Rich Zawadzki suggested this truly monster card. These days when a few pitchers struggle to reach 200 innings in a season (five did in 2023), what Charles Radbourn did in 1883 seems impossible. Yet, the stats bear it out. And indeed make this a monster card.
1883 Old Hoss Radbourn
- 632 1/3 innings pitched
- 66 complete games
- 2.05 ERA
Led NL with
- 48 wins
- 76 appearances
In 1883, Charles “Old Hoss” Radbourn appeared in 76 games for the Providence Grays. The right hander started 68 games and completed all but two. He sported a 2.05 ERA with a 48-25 record. He only walked 56 opposing batters while striking out 315.
| Year | Tm | W | L | W-L% | ERA | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1883 | PRO | 48 | 25 | .658 | 2.05 | 76 | 68 | 66 | 4 | 1 | 632.1 | 563 | 275 | 144 | 7 | 56 | 315 |
Radbourn pitched a total of 632 innings in the season. He started all but 30 games for Providence in 1883. And his salary was only $2,000.
Radbourn’s Recap
So without question, 1883 Radbourn is a J-0. That’s a no-brainer.
‘Old Hoss’ earned a Grade A presumably on his 2.05 ERA. It’s well known that APBA card makers give out Grade B to pitchers with 20 wins and I believe an A Grade is automatic with 25 wins. With 48 wins?? To be fair, 1883 was a totally different era and it was probably best to leave Radbourn an A.
While Radbourn struck out 315 batters, he did so in 632 1/3 innings so he earned a Y strikeout rating which seems appropriate enough. I’m looking at his BB/9IP for the year and it very low at 0.8. Does he deserve a ZZ? I know APBA fans will tell me that the card makers use batters faced rather than innings pitched.
Offense too?
‘Old Hoss’ wasn’t bad with the bat either.
| Year | Tm | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1883 | PRO | 89 | 395 | 381 | 59 | 108 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 48 | 14 | 16 | .283 | .309 | .352 |
It was a different time and it wasn’t enough to contribute from the mound. Radbourn played 20 games in the outfield and a couple at first. He batted a solid .283 with 59 runs scored and 48 rbis in 89 games.
And for what it’s worth, Radbourn lands on the top ten list for most singles.
For his effort, you will see a decent hitting card for the 1883 era. Radbourn sports two 0s but can claim a 55-7 with a 55-10. Not surprisingly, you find just one 13 on his card.
Unlike most pitchers-turned-position-players, Radbourn earned an OF-2 for his action in the garden.
All I know is that I would love to have a Grade A pitcher with 600+ innings on my league team going into the draft.
Thanks Rich!!
Interestingly, as a born-and-bred resident of Rochester, NY, Radbourne is one of many from this area during this era – certainly into the 1940s. Research indicates the rust-belt cities, beginning with the influence of the Canal system, lent itself to discovering such talent. In fact, the notable Genesee Country Village & Museum still hosts an annual 19th Century Baseball League. Great card and magnificent player.
Good research! My hometown, Geneseo, IL, is named after the Genesee area in NY.
Further, I noticed in my own research that Radbourn is buried in Bloomington, IL which is less than an hour away from me. I go through there several times a year. Maybe a visit to his gravesite is in order.