RUBE MARQUARD. Photo: Bain News Service, publisher, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
On this date (June 3) in 1912, New York Giants’ southpaw Rube Marquard ran his 1912 season record to 19-0, with a complete game 2-1 win over the rival Brooklyn Dodgers (at the Polo Grounds). In nine frames, Marquard gave up nine hits and one run (unearned), walked five and fanned three. Marquard’s nineteen wins (before a loss) to start a season remains the MLB record.
Marquard, coming off a 24-7, 2.50 season in 2011 had (grasp of the obvious here) been dominant through July 3, winning all 18 of his starts (16 complete games) and picking up one win in relief. In those 18 starts, he had given up a total of 40 runs (29 earned). Marquard was particularly tough in May, going 7-0, with a 0.73 earned run average and six complete games in seven starts. In his non-complete start, he went seven shutout innings (six hits, one walk, nine strikeouts) and left with an 11-0 lead. During his streak, Marquard earned at least two wins versus every National League team (except the Giants, of course). Things didn’t get any easier as the streak went on. The 19 wins included five one-run victories – all coming in the final seven games of the streak.
Hmm? Legend or reality? Legend has it that Marquard bought himself a fancy opal stickpin to celebrate after his nineteenth win – and that, when a friend told him opals were a jinx, he threw the pin away. Whether the story is true (or not), Marquard did take a loss in each of his next three appearances (two starts) and, in fact, went 7-11 for the remainder of the season. He still led the NL in wins with 26.
Side note There are some well-known superstitions about opals– such as that white opals are bad luck, but black opals are lucky; if an opal is included in an engagement/wedding ring, the bride will soon become a widow; if diamonds are included in the setting, they negate the negative powers of the opal.
As the chart below shows, Marquard was “exceptional” by league standards through July 3 of the 2012 season – and then pitched slightly below NL season averages for the remainder of the campaign. He did pitch well in the 1912 World Series (which the Giants lost to the Red Sox 4-3-1). Marquard started and won Games Two and Six – picking a pair of complete games – giving up just one run.
Marquard, a Hall of Famer, pitched 18 MLB seasons (1908-25) – going 201-177, 3.08. He had three 20+ win seasons (1911-13) all for the Giants. In that three -season span, he went 73-28, 2.52. He also led the NL in strikeouts once.
For those who like to know such things, the record for consecutive victories is 24 by Carl Hubbell (July 17, 1936 – May 27, 1937) – a streak during which Hubbell made 27 appearances (22 starts), threw 19 complete games and put up a 1.82 ERA.
Primary Resource: Baseball-Reference.com
Baseball Roundtable Disclaimer: The MLB records referenced in this (and previous) posts have the potential to change as Major League Baseball recognizes and incorporates Negro League records from 1920-48 into the MLB record books.
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