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{{Short description|American baseball player (1857–1891)}}
{{Infobox MLB player
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Jim Whitney
|name=Jim Whitney
|image=Jim Whitney.jpg
|image=Jim Whitney.jpg
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|bats=Left
|bats=Left
|throws=Right
|throws=Right
|birthdate={{Birth date|1857|11|10}}
|birth_date={{birth date|1857|11|10}}
|birthplace=[[Conklin, New York]]
|birth_place=[[Conklin, New York]], U.S.
|deathdate={{death date and age|1891|5|21|1857|11|10}}
|death_date={{death date and age|1891|5|21|1857|11|10}}
|deathplace=[[Binghamton, New York]]
|death_place=[[Binghamton, New York]], U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=May 2
|debutdate=May 2
|debutyear={{By|1881}}
|debutyear=1881
|debutteam=[[Boston Red Caps]]
|debutteam=Boston Red Caps
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=July 16
|finaldate=July 16
|finalyear={{By|1890}}
|finalyear=1890
|finalteam=[[Philadelphia Athletics (American Association)|Philadelphia Athletics]]
|finalteam=Philadelphia Athletics
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Win (baseball)|Win]]-[[Loss (baseball)|Loss]] record
|stat1label=[[Win–loss record (pitching)|Win–loss record]]
|stat1value=191-204
|stat1value=191–204
|stat2label=[[Earned run average]]
|stat2label=[[Earned run average]]
|stat2value=2.97
|stat2value=2.97
|stat3label=[[Strikeout]]s
|stat3label=[[Strikeout]]s
|stat3value=1,571
|stat3value=1,571
|teams=<nowiki></nowiki>
|teams=
*[[Atlanta Braves|Boston Red Caps/Beaneaters]] ({{By|1881}}-{{By|1885}})
*[[Boston Red Caps|Boston Red Caps/Beaneaters]] ({{Baseball year|1881}}–{{Baseball year|1885}})
*[[Kansas City Cowboys (National League)|Kansas City Cowboys]] ({{By|1886}})
*[[Kansas City Cowboys (National League)|Kansas City Cowboys]] ({{Baseball year|1886}})
*[[Washington Nationals (1886-1889)|Washington Nationals]] ({{By|1887}}-{{By|1888}})
*[[Washington Nationals (1886–1889)|Washington Nationals]] ({{Baseball year|1887}}–{{Baseball year|1888}})
*[[Indianapolis Hoosiers (National League)|Indianapolis Hoosiers]] ({{By|1889}})
*[[Indianapolis Hoosiers (National League)|Indianapolis Hoosiers]] ({{Baseball year|1889}})
*[[Philadelphia Athletics (American Association)|Philadelphia Athletics]] ({{By|1890}})
*[[Philadelphia Athletics (American Association)|Philadelphia Athletics]] ({{Baseball year|1890}})
|highlights=
|highlights=
⚫
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders|NL wins leader]] (1881)
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders|NL strikeout leader]] (1883)
}}
}}
'''James Evans "Grasshopper Jim" Whitney''' (November 10, 1857 - May 21, 1891) was a former professional [[baseball player]]. He was a right-handed [[pitcher]] over parts of ten seasons (1881–1890) with the [[Atlanta Braves|Boston Red Caps/Beaneaters]], [[Kansas City Cowboys (National League)|Kansas City Cowboys]], [[Washington Nationals (1886-1889)|Washington Nationals]], [[Indianapolis Hoosiers (National League)|Indianapolis Hoosiers]] and [[Philadelphia Athletics (American Association)|Philadelphia Athletics (AA)]]. He was the [[National League]] [[strikeout]] champion in 1883 with the [[Atlanta Braves|Boston]]. For his career, he compiled a 191-204 record in 413 appearances, with a 2.97 ERA and 1571 [[strikeout]]s.
'''James Evans "Grasshopper Jim" Whitney''' (November 10, 1857 – May 21, 1891) was an American professional [[baseball]] player. He was a right-handed [[pitcher]] over parts of ten seasons (1881–1890) with the [[Boston Red Caps|Boston Red Caps/Beaneaters]], [[Kansas City Cowboys (National League)|Kansas City Cowboys]], [[Washington Nationals (1886–1889)|Washington Nationals]], [[Indianapolis Hoosiers (National League)|Indianapolis Hoosiers]] and [[Philadelphia Athletics (American Association)|Philadelphia Athletics (AA)]]. He was the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] [[strikeout]] champion in 1883 with the [[Boston Beaneaters]].


