-Loss record	342–225
Earned run average	2.62
Strikeouts	2,562
Teams
Troy Trojans (1880–1882) New York Metropolitans (1883–1884) New York Giants (1885–1889) New York Giants (PL) (1890) New York Giants (1891) Philadelphia Phillies (1891–1893)
Career highlights and awards
National League Pitching Triple Crown: 1888 National League ERA champion: 1880, 1885, 1888 National League wins champion: 1886, 1888 National League strikeout champion: 1888 American Association strikeout champion: 1883 2-time innings pitched leader (AA & NL) 2-time complete game leader (AA & NL) 9th-most wins in major league history (342) 7 20-win seasons 6 30-win seasons 2 40-win seasons 6 200-strikeout seasons 3 300-strikeout seasons 3 sub-2.00 ERA seasons Record for lowest ERA in Major League History – 0.86 in 1880
Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	1964
Election Method	Veteran's Committee

Timothy John "Tim" Keefe (January 1, 1857 – April 23, 1933), nicknamed "Smiling Tim" and "Sir Timothy", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominating pitchers of the 19th century and posted impressive statistics in one category or another for almost every season he pitched. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964.

Keefe's career spanned much of early baseball's formative stages. His first season was the last in which pitchers threw from 45 feet, so for most of his career he pitched from 50 feet. His final season was the first season in which pitchers hurled from the modern distance of 60 feet, 6 inches.

Keefe was nicknamed "Sir Timothy" because of his gentlemanly behavior on and off the field.

Major league career

Keefe entered the major leagues in 1880 with the Troy Trojans. He immediately established himself as a talented pitcher, posting an astounding 0.86 ERA in 105 innings pitched, a record that still stands to this day (he also posted the highest [best] Adjusted ERA+ in baseball history in 1880). Despite the sterling ERA, he managed but a 6–6 record, pitching in 12 games, all complete games.

In 1883, after the Trojans folded, Keefe rose to stardom with the New York Metropolitans of the American Association under manager "Gentleman" Jim Mutrie and had one of the most dominating seasons in baseball's early history. On July 4 of that year, Keefe pitched both ends of a doubleheader against Columbus, winning the first game with a one-hitter; the second a two-hit gem. He went 41–27 over 619 innings pitched with a 2.41 ERA and 361 strikeouts. His 1884 campaign was almost as dominant, winning 37 games, losing 17, and striking out 334.

Tim Keefe

In 1885, John B. Day, who owned the Metropolitans and the New York Giants of the National League, moved Keefe and Mutrie to the Giants. Here, Keefe joined future Hall of Famers Buck Ewing, Monte Ward, Roger Connor, Mickey Welch, and "Orator" Jim O'Rourke to form an outstanding team that finished with a fine 85–27 record. Keefe went 32–13 with a 1.58 ERA and 227 strikeouts. He had arguably his greatest season in 1888, when he led the league with a 35–12 record, 1.74 ERA and 335 strikeouts (see triple crown). He won 19 consecutive games that season, a record that stood for 24 years. The Giants played the St. Louis Browns of the American Association in a postseason series for the Dauvray Cup, and Keefe added four more wins to his tally. Keefe even designed the famous all-black "funeral" uniforms the Giants wore that season.

Keefe moved to the Philadelphia Phillies mid-season 1891 and retired after the 1893 season. He retired with 342 wins (10th all time), a 2.62 ERA, and 2562 strikeouts. His 2562 strikeouts were a major league record at the time of his retirement. He was also the first pitcher to achieve three 300-plus strikeout seasons, done during his dominating prime in the 1880s in which he won the most games of the decade with 291. Interestingly, he still holds the record for having a win in the most ballparks, 47.

Keefe, inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964, was elected by the veterans committee.

Personal information

Keefe was very well-paid for his career, yet he was a leading member of the Brotherhood of Professional Base Ball Players, an early players' union that fought for the welfare of players. He assisted his brother-in-law Monte Ward to form the Players League for the 1890 season. He challenged the reserve clause which tied players to a team indefinitely in court and protested player salary caps. In 1887, Keefe had a nervous breakdown after hitting a batter in the head with a pitch.

After his playing career, Keefe umpired for two years and invested in real estate. He also coached for Harvard University, Princeton University, and Tufts University. He died in his hometown of Cambridge, Massachusetts at the age of 76.

Career statistics

• Official career statistics as recognized by Baseball-Reference.

W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	WP	HBP
342	225	2.62	600	594	554	39	2	5047.2	4439	2468	1472	81	1220	2562	233	*96

• ' * ' denotes stats that were not officially recognized during parts or all of his career, and are incomplete.

See also

• 300 win club
• Top 100 Major League Baseball strikeout pitchers
• Triple Crown
• List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
• List of Major League Baseball ERA champions
• List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions
• List of Major League Baseball wins champions
• List of most hit batsman by MLB pitcher

External links

• Tim Keefe at the Baseball Hall of Fame
• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• The Deadball Era
• Tim Keefe at Find a Grave

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Tommy Bond Charley Radbourn Dan Casey	National League ERA Champion 1880 1885 1888	Succeeded by Stump Wiedman Henry Boyle John Clarkson
Preceded by Charlie Radbourn	National League Pitching Triple Crown 1888	Succeeded by John Clarkson
Preceded by John Clarkson	National League Strikeout Champion 1888	Succeeded by John Clarkson
Preceded by John Clarkson	National League Wins Champion 1888	Succeeded by John Clarkson