Jeff was Brooklyn’s best pitcher in the years between Nap Rucker and Burleigh Grimes. An impressive figure on the mound (manager Wilbert Robinson always preferred his pitchers to be big fastballers), he was a strong, fast righthander with no qualms about throwing brush-back pitches at hitters who crowded the plate. In 1916 he led the Dodgers to a pennant with 25 wins. He had a loss and a save in the Series.
Pfeffer served a year in the naval reserve in 1918 and returned to help Grimes win the 1920 flag. In 1921, while there still was life in his arm, the Dodgers traded him to the Cardinals for two used-up players, infielder Hal Janvrin and pitcher Ferdie Schupp. Pfeffer won 19 for St. Louis the next season.
Called Ed, he was nicknamed after Big Jeff Pfeffer, his elder brother.