==Early life==
⚫
During his five seasons with the Boston franchise (now the [[Atlanta Braves]]) he ranks 4th in franchise history in [[earned run average|ERA]] (2.49), 3rd in [[Walks plus hits per inning pitched|WHIP]] (1.082), 9th in [[innings pitched]] (2263 2/3), 8th in strikeouts (1157), 9th in games started (254), 4th in [[complete game]]s (242), 1st in strikeout to walk ratio (5.03), 7th in losses (121), and 2nd in [[wild pitch]]es (162).
Whitney was born in [[Conklin, New York]], and he had a brother named Charlie with whom he played baseball. When the brothers played on the same teams, each could serve as a pitcher or a catcher, so one sibling was often pitching to the other. Charlie Whitney played independent professional baseball.<ref name="Stars">{{cite book |last1=Overfield |first1=Joseph M.|author2-link=Paul Adomites|last2=Adomites |first2=Paul |last3=Puff |first3=Richard |last4=Davids |first4=L. Robert |title=Nineteenth Century Stars: 2012 Edition |date=2012 |publisher=SABR, Inc. |isbn=9781933599298 |page=286 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UfgAAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA286 |language=en}}</ref>


==Career==
He was born in [[Conklin, New York]] and later died in [[Binghamton, New York]] at the age of 33.
Playing with the semi-pro Binghamton Crickets before minor league stints in [[Oswego, New York]], [[Omaha]], and [[San Francisco]], Whitney debuted in the major leagues for [[Harry Wright]]'s 1881 Boston Red Caps, and he worked hard that season, throwing 57 [[complete game]]s and pitching 552 innings that year.<ref name=Fox/> A Boston journalist called Whitney "the swiftest pitcher in the league". Some accounts describe that Whitney was disliked by umpires, who said that he would spend much of the game complaining about calls that did not go in his favor.<ref name=Fox/>

Whitney had unique pitching mechanics. In 19th century baseball, the ball was delivered from a rectangular pitcher's box six feet in length. Pitchers would sometimes hop forward within the box before releasing the ball, and some would leap into the air during the process. Batters made fun of Whitney when he did this, giving him the nickname "Grasshopper Jim", but Whitney's pitching was effective for several years.<ref name="Styles">{{Cite news |last=Mathison |first=Charles |date=January 13, 1918 |title=Few changes in pitching styles |work=The New York Sun|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/88268030/}}</ref>

⚫
For his career, he compiled a 191–204 record in 413 appearances, with a 2.97 ERA and 1,571 [[strikeout]]s. During his five seasons with the Boston franchise (now the [[Atlanta Braves]]), he ranks 4th in franchise history in [[earned run average|ERA]] (2.49), 3rd in [[Walks plus hits per inning pitched|WHIP]] (1.082), 9th in [[innings pitched]] (2263{{fraction|2|3}}), 8th in strikeouts (1157), 9th in games started (254), 4th in [[complete game]]s (242), 1st in strikeout to walk ratio (5.03), 7th in losses (121), and 2nd in [[wild pitch]]es (162).

==Death==
Whitney died in 1891 in [[Binghamton, New York]], at the home of his father, Rufus Whitney.<ref name="Fox">{{Cite news |last=Fox |first=John W. |date=May 21, 1991 |title=Binghamton has rich baseball past|via=Newspapers.com |language=en |work=Press and Sun-Bulletin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/257539081/}}</ref> [[Tuberculosis]] was the cause of death.<ref>{{cite book |first=Bill |last=Lee |publisher=McFarland |year=2009 |title=The Baseball Necrology: The Post-Baseball Lives and Deaths of More Than 7,600 Major League Players and Others |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4oEwCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA425 |page=425 |isbn=9781476609300 |via=[[Google Books]] }}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|Baseball}}
⚫
* [[List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball saves champions]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball wins champions]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{Baseballstats|br=w/whitnji01}}
*{{Baseballstats |br=w/whitnji01 |brm=whitne001jim}}

{{start box}}
*{{Find a Grave}}
*{{SABR Baseball Biography Project|jim-whitney}}
{{succession box
| title = [[List of Major League Baseball wins champions|National League Wins Champion]]
| years = 1881<br>(with [[Larry Corcoran]])
| before = [[Jim McCormick (pitcher)|Jim McCormick]]
| after = [[Jim McCormick (pitcher)|Jim McCormick]]
}}
{{succession box | title=[[List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions|National League Strikeout Champion]] | before= [[Charley Radbourn]] | years=1883 | after= [[Charley Radbourn]]}}
{{end box}}


