Jim Bagby (bagbyji02)

From BR Bullpen

James Charles Jacob Bagby Jr.

Bats Right, Throws Right
Height 6' 2", Weight 170 lb.

Debut April 18, 1938
Final Game September 25, 1947
Born September 8, 1916 in Cleveland, OH USA
Died September 2, 1988 in Marietta, GA USA

[edit] Biographical Information

The son of Jim Bagby, Sr., both Jim Bagby and his father spent the bulk of their careers pitching for the Cleveland Indians. Jim Jr. had success before World War II and after the war, but his greatest success was during the war.

As a 21-year-old rookie with the 1938 Boston Red Sox, he went 15-11. Lefty Grove went 14-5, Jack Wilson went 15-15, and Fritz Ostermueller went 13-5 for that team. Jimmie Foxx drove in 175 runs. The team finished second in the American League.

After some less impressive years, he went 17-9 with the 1942 Cleveland Indians, a team that finished under .500. He was third in the league in victories, and was named to the All Star team. He pitched the second most innnings in the league. The next year, 1943, he went 17-14, pitching the most innings in the league. He was fourth in the league in victories, and again was named to the All Star squad.

He spent some of 1944 in the Merchant Marine, resigning and taking the Army physical. After the war, he was traded back to the Boston Red Sox, who won 104 games and went to the 1946 World Series. He went 7-6 in the regular season, starting about half his games. In the Series, he appeared once, pitching three innings in Game 4.

He finished his career with the 1947 Pittsburgh Pirates, going 5-4 on a team that finished near the bottom of the National League. The team leader in wins was his old teammate Fritz Ostermueller, who had 12.