Joe Oeschger
Joe Oeschger | |
---|---|
1922 baseball card of Oeschger | |
Pitcher | |
Born: Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | May 24, 1892|
Died: July 28, 1986 Rohnert Park, California, U.S. | (aged 94)|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
April 21, 1914, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 6, 1925, for the Brooklyn Robins | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 82–116 |
Earned run average | 3.81 |
Strikeouts | 535 |
Teams | |
|
Joseph Carl Oeschger (May 24, 1892 – July 28, 1986) was an American
Early life
Oeschger was born in Chicago, one of six children of immigrants from Switzerland. In 1900 his family moved to Ferndale, California, where Joe's father bought 100 acres (0.40 km2) of land and established a dairy ranch.[3] Joe and his three brothers all attended Ferndale High School, where they played baseball. After high school, Joe attended and played baseball at Saint Mary's College of California, graduating in 1914, seven years after fellow major leaguer Harry Hooper.[4]
MLB career
Early career
Oeschger began his MLB career with the Philadelphia Phillies in the
Longest game
On May 1, 1920, the Braves and Robins played at Boston in front of a crowd of 4500 spectators.[7] Oeschger started for the Braves, and Leon Cadore started for the Robins. The game was held scoreless until the top of the fifth inning, when Ernie Krueger scored on an Ivy Olson single.[7] In the sixth inning Walton Cruise tripled, then scored on a Tony Boeckel single.[7] The game was eventually ruled a tie after 26 innings because of darkness.[7] Oescheger only gave up 9 hits the entire game, while Cadore allowed 15. Oeschger had one hit in nine trips to the plate, a double.[8] If they had played one more inning the pitchers would have played the equivalent of three games.[7]
For the rest of the 1920 season Oescheger won 15 games with a 3.46 earned run average.[5]
Later career
On September 8, 1921, Oeschger became the fourth pitcher in major league history to throw an
Oeschger then collapsed the next two seasons, having a combined total of 36 losses with only 11 wins, and an earned run average over 5.[5]
On November 11, 1923, Oeschger and Billy Southworth were traded from Boston to the New York Giants for Dave Bancroft and Casey Stengel.[10] Oeschger played for the Giants and Phillies in 1924, and he finished his MLB career with the Robins in 1925. For his career he had 83 wins and 116 defeats and never appeared in a World Series.[11]
Later life
Oeschger later moved to San Francisco, where he taught physical education for the San Francisco Board of Education for 27 years.[11] Throughout his life, Oeschger continued to receive autograph requests for pitching the 26-inning game. He had copies of the box score made and sent them out with his signature.[12] He was invited to throw out the first pitch of game three of the 1983 World Series that pitted the Philadelphia Phillies against the Baltimore Orioles. He died in Rohnert Park, California, at age 94.[13]
See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
References
- ^ "The day the pitchers went 26 innings". ESPN.com. May 9, 2013. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- ^ "Brooklyn Robins vs Boston Braves Box Score: May 1, 1920". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- ^ Green, John. "Joe Oeschger". SABR Baseball Biography Project. Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved November 6, 2012.
- ^ "Joe Oeschger Remembers". research.sabr.org. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Joe Oeschger". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 11, 2009.
- ^ "ROBINS' SONG IS A DIRGE.; Phillies Again Send Them to Defeat, with Score 3 to 0". New York Times. Associated Press. September 20, 1924. p. 14.
- ^ a b c d e Jerome Holtzman (November 2000). Marathon Games for Starting Hurlers Are Ancient History. Baseball Digest. pp. 78–80. Retrieved February 11, 2009.
- ^ "Brooklyn and Boston Battle for 26 innings". St. Petersburg Evening Independent. Associated Press. May 2, 1920. p. 5.
- ^ "Immaculate Innings: 9 Pitches – 9 Strikes – 3 Outs". Baseball-Almanac.com. Baseball Almanac. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
- ^ "Dave Bancroft Named Leader of Braves". Schenectady Gazette. Associated Press. November 12, 1923. p. 16.
- ^ a b Bob Duvall (July 1970). What Ever Became of Joe Oeschger. Baseball Digest. p. 77. Retrieved February 11, 2009.
- ISBN 978-0-910137-96-6.
- ^ Stalwick, Howie (May 1, 2003). "Baseball's longest game: Duel till dusk". Los Angeles Times. p. 117. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Joe Oeschger at Find a Grave