{{1883 Boston Beaneaters}}
{{1883 Boston Beaneaters}}
{{Atlanta Braves Opening Day starting pitchers}}
{{NL wins champions}}
{{NL strikeout champions}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitney, Jim}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitney, Jim}}
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[[Category:1891 deaths]]
[[Category:1891 deaths]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball pitchers]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball pitchers]]
[[Category:Baseball players from New York]]
[[Category:National League (baseball) wins champions]]
[[Category:National League strikeout champions]]
[[Category:Boston Red Caps players]]
[[Category:Boston Red Caps players]]
[[Category:Boston Beaneaters players]]
[[Category:Boston Beaneaters players]]
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[[Category:Indianapolis Hoosiers (NL) players]]
[[Category:Indianapolis Hoosiers (NL) players]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Athletics (AA) players]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Athletics (AA) players]]
[[Category:National League strikeout champions]]
[[Category:Binghamton Crickets (1870s) players]]
[[Category:National League wins champions]]
[[Category:Omaha Green Stockings players]]
[[Category:People from Broome County, New York]]
[[Category:San Francisco Athletics players]]
[[Category:San Francisco Knickerbockers players]]

[[Category:Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players]]

[[Category:Baseball players from Broome County, New York]]
{{US-baseball-pitcher-1850s-stub}}
[[Category:19th-century deaths from tuberculosis]]

[[Category:Tuberculosis deaths in New York (state)]]
[[ja:ジム・ホイットニー]]
[[sh:Jim Whitney]]

Latest revision as of 06:03, 29 August 2024

Jim Whitney
Pitcher
Born: (1857-11-10)November 10, 1857
Conklin, New York, U.S.
Died: May 21, 1891(1891-05-21) (aged 33)
Binghamton, New York, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Right
MLB debut
May 2, 1881, for the Boston Red Caps
Last MLB appearance
July 16, 1890, for the Philadelphia Athletics
MLB statistics
Win–loss record191–204
Earned run average2.97
Strikeouts1,571
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
Career highlights and awards

James Evans "Grasshopper Jim" Whitney (November 10, 1857 – May 21, 1891) was an American professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher over parts of ten seasons (1881–1890) with the Boston Red Caps/Beaneaters, Kansas City Cowboys, Washington Nationals, Indianapolis Hoosiers and Philadelphia Athletics (AA). He was the National League strikeout champion in 1883 with the Boston Beaneaters.

Early life

[edit]

Whitney was born in Conklin, New York, and he had a brother named Charlie with whom he played baseball. When the brothers played on the same teams, each could serve as a pitcher or a catcher, so one sibling was often pitching to the other. Charlie Whitney played independent professional baseball.[1]

Career

[edit]

Playing with the semi-pro Binghamton Crickets before minor league stints in Oswego, New York, Omaha, and San Francisco, Whitney debuted in the major leagues for Harry Wright's 1881 Boston Red Caps, and he worked hard that season, throwing 57 complete games and pitching 552 innings that year.[2] A Boston journalist called Whitney "the swiftest pitcher in the league". Some accounts describe that Whitney was disliked by umpires, who said that he would spend much of the game complaining about calls that did not go in his favor.[2]

Whitney had unique pitching mechanics. In 19th century baseball, the ball was delivered from a rectangular pitcher's box six feet in length. Pitchers would sometimes hop forward within the box before releasing the ball, and some would leap into the air during the process. Batters made fun of Whitney when he did this, giving him the nickname "Grasshopper Jim", but Whitney's pitching was effective for several years.[3]

For his career, he compiled a 191–204 record in 413 appearances, with a 2.97 ERA and 1,571 strikeouts. During his five seasons with the Boston franchise (now the Atlanta Braves), he ranks 4th in franchise history in ERA (2.49), 3rd in WHIP (1.082), 9th in innings pitched (22632⁄3), 8th in strikeouts (1157), 9th in games started (254), 4th in complete games (242), 1st in strikeout to walk ratio (5.03), 7th in losses (121), and 2nd in wild pitches (162).

Death

[edit]

Whitney died in 1891 in Binghamton, New York, at the home of his father, Rufus Whitney.[2] Tuberculosis was the cause of death.[4]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Overfield, Joseph M.; Adomites, Paul; Puff, Richard; Davids, L. Robert (2012). Nineteenth Century Stars: 2012 Edition. SABR, Inc. p. 286. ISBN 9781933599298.
  2. ^ a b c Fox, John W. (May 21, 1991). "Binghamton has rich baseball past". Press and Sun-Bulletin – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Mathison, Charles (January 13, 1918). "Few changes in pitching styles". The New York Sun – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Lee, Bill (2009). The Baseball Necrology: The Post-Baseball Lives and Deaths of More Than 7,600 Major League Players and Others. McFarland. p. 425. ISBN 9781476609300 – via Google Books.
[edit]
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