Books and articles about Larry Cheney

Brought up by the Cubs at the end of the 1911 season, Cheney beat the Dodgers in an extra-inning game, but was literally knocked out of the box. Zack Wheat hit a line drive at Cheney's head which the pitcher deflected with his hand, driving his thumb into his nose, breaking both. The next year he couldn't grip the ball tightly and changed his delivery. He would dig his fingernails into the ball, creating a knuckler. With it, he went 26-10 as a rookie that season, tying for the league lead in wins and leading with 28 complete games.

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The spitball, which he picked up from its master, Ed Walsh, became Cheney's most effective pitch. In 1913 the workhorse went 17-14 as a starter and 4-0 as a reliever, with NL highs of 11 saves and 54 appearances. That September 14 he shut out the Giants on 14 hits - the most ever given up by a ML pitcher in a nine-inning shutout. His 50 games, 40 starts, and 140 walks topped the league in 1914, his last 20-win season. (JK)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » September 26, 1912: Trailing 9–0 going into the 9th inning at Chicago, the Reds stage a terrific comeback against Jimmy Lavender. Lavender gives up five runs and is lifted with the bases loaded. Reliever Fred Toney then walks three straight before Larry Cheney is brought in. The Reds then take an unlikely 10–9 lead as Cheney walks two straight. Reds pitcher Ralph Works catches the fever walking one Cub and hitting another. Reliever Rube Benton quickly relieves and follows suit, walking three batters in a row to give the Cubs the 11–10 decision. » April 15, 1913: At Chicago, pinch runner Wilbur Good swipes home in the 10th inning to give the Cubs a 5–4 win over Pittsburgh. Larry Cheney takes the victory against Howie Camnitz. » September 14, 1913: In front of the largest crowd of the season (22,000), Cubs hurler Larry Cheney hurls a 14-hit shutout against the visiting Giants, defeating them 7–0 while setting a major-league record for most hits allowed in a 9-inning whitewashing. Milt Gaston of Washington will duplicate the feat on July 10, 1928. Cheney wins his 20th over Rube Marquard, also seeking his 20th. » July 14, 1914: The Cubs pound Giants reliever Christy Mathewson for six runs in six innings, but New York does worse damage to Larry Cheney and Jimmy Lavender, and wins 12–8. Bob Bescher has a home run, the 1,000th Giant home run. New York leads the National League by four 1/2 games. » September 22, 1914: At the Polo Grounds, the Cubs score five runs in the 1st inning against Christy Mathewson. It is all Larry Cheney needs, as he tosses a 3-hitter to win, 5–0. The Giants now trail the Braves by five games. » September 29, 1914: At Fenway Park, the Cubs drop a 3–2 decision to the Braves as Larry Cheney walks 11 Boston batters in the game. Tom Hughes, making his first start for Boston, is the winner on a 5-hitter. » June 9, 1915: The Phils move into first place, as Grover Cleveland Alexander flirts again with a no-hitter, holding the Cubs hitless until the 7th. The Phils win, 4–3, in the 11th, beating Larry Cheney. Alexander will be 31–10 and lead the NL with a 1.55 ERA, 36 CG, 376 IP, 241 strikeouts, and 12 shutouts. » August 30, 1915: Three-time 20-game winner Larry Cheney is traded by the Cubs to Brooklyn for OF Joe Schultz. » September 14, 1916: Four days after his first appearance, Pirate rookie Burleigh Grimes makes his first start, against the Dodgers at Ebbets Field. Brooklyn breaks a scoreless tie with two runs in the 7th, after Honus Wagner flubs a DP grounder hit by Casey Stengel. Wagner, who ostensibly had told the rookie to have Stengel hit the ball to short, reportedly says, "Those damn big feet of mine have always been in my way." (Okrent & Wulf) Pittsburgh scores two in the 8th to tie but pitcher Larry Cheney hits a run-scoring double in the bottom of the 9th to win it for Brooklyn. » October 11, 1916: Rube Marquard, Larry Cheney, and Nap Rucker yield 10 hits as the Red Sox win Game Four easily 6–2. The Brooklyn Robins score twice in the first, but Larry Gardner's 2nd home run, an inside-the-park blast, scores three in the 2nd and puts Boston ahead to stay. Dutch Leonard holds his foes to five hits.