Sloppy Thurston
| Sloppy Thurston | |
|---|---|
 Thurston, circa 1924 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: June 2, 1899 Fremont, Nebraska, U.S. | |
| Died: September 14, 1973 (aged 74) Los Angeles, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 19, 1923, for the St. Louis Browns | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 1, 1933, for the Brooklyn Dodgers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 89–86 |
| Earned run average | 4.24 |
| Strikeouts | 306 |
| Teams | |
Hollis John "Sloppy" Thurston (June 2, 1899 – September 14, 1973) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Browns, Chicago White Sox, Washington Senators, and Brooklyn Robins/Dodgers between 1923 and 1933. He batted and threw right-handed.[1]
Biography
[edit]Thurston was born in Fremont, Nebraska, and graduated from John H. Francis Polytechnic High School.[2]
Thurston was a screwball pitcher.[3] He played professional baseball from 1920 to 1938, spending time in the minor leagues when not in the majors. He played his first MLB game on April 19, 1923, with the St. Louis Browns.
On August 22, 1923, Thurston became the fifth pitcher in major-league history to pitch an immaculate inning, striking out all three batters on nine total pitches in the 12th inning of a game against the Philadelphia Athletics; he was also the first pitcher to achieve the feat in extra innings and the only White Sox pitcher to do so for 101 years until Michael Kopech did so in 2024.[4]
In 1924, Thurston led the American League with 28 complete games, posting a 20–14 record in 36 starts, while also leading the league in hits allowed (330), earned runs allowed (123), and home runs allowed (17) in 291 innings pitched.[2]
Thurston played his last MLB game on October 1, 1933. He finished his nine-year MLB career with a win–loss record of 89–86, a 4.24 earned run average, and 306 strikeouts. As a hitter, he posted a .270 batting average (175-for-648) with 5 home runs and 79 runs batted in.[2]
Thurston died on September 14, 1973, in Los Angeles, California. He is interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ "Sloppy Thurston Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
- ^ a b c d "Sloppy Thurston Stats". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
- ^ James, Bill; Neyer, Rob (June 15, 2004). The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers: An Historical Compendium of Pitching, Pitchers, and Pitches. Simon and Schuster. p. 52. ISBN 978-0-7432-6158-6. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
- ^ "Immaculate Innings: 9 Pitches – 9 Strikes – 3 Outs". Baseball-Almanac.com. Baseball Almanac. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
External links
[edit]
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Baseball Almanac: Sloppy Thurston stats
- Sloppy Thurston at Find a Grave
- 1899 births
- 1973 deaths
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- Baseball players from Nebraska
- Brooklyn Dodgers players
- Brooklyn Robins players
- Burials at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City
- Chicago White Sox players
- Chicago White Sox scouts
- Cleveland Indians scouts
- John H. Francis Polytechnic High School alumni
- Minor league baseball managers
- Mission Reds players
- Oakland Oaks (baseball) players
- People from Fremont, Nebraska
- Pittsburgh Pirates scouts
- Salt Lake City Bees players
- San Francisco Seals (baseball) players
- Seattle Indians players
- St. Louis Browns players
- Tacoma Tigers players
- Washington Senators (1901–1960) players