Tom Zachary

Zachary, a solid starter for almost two decades, was the pitcher who gave up Babe Ruth‘s 60th home run of 1927. He broke in by winning two games for the A’s in 1918, playing under the assumed name of Zach Walton to protect his college eligibility. The son of a minister, he went overseas with a Quaker Red Cross unit during WWI. He resumed his career with the Washington Senators, compiling an 85-82 record for them from 1920 through 1925, winning a high of 18 in 1921.

Zachary helped Washington to the pennant with a 15-9 record in 1924. While ace Walter Johnson lost his two World Series starts to the Giants, Zachary won Games Two and Six. Traded to the Browns in 1926, he was back with Washington in 1927 when he allowed Ruth’s 60th HR on September 30. (Walter Johnson pinch hit for Zachary in the ninth inning that day in what proved to be his last ML appearance.) He was waived to the Yankees in August 1928 and, as a surprise starter in Game Three of the WS, defeated the Cardinals 7-3. In 1929 he became the only major league pitcher to win as many as 12 games in a season without a defeat.