Dick Rudolph from the Chronology

May 25, 2001 - Greg Maddux becomes the first Brave pitcher since Dick Rudolph and Lefty Tyler in August 1916 to throw two 1-0 shutouts in the same month as he whips the Pirates‚ 1-0. Maddux beat the Brewers‚ 1-0 on May 2. Rafael Furcal's RBI single off Todd Ritchie (0-6) is the winner. The Bucs waste a chance in the 8th when they have 3 singles‚ but 2 runners are caught stealing.

Aug 14, 1936 - At the Polo Grounds‚ the NL's 60th anniversary is celebrated with the appearance of stars of the 1870s and a 3-inning recreated game between the 'Knockerbockers and the Atlantics'under the old rules. Thousands watch as a parade starts on 110th and Lenox featuring horse-drawn carriages‚ buses and shays. The parade continues to and inside the Polo Grounds. Oldtimers on hand include Arlie Latham‚ Jim Mutrie‚ Mickey Welch‚ Jocko Fields‚ Dick Rudolph‚ Otto Knabe‚ Hans Lobert‚ Charley Bassett‚ Jimmy Ring‚ Bill Coughlin‚ Danny Murphy and Doc Kennedy. Mutrie and Bill Terry meet at home plate and discussed the differences in the game‚ with Mutrie saying there was little fundamental change. Mayor LaGuardia looked on from a box decked out in bunting. Today's game under regular rules is won by the Giants‚ 3-0 over the Phillies. Slick Castleman pitches his lone shutout of the year.

May 17, 1923 - The Braves Dick Rudolph wins 1-0 over Pittsburgh's Wilbur Cooper in 10 innings. This is the only win of the year for the 35-year-old coach. He stops Charlie Grimm's 25-game hit streak.

May 3, 1923 - Pirates 1B Charlie Grimm starts a 25-game hitting streak that will be stopped by Dick Rudolph‚ the 1914 Braves hero‚ who comes off the coaching lines to make 4 starts for Boston.

Dec 17, 1920 - The AL votes to allow pitchers who used the spitball in 1920 to continue using it as long as they are in the league. The NL will do the same. There will be 17 designated spitters in all‚ 8 in the NL and 9 in the AL. For the NL‚ the spitball pitchers are: Bill Doak‚ Phil Douglas‚ Dana Fillingim‚ Ray Fisher‚ Marv Goodwin‚ Burleigh Grimes‚ Clarence Mitchell‚ and Dick Rudolph. For the AL: Doc Ayers‚ Ray "Slim" Caldwell‚ Stan Coveleskie‚ Red Faber‚ H.B. "Dutch" Leonard‚ Jack Quinn‚ Allan Russell‚ Urban Shocker‚ and Allen Sothoron. One story has the White Sox forgetting to name Frank Shellenback as a spitball pitcher‚ forcing him to go the PCL to throw a wet one‚ and where he wins 296 games.

Jul 19, 1920 - The Cubs Hippo Vaughn shuts out the Braves‚ 5-0‚ and his three-run homer in the 3rd off Dick Rudolph is all the scoring he needs.

Feb 9, 1920 - The Joint Rules Committee bans all foreign substances or other alterations to the ball by pitchers‚ including saliva‚ resin‚ talcum powder‚ paraffin‚ and the shine and emery ball. A pitcher caught cheating will be suspended for 10 days. The AL allows each club to name just 2 pitchers who will be allowed to use the pitch for one more season. The NL allows each club to name all its spitball pitchers. No pitchers other than those designated will be permitted to use it‚ and none at all after 1920 (though this will be changed in December). The list of grandfathered spitballers will include Red Faber (White Sox)‚ (Doc Ayers and Dutch Leonard (Tigers)‚ Ray Caldwell and Stan Coveleski (Indians)‚ Bill Doak (Cardinals)‚ Phil Douglas (Giants)‚ Dana Fillingim (Braves)‚ Ray Fisher (Reds)‚ Marv Goodwin (Cardinals)‚ Burleigh Grimes and Clarence Mitchell (Dodgers)‚ Jack Quinn (Yankees)‚ Dick Rudolph (Braves)‚ Allan Russell (Red Sox)‚ Urban Shocker and Allen Sothoron (Browns).

Jul 27, 1918 - At Braves Field‚ Hippo Vaughn holds the Braves to 4 singles‚ while his Chicago teammates tally 11 hits to beat Boston‚ 7-1. With the bases loaded and 2 outs in the first‚ an errant throw by 3B Red Smith opens the door for 4 Chicago runs. The Cubs score all their runs in the first 4 frames off Dick Rudolph.

Jul 19, 1918 - The Braves score 4 in the first against the Reds‚ knocking out Jimmy Ring for the 1st time since joining the team. But Cincinnati comes back to win‚ 6-4. with Mike Regan‚ in relief‚ winning over Dick Rudolph. The Braves strand 12 and commit 5 miscues to help the Cincy cause.

