Books and articles about Jesse Haines

Haines pitched more years (18) in a Cardinals uniform than anyone in history, and only Bob Gibson won more games for the club. Although originally signed by the Tigers, he played his entire ML career, except one game, with St. Louis. In 1920, with the Cardinals desperately short of starting pitching, field manager and president Branch Rickey coaxed the team directors into borrowing $10,000 to buy the 26-year-old Haines from Kansas City (American Association), where he'd gone 21-5 in 1919. He immediately became the St. Louis workhorse, throwing more than 300 innings in his first year.

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Haines had a blazing fastball and acquired a knuckleball that extended his career. He learned it from Eddie Rommell, who had been very successful withh) -0*0*0*the pitch for the Athletics. Haines actually gripped the ball with his knuckles, rather than the fingertips, as do most knuckleball pitchers. This allowed him to fire his knuckler with more speed than most.

A pleasant and kind fellow off the field, Haines couldn't stand defeat and was known to lose his temper at teammates when poor defense cost him a game. He won 20 games for the first time in 1923 but stumbled to an 8-19 record the next year. One of his eight wins was a 5-0 no-hitter against Boston on July 17, making him the first Cardinal pitcher to throw a no-hitter since 1876.

The Cardinals won the 1926 pennant as Haines went 13-4. In the WS, he shut out the Yankees 4-0 in Game Three, hitting a two-run homer to help his own cause. He started the seventh game and allowed only two runs through six innings. But he'd developed a blister from throwing his knuckler and in the seventh inning he loaded the bases with two out. In came Grover Alexander to strike out New York's Tony Lazzeri for one of the great moments in Series history. Haines received credit for the win that made the Cardinals World Champions, but Alexander was the hero. In the movie The Winning Team, with Ronald Reagan as Alexander, Haines was played by Bob Lemon.

The 1927 season was Haines's finest, as he rolled up 24 victories and led the NL with six shutouts and 25 complete games. He followed with a 20-8 season in 1928, as the Cardinals won their second pennant. He pitched for three more pennant-winners: 1930, 1931, and 1934. In WS play he was 3-1, with a 1.67 ERA.

As he put on years and saw his hair thin, Haines picked up the nickname "Pop." The label accurately described his fatherly treatment of younger players. His knuckleball remained intimidating, and he continued as an effective reliever and spot starter past his forty-fourth birthday. He served as the Dodgers' pitching coach in 1938. In 1970 the Veterans Committee named him to the Hall of Fame. (FJO)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » September 1, 1920: Grover Alexander outlasts Jesse Haines as both go 17 innings in the Cubs, 3–2, win over St. Louis. For Haines, it is his 20th loss of the year. It is Alexander's 27th win of the year, tops in the National League. » July 17, 1924: On Tuberculosis Day at Sportsman's Park, the Cards' Jesse Haines hurls his only shutout in two years, a 5-0 no-hitter over the Braves. "While the majestic northpaw was realizing his lifelong pitching ambitions, the Cardinals were making merry with the right-hand shoots of McNamara" (St. Louis Globe-Democrat). It is the first no-hitter by a St. Louis hurler since 1876, and the first-ever NL no-hitter in St. Louis. » October 5, 1926: Jesse Haines (13–4) stifles the Yanks on five hits while the Cards kayo Dutch Ruether (14-9 on the year, 2-5 for the Yanks) in the 5th. Haines helps his own side with a 2-run home run in the 4th. The 4–0 St. Louis win gives them the Series lead. » October 10, 1926: On a drizzling New York afternoon, only 38,093 show up at the Stadium for the deciding World Series contest. Grover Alexander, possibly sleeping off a hangover in the bullpen, barely notices when Jess Haines take a 3–2 lead over Waite Hoyt into the 7th. Haines weakens in the last of the 7th; three walks put Earle Combs, Bob Meusel, and Lou Gehrig on base with two out and Tony Lazzeri at the plate. Hornsby then waves in Alexander. On a 1-1 count Lazzeri hits a line drive into the left-field seats, a few feet to the foul side of the pole, then swings and misses for strike 3. Alexander sets the Yanks down in order until Babe Ruth draws his 11th walk with two out in the 9th, and is thrown out, inexplicably trying to steal 2B. The Cards and St. Louis have their first World Championship. Each winner collects $5,584.51, the losers, $3,417.75. » June 21, 1927: The Cardinals sweep two games from the Cubs, but lose SS Tommy Thevenow when he breaks his leg in the 4th inning of the 2nd game. It will be Rabbit redux, as Rabbit Maranville will be signed to take the shortstop spot. Jess Haines wins the opener, 6–5 in 13 innings over Charlie Root; Flint Rhem coasts to a 12–3 win in the nitecap as the Cards slam Buck Brillheart. » October 7, 1928: Veteran Tom Zachary (3-3 with New York) gets a start against the Cards' Jesse Haines (20-8). Two infield hits followed by a triple give the Cards 2 runs. Lou Gehrig leads off the 2nd with a booming HR, and in the 4th the sharp-fielding Taylor Douthit misplays a single before a 2-run HR by Gehrig. Three runs in the 8th give New York a 6-3 lead that stands up when Zachary goes all the way for a 7-3 win. Ruth and Gehrig have 2 hits each, and Gehrig another 3 RBI. » September 26, 1930: Jesse Haines pitches the St. Louis Cards to a 10-5 pennant-clinching win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. » October 5, 1930: Jesse Haines pitches a brilliant 4-hitter to beat Lefty Grove and the A's 3-1, thereby evening up the Series. » September 4, 1935: The Cards score four in the 8th, then Dizzy Dean picks up a save in the 9th to beat the Braves, 5–3. Jess Haines, who fails for the 11th time to win his 200th game, is lifted after seven for Bill Walker who promptly tees up Wally Berger's 30th homer of the year. Walker gives up two hits but is the winning pitcher. » September 17, 1935: With Terry Moore sidelined after fracturing his foot yesterday, the Cards top Brooklyn, 4–2 behind Jess Haines. Paul Dean saves the game in relief. In the 2nd game of the doubleheader in St. Louis, a tired Dizzy Dean again fails in relief, giving up three runs in relief, as