Howard Ehmke

Ehmke broke in with the Federal League but was grabbed by Detroit when the Feds folded and twice won 17 games for them. Traded to the Red Sox in 1923, he pitched a no-hitter that would have been a one-hitter had not an Athletics runner failed to touch first base on an apparent double. Four days later he pitched a one-hitter against the Yankees, the only hit being a ground ball that bounced off the third baseman’s chest. Ehmke won 20 games for the Red Sox in ’23 and 19 the next season. By 1929, he seemed nearly washed up, having won only seven games for the pennant-winning Athletics. It came as a shock when Connie Mack started him in the World Series opener against the Cubs. Mack reasoned that the sidearming Ehmke had the perfect mix of control and slow stuff to keep the predominantly righthand-hitting Cubs off balance, and gave Ehmke time off near the end of the season to personally scout the Cubs. Ehmke struck out a then-record 13 in pitching an eight-hit, 3-1 victory.