Duke Esper

From BR Bullpen

Charles H. Esper born Charles Esbacher

• Bats Unknown, Throws Left
• Weight 185 lb.

• Debut April 18, 1890
• Final Game July 12, 1898
• Born July 28, 1868 in Salem, NJ USA
• Died August 31, 1910 in Philadelphia, PA USA

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[edit] Biographical Information

Duke Esper pitched nine seasons in the majors with seven different stops. His career pitching record was 101-100, and at the end of his career he became a good hitter with a .320 average in 1897 and a .370 average in 1898.

Esper had ups and downs. In 1892 his record was 13-6. In 1893 his record was 12-28. In 1894, pitching part of the season with the 1894 Baltimore Orioles, he was 10-2 for them. In 1896 he was 14-5. In 1897 he was 1-6.

Connie Mack, who was managing in Milwaukee in 1897, announced he had signed Esper, who was coming off his 14-5 season. It was big news, but St. Louis claimed it had the rights to Esper and Esper ended up playing for them instead in 1897. Source: Connie Mack and the Early Years of Baseball.

With the 1902 Toronto Maple Leafs, a team that went 85-42, he was 5-8.

One source says that Esper was the first major league pitcher to pitch an entire inning with just three pitches.

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