The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-27
DOC AYERS IS AMONG
STRIKEOUT MONARCHS
one-Arm Daley Rube Wadde Mat Kroy and Ramsey Were
Stars Their Day But Former Richmond Pitcher Second
Only to Dixie Davis in Performances

John L@wree, the Milwaukee sta
tisticsan and compiler OF Who's
Who in Baseball" has furnished an
interesting lot OF dope on "strik eout
kings on a new basis, and his data
Is particularly valuable because It
goes beyond the tanning perform
ances OF tho major leagues and in
cludes lea ding performers IN the mi
nors. The statistics published here
represent p tremendous amount Of
work on the part OF LAwree. for he
has had TO delve into the records of
thirty years 10 compile the data fur
nished,
Two tables are furnished. one for
major league pitchers and one for
minors, and in each the pitchers are
ranked according to percentage OF
strikeouts recorded per nine inning
minor league pitchers showing strike
outs per inning. II will he noted
that the average per inning naturally
corresponds with the average per
game.
Among ali major league pitchers,
One-Arm Daley ranks first as a strike
out pitcher according TO the tables
of LAwres. for the great work he Gid
in the season of 1884. but for strike
out pitchers who shone for season
after season the great and only Rube
waddeil stands in class by him.
self. Five times the name OF waddell
appears IN a pitcher who struck out
Aeven batters or more, on an average.
per game. In different seasons.
The record in the majors for
strikeouts the season through. az
stated, 10 held by Daley, who famed
an average of s.5s batsmen per nine
Inning game, or AGA all told In fifty
four games, In 1884, a season by the
way that seems TO have been remark
able for swinging batters. The great
cot number Of batters ever fannod
In season was sos by Kiiroy in
1855, but he pitched sixty-five games
to do It. and his average per game
gives him fifth rank only in LAwres'
table.
johnson Stands low In List
Waiter johnson. considered the
greatest strikeout pitcher of the mod
arm game next to WaddeH. 10 found
to rank a. far down as No. IL In
average strikeouts per game, his big
season being 1910. and 1t will bs
found incidentally that since the
days when waddeil was In his prime.
and In spite of the foul strike rufs.
the average OF striksouts has steadily
grown less,
So much for the major league
showing. II one seeks strikeort
pitchers he must go TO the minors.
For instance. consider the record of
Dixie Davis. who will get trial with
the Philli&s this year. In the 1912
season. pitching for Knoxville. Davis
made q record OF an average OF 11.17
Strtksouts per nine innings. His
record for single game. as menu
cry recalls It, Was twenty batters
famed. He often made a dozen or so
walk rack to the bench. Doc Ayers.
with Richmond In 1919, averaged bet
ter than ten strikeouts to the game,
and there are q dozen or more mi
nor league pitchers who have rec
ord Per game aobve that made by
Daley or Waddell In the majors.
According to Lawres' figures Ayers
has . record for number OF batserr
Tanned In a season that surpasses
that Of vean GreEg. who has been
credited with the distinction In the
minors. Ayers. according to Lawrcs.
struck out $50 batters In s42 innings
in 1918. whereas Gregg's record was
but SIS in 3s5 innings in 1910.
Here are the I4Awrss' tables for the
fans to digest:
Major LeaEue strikeout Pitchers.