WHY I THINK BILLY PIERCE SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

 WHY I THINK BILLY PIERCE SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Billy Pierce was one of the most consistently excellent starting pitchers in MLB history. He wasn’t much of a threat to win 30 games in a season or anything but he was craftily winning 10 to 20 games a season from the late 1940’s into the 1960’s, humbling hitters with his blazing fastballs, tricky curves, wicked sliders, and a strong changeup. Billy Pierce started his career with the Tigers in 1945, posting a 1.80 ERA in ten innings as an 18 year old rookie. He spent the next two seasons in the minors but came back in 1948 to go 3-0. Pierce was sent to the White Sox for the 1949 season and in his first two seasons in Chicago he was only a little better than average. He took off in 1951 with 15 wins and a 3.03 ERA, and only got better as time went on. Pierce went 33-24 with a 2.65 ERA in 1952 and 1953, leading the AL in strikeouts in 1953, but slowed to a 9-10 mark in 1954. He responded in 1955 with an MLB leading 1.97 ERA, 66 points lower than the AL runner up, Whitey Ford, and followed that up with two 20 win seasons. Pierce had another fantastic season in 1958, producing a 2.68 ERA and leading the AL in complete games for the third straight season. He had three more quality seasons in Chicago, posting a 0.00 ERA in the 1959 World Series, but was traded to the Giants in 1962. He won 16 games that year, helped the Giants to the NL pennant, and went 1-1 with a 2.40 ERA in the World Series against the Yankees. Pierce slumped in 1963, going 3-11 in 99 innings, and was released at the end of the year. He resigned with the Giants in April 1964 and rewarded the Giants with a 3-0 record and a 2.20 ERA in 49 innings. Pierce was then released again and was out of the Big Leagues for good. Billy Pierce was a brilliant pitcher with much velocity, tenacity, and consistency. He was truly one of the very best pitchers in the MLB during his prime, maybe the best, and was certainly worthy of enshrinement in Cooperstown. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games Pitched career: 585 season high: 40 in 1953 

Starts career: 433 season high: 34 in 1957 

Complete Games career: 193 season high: 21 in 1956 led AL: 21 in 1956, 16 in 1957, 19 in 1958 

Shutouts career: 38 season high: 7 in 1953 

Games Finished career: 85 season high: 14 in 1964 

Wins career: 211 season high: 20 in 1956 and 1957 led AL: 20 in 1957 

Losses career: 169 season high: 16 in 1950 led AL: 14 in 1951 

Winning Percentage career: .690 in 1956 

ERA career: 3.27 season low: 1.97 in 1955 led AL: 1.97 in 1955 

WHIP career: 1.260 season low: 1.099 in 1955 led AL: 1.099 in 1955 

Innings Pitched career: 3,306 ⅔ season high: 276 ⅓ in 1956 

Strikeouts career: 1,999 season high: 192 in 1956 led AL: 186 in 1953 

Strikeouts Per Nine Innings career: 5.4 season high: 7.1 in 1954 led AL: 6.2 in 1953, 7.1 in 1954 

Walks career: 1,178 season high: 137 in 1950 

Strikeouts Per Walk career: 1.70 season high: 2.45 in 1955 led AL: 2.45 in 1955 

Saves career: 33 season high: 7 in 1963 

Fielding Percentage career: .956 season high: 1.000 in 1955 led AL P: 1.000 in 1955 

Double Plays career: 32 season high: 4 in 1951 and 1959 

Putouts career: 124 season high: 13 in 1952 

Assists career: 487 season high: 45 in 1957 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-nicknamed “Mr. Zero” for pitching many shutouts in high school 

-finished fifth in the AL MVP Award voting in 1956, 10th in 1953, 11th in 1957, 18th in 1955, and 29th in 1952 

-finished third in the NL Cy Young Award voting in 1962 

-was a seven time all-star and the first White Sox pitcher ever to start one 

-was the AL Sporting News Pitcher of the Year in both 1956 and 1957 

-is the all time White Sox club leader in career strikeouts 

-pitched 39 ⅔ consecutive scoreless innings in 1953 and 33 in 1958 

-came within one batter of a perfect game on June 27, 1958 

-was 8-6 lifetime against Whitey Ford

-was second in the AL in ERA in 1953 (2.72) and 1958 

-threw four career one-hitters 

-allowed the fewest hits per nine innings in the AL in 1953 (7.2) 

-went 12-0 at home in 1962, finishing off the season with a three hit shutout and a save during a three game Series against the Dodgers for the NL pennant 

-won his first career start, striking out six and driving in a run with a triple 

-also played one game at first base and 31 as a pinch runner, including once for three time AL stolen base champion Minnie Minoso on June 22, 1956