100 Greatest Phillies: 67 – Al Orth
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Mon, January 19, 2009 02:00 PM | Comments: 3
100 Greatest Phillies, Posts
Al Orth
Starting Pitcher
1895-1901
Career w/Phillies: 1504.2 IP / 100-72 / 3.49 ERA / 359 K
Al Orth was “The Curveless Wonder,” as he was believed never to have thrown a curveball in his career. He changed speeds on his fastball to get hitters out; moreover, he barely walked people: In his seven seasons, Orth walked just 314. He also didn’t strike out many; still, Orth was pretty successful, regularly among league leaders in shutouts and walks per nine.
Comment: The numbers don’t lie — Orth was a good pitcher. And he threw alot, averaging over 210 innings per season. Amazing how he threw almost nothing but fastballs and sustained a solid career. But those were the days, evidently.
Posts: 0 Joe O'Phillie
Moyeresque without the slow curveball.
Posted: 03:48 PM on January 19, 2009
Posts: 0 ryan
Al Orth may be #67 on this list, but he’s #1 in my heart.
I remember going down to the Baker Bowl in my horse and buggy to watch old Orthy throw against the Cincinatti Redstockings.
Posted: 07:31 PM on January 19, 2009
Posts: 1650 Tim Malcolm
Oh you kids with your hilarity in response to these old Phils.
Posted: 10:48 PM on January 19, 2009