Sep 12, 1916 - Dick Rudolph of the Braves win his 4th 1-0 game in six weeks beating the Cubs‚ 1-0‚ in game 1. Game 2 ends in a 3-3 tie.

Aug 30, 1916 - Dick Rudolph wins his 3rd 1-0 game this month as the Braves edge the Pirates‚ 1-0.

Aug 25, 1916 - Dick Rudolph of the Braves beats the Cubs‚ 1-0‚ matching his teammate Lefty Tyler with two 1-0 games in a month. No Brave will match it until Greg Maddux in 2001.

Aug 1, 1916 - Dick Rudolph of the Braves beats the visiting Cardinals‚ 1-0.

May 29, 1916 - Christy Mathewson beats the Braves 3-0 for the Giants' 17th consecutive win on the road. Matty gives up just 4 singles in beating Dick Rudolph. New York is only 1 1/2 games behind the leading Dodgers.

Apr 18, 1916 - Phillies star Pete Alexander blanks the Braves on 5 hits at Baker Bowl to win 4-0. Dick Rudolph takes the loss. It is Pete's first shutout of the year; 15 will follow.

Sep 29, 1915 - On Patsy Moran Day in Boston‚ the Phils clinch their first pennant for manager Moran on Pete Alexander's 4th one-hitter and 12th shutout of the year‚ 5-0 beating Dick Rudolph and the defending champion Braves. Sherry Magee's 4th-inning single is the only safety for Boston (the 4th time he's had the only hit in a game)‚ while Gavvy Cravath clouts a 3-run homer in the 1st for the Phils. Cravath ends the year leading the NL in homers (24)‚ slugging‚ runs‚ walks‚ total bases‚ and is the only National Leaguer with more than a hundred RBIs (115).

Aug 18, 1915 - The new Braves Field opens in Boston. An estimated 46‚500 jam the park to see the Braves and Dick Rudolph beat the Cards‚ 3-1.

Aug 13, 1915 - Grover Cleveland Alexander wins his 20th‚ 5-3‚ as the Phillies beat Boston's Dick Rudolph.

Apr 14, 1915 - In Boston‚ Pete Alexander stops the world champion Braves‚ 3-0‚ as the Phillies beat Dick Rudolph. Bill James‚ the Braves other star from the World Series‚ is in California recovering from an illness incurred in Hawaii during the all-star world trip. James' career is virtually over.

Oct 9, 1914 - The Boston Braves go into the WS as underdogs‚ despite their strong finish. Only one regular‚ LF Joe Connolly‚ hit .300. Their strengths are pitchers Dick Rudolph‚ George "Lefty" Tyler‚ and "Seattle Bill" James‚ 2B Johnny Evers‚ who wins Chalmers' final MVP automobile‚ and SS Rabbit Maranville‚ their cleanup hitter. The Philadelphia A's Eddie Collins‚ with a .344 BA‚ wins the Chalmers AL award with 63 of 64 possible points. The A's have 7 pitchers with 10 or more wins‚ led by Chief Bender's 17-3. Bender's WS magic is quickly dispelled as the Braves knock him out in the 6th. Rudolph coasts to a 5-hit 7-1 victory. Hank Gowdy has a single‚ double‚ and triple. He will hit a WS record .545‚ and Evers‚ .438. Only Ruth will top Gowdy with .625 in 1928. Bender makes his last WS appearance‚ finishing with a record 59 strikeouts.

Aug 24, 1914 - At Chicago‚ the Cubs trounce the Braves‚ 9-5‚ putting Boston back in 2nd place. For Dick Rudolph‚ it is his first loss after 11 consecutive wins.

Aug 20, 1914 - The Braves' Dick Rudolph wins his 11th straight‚ stopping Pittsburgh‚ 6-3. Included in his win streak is a 4-3‚ 10-inning victory over the Reds on August 8. There is confusion in some record books about this game. Rudolph's streak will be stopped in his next start on the 24th by Chicago.

Aug 17, 1914 - The Braves sweep two from the Reds‚ winning 11-1 behind Dick Rudolph and 5-3 with Bill James on the mound.

Jul 21, 1914 - Dick Rudolph throws a 3-hitter to give the Braves their second straight whitewash of the Pirates‚ winning 6-0. Rudolph will end the year with 27‚ victories‚ tied with Alexander; one of his credited wins is a game in which he started and left after 3 innings. The Braves move ahead of the Reds and Phils into 4th place.

Jun 12, 1913 - With runners on 1B and 2B in the 9th‚ the Reds Marty Berghammer lines into a triple play against Boston's Dick Rudolph to end the game. Boston wins‚ 7-3.

Sep 12, 1910 - At Toronto‚ Dick Rudolph of Toronto (Eastern League) pitches 10 hitless innings over Montreal. Rudolph wins in 12 innings‚ 2-1.