Jim McCormick
From BR Bullpen
James McCormick
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Weight 215 lb.
- Debut May 20, 1878
- Final Game October 7, 1887
- Born November 3, 1856 in Glasgow, Scotland
- Died March 10, 1918 in Paterson, NJ USA
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[edit] Biographical Information
Jim McCormick was the first Scot to play in Major League Baseball. Although he and his contemporary Hugh Nicol, the second player from Scotland, both played in the majors for ten years, they never were on the same team at the same time. They both also became managers, McCormick with the Cleveland Blues for two years and briefly in a third.
McCormick was a pitcher and outfielder who twice led the league in victories and twice in ERA. He won 265 lifetime games and four of the ten most similar players, according to the similarity scores method, are in the Hall of Fame. McCormick is not the pitcher with the most wins who is not in the Hall of Fame, however. His contemporary Bobby Mathews (who ended his career at the same time as McCormick in 1887) holds that honor with 297 victories. Mathews, however, notched many of his victories in the National Association. Tony Mullane also had more victories than McCormick.
[edit] Records
McCormick was the all-time leader in wins by a non-American pitcher until Ferguson Jenkins broke his mark almost a century later.
He started 40 games against Mickey Welch: no other pitchers have ever had as many starts against each other.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- 2-time League ERA Leader (1883/NL & 1884/UA)
- 2-time NL Wins Leader (1880 & 1882)
- NL Winning Percentage Leader (1883)
- 2-time NL Games Pitched Leader (1880 & 1882)
- 3-time NL Complete Games Leader (1880-182)
- UA Shutouts Leader (1884)
- 20 Wins Seasons: 8 (1879-1886)
- 30 Wins Seasons: 4 (1880, 1882, 1884 & 1886)
- 40 Wins Seasons: 2 (1880 & 1884)
- 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 9 (1879-1887)
- 300 Innings Pitched Seasons: 8 (1879-1884, 1886 & 1887)
- 400 Innings Pitched Seasons: 5 (1879-1882 & 1884)
- 500 Innings Pitched Seasons: 5 (1879-1882 & 1884)
- 600 Innings Pitched Seasons: 1 (1880)
- 200 Strikeouts Seasons: 3 (1880, 1882 & 1884)
- 300 Strikeouts Seasons: 1 (1884)
