Raleigh Aitchison

Raleigh Leonidas Aitchison
(Redskin)

• Bats Right, Throws Left
• Height 5' 11½", Weight 175 lb.

• Debut April 19, 1911
• Final Game June 20, 1915
• Born December 5, 1887 in Tyndall, Dakota Territory USA
• Died September 26, 1958 in Columbus, KS USA

BR page

Biographical Information

"Raleigh Aitchison, the side-winder who is booked for Flatbush, finished out in front of the International League slabmen, with 20 games won and five lost . . ." - Sporting Life, January 31, 1914

"The National League pitching records bring out a remarkable record, performed by pitcher Raleigh Aitchison against the (pennant-winning) Braves last season. During the entire season, Aitchison won but 12 games, and eight of these victories were performed against Boston. This is indeed a marvelous coincidence when one considers the number of games won by the Braves after July 1... It is certainly one of the freak records of the year..." - Sporting Life, April 10, 1915

Raleigh Aitchison pitched three seasons in the big leagues for the Brooklyn Robins, with his big season in 1914 when he went 12-7, 2.66 in 26 games. When he made his first appearance that year, the New York Times mistakenly reported that it was his debut, but he had pitched 1 1/3 innings for the team three years earlier. His minor league career spanned 15 seasons and he won 20 or more games three times, accruing over 150 minor league wins. After baseball, he was a policeman and a deputy sheriff. He was elected to the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame. One source: Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame.

The 1915 Sporting Life quote shown above exaggerates Aitchison's performance against the Boston Braves. In fact, he faced Boston seven times and came away with five wins, one loss and one no decision. Four of the five wins were complete games, including a shutout in the second game of the season. Four of the wins also came before the Braves began their legendary turnaround from a 26-40 start to finish 94-59, going 68-19 from July 6th to the end of the season. Those five wins against the Braves are tied for the most by a rookie pitcher against the season's World Series champion, a feat also accomplished by Russ Ford (1910) and Hod Lisenbee (1927). Aitchison pitched eight CGs that season and won all of them, establishing a modern era Dodger franchise record for the longest streak of CG wins to begin a career, a mark that would stand until Harry Taylor won nine straight CGs in 1947.

Related Sites

• Raleigh Aitchison at the SABR Bio Project
• Find-A-Grave Memorial for Raleigh Aitchison