Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins’ top 10 moments
A model of this story initially ran in December 2021.
Tom Seaver. Bob Gibson. Jim Bunning. Gaylord Perry. Jim Maloney. Larry Dierker. Phil Niekro.
They had been among the many beginning pitchers that Ferguson “Fergie” Jenkins routinely confronted when he was the Chicago Cubs’ ace right-hander within the late Sixties and early ‘70s. This group consisted of fellow employees aces and included not solely All-Stars, but additionally future Hall of Famers. As his streak of six consecutive 20-win seasons (1967-72) signifies, Jenkins beat these guys usually and received regularly sufficient to earn a hallowed spot in Cooperstown.
1) A choose group
May 25, 1982
Jenkins, Greg Maddux, Pedro Martinez, Max Scherzer, Curt Schilling and Justin Verlander are the one pitchers to amass 3,000 or extra strikeouts whereas strolling fewer than 1,000 batters. Jenkins’ 3,000th strikeout sufferer was Garry Templeton on May 25, 1982, at San Diego. At the time, Jenkins stood alone in that unique group earlier than later being joined by the opposite 5 pitchers.
Command was behind Jenkins’ excellence. He averaged fewer than two walks per 9 innings in yearly however one from 1968-78 (2.1 in ‘69). He led his league 5 occasions on this class; 3 times he paced all the Majors.
3) What had been they considering?
April 21, 1966
Signed by famed Phillies scout Tony Lucadello in 1962, Jenkins appeared in 105 Minor League video games, together with 61 begins, earlier than making his massive league debut in ’65 as a reliever. Barely a yr handed earlier than the Phillies dealt Jenkins to the Cubs, together with outfield prospect Adolfo Phillips and utility man John Herrnstein, in change for veteran starters Larry Jackson and Bob Buhl. It was among the many worst strikes the Phillies ever made. Jenkins posted a 284-226 report in 19 seasons, together with a 167-132 mark over 10 years with the Cubs. In distinction, Jackson completed 41-45 with a 2.95 ERA in three seasons with Philadelphia; Buhl went 6-8 that yr and was primarily executed as a giant leaguer.
4) Cy Young buildup begins
1967
Jenkins completed 20-13 with a 2.80 ERA in 38 begins in 1967, his first full yr as a Cub. He tossed a Major League-high 20 full video games, recorded his first of six consecutive 20-win seasons and tied Philadelphia’s Jim Bunning for second place within the National League Cy Young Award balloting behind San Francisco’s Mike McCormick.
5) Admirable All-Star
July 11, 1967
Because Jenkins by no means appeared within the postseason, he’s stated to have thought-about this outing amongst his most important performances. Though he yielded the American League’s lone run (a solo homer by Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson), Jenkins struck out a powerful array of six hitters in three innings: Mickey Mantle, Jim Fregosi, Tony Oliva, Harmon Killebrew, Tony Conigliaro and Rod Carew.
Jenkins received the 1971 NL Cy Young Award, although Mets ace Tom Seaver outperformed him in a number of classes. Jenkins completed 24-13 to Seaver’s 20-10, topped the Majors with 30 full video games and amassed an NL-high 325 innings. Seaver led the Majors in ERA (1.76), strikeouts per 9 innings (9.1) and WHIP (0.946). His 289 strikeouts led the NL.
Jenkins helped himself on the plate throughout that 1971 marketing campaign, batting .243 with six residence runs and 20 RBIs. His energy fueled a .478 slugging share.
8) Sitting tall within the saddle
1974
Traded to the Rangers earlier than the 1974 season, Jenkins established a private greatest for wins by ending 25-12 that yr. He additionally threw a giant league-high 29 full video games. Jenkins acquired 10 first-place votes within the AL Cy Young balloting, however completed second to Oakland’s Catfish Hunter, who garnered 12 first-place votes whereas additionally ending 25-12. Hunter had a greater ERA (2.49 to Jenkins’ 2.82), although Jenkins had a big edge in strikeouts (225 to Hunter’s 143).
9) As lengthy because the bases are empty
1967-79
Jenkins’ tendency to dwell within the strike zone left him weak to the lengthy ball. He led his league in residence runs allowed seven occasions from 1967-79. Of the 484 profession homers he allowed, 310 (64 p.c) got here with no one on base.
10) Pioneer from the North
Dec. 13, 1942
Born on the above date in Chatham, Ontario, Jenkins was baseball’s first Canadian All-Star choice and the nation’s first Hall of Famer. He was elected to Cooperstown in 1991 in his third yr on the poll.
