Rube Marquard
Rube Marquard pitched into his late 30s, winning more than 200 games in his career. He was part of five pennant-winning teams, helping both the New York Giants and Brooklyn Robins to the World Series. He was best known for his amazing 19-game winning streak in 1912, which stretched from Opening Day to July 3rd. With the Giants he was in the shadow of Christy Mathewson, and never got along well with manager John McGraw, so in 1915 he received permission to arrange his own sale to Brooklyn. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1971.
Played For
New York Giants (1908-1915)
Brooklyn Dodgers (1915-1917)
Cincinnati Reds (1921)
Boston Braves (1922-1925)
Best Season: 1912
Rube, who received his nickname because he resembled Rube Waddell, won his first 19 decisions. He finished 26-11 with a 2.57 ERA in 294+ innings and just 80 walks. In the World Series, which was lost when outfielder Fred Snodgrass muffed a fly ball in extra-innings of the finale, Marquard was 2-0 with a 0.50 ERA in two complete game wins for the Giants.
Factoids
Had Rube Marquard been playing under present baseball rules, his 19-game winning streak would have been 20. The righty was not credited with a victory over Brooklyn when he relieved in the eighth inning with the score tied and his club went on to win, 4-3.
Description
Rube is best-known for his 19-game winning streak, which stretched from Opening Day to July 3, 1912, tying a mark set by Tim Keefe in the 19th century. After two more victories in the World Series, which the Giants lost to the Boston Red Sox, Marquard made a movie with Alice Joyce called 19 Straight. Joyce was known in her time as "The Madonna of the Screen." Later, Rube and vaudeville legend Blossom Seeley danced the "Marquard Glide" in a bit called "Breaking the Record." After Marquard and Sealey were marfied, the pair performed in a movie called "The Suffragette Pitcher," in which the pitcher Rube wore a dress and pitched for an all-girl team.
Where He Played
Starting pitcher, spot reliever
Born
Richard William Marquard was born on October 9, 1886, in Cleveland, OH.
Died
June 1, 1980, Baltimore, MD
Batted: Both
Threw: Left
Primary Position: P
Primary Team: NY1
Major League Debut
September 25, 1908
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1908
Donie Bush
Larry Gardner
Frank Baker
Amos Strunk
Buck Herzog
Rube Marquard
Slim Sallee
Hippo Vaughn
Joe Jackson
"Rube" was a common nickname given to players from the country or players who exhibited behaviors associated with farmboys. Marquard received the name however, because he resembled Rube Waddell.
Similar Players
Dolph Luque, Wilbur Cooper, Larry French, Larry Jackson
Related Players
Roger Clemens, who broke his mark of consecutive victories... Frank Baker, who belted a game-winning homer off Marquard in the 1913 World Series. The blast helped Baker earn the nickname "Home Run."
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 1936 |
BBWAA |
1 |
.4% |
1937 |
BBWAA |
13 |
6.5% |
1938 |
BBWAA |
10 |
3.8% |
1939 |
BBWAA |
4 |
1.5% |
1946 |
Nominating Vote |
6 |
3.0% |
1947 |
BBWAA |
18 |
11.2% |
1948 |
BBWAA |
6 |
5.0% |
1949 |
BBWAA |
4 |
2.6% |
1951 |
BBWAA |
3 |
1.3% |
1952 |
BBWAA |
9 |
3.8% |
1953 |
BBWAA |
19 |
7.2% |
1954 |
BBWAA |
15 |
6.0% |
1955 |
BBWAA |
35 |
13.9% |
1971 |
Veterans |
|
% |
|
No-Hitter
4/15/1915: For NYN (N) vs. BRO (N), 2-0 at NYN. 9 innings pitched.
Post-Season Appearances
1911 World Series
1912 World Series
1913 World Series
1916 World Series
1920 World Series
The Pitches He Threw
Marquard is quoted as saying, "Any hitter can slug the fast ones, but not many can handle the slow ones." Marquard had a very good fastball, but his command of his forkball was his best weapon on the mound. Despite having surrendered a famous homer to Frank Baker in the World Series, Rube rarely gave up home runs.
Post-Season Notes
Marquard's teams lost every World Series, with Rube posting a 2-5 record with a 2.91 ERA in 11 games, eight of which were starts.
Pitching Feats
Notes
If it hadn't been for Marquard's 19-game winning streak and his spotlight years with the successful Giants, he probably never would have gained Hall of Fame recognition. His record is no better, and in some cases worse than the pitchers listed as most similar below, and half a dozen more who are nowhere near Cooperstown.
Transactions
August 31, 1915: Selected off waivers by the Brooklyn Robins from the New York Giants; December 15, 1920: Traded by the Brooklyn Robins to the Cincinnati Reds for Dutch Ruether; February 18, 1922: Traded by the Cincinnati Reds with Larry Kopf to the Boston Braves for Jack Scott.
Replaced
"Iron" Joe McGinnity
Replaced By
A bunch of Braves' pitchers in 1924, including Johnny Cooney, Larry Benton, and Tim McNamara.
Best Strength as a Player
Forkball
Largest Weakness as a Player
Marquard was reckless. He once broke his leg trying to stretch a double into a tirple, and in 1915 he committed six throwing errors from the pitcher's mound.
Learn More about Rube Marquard
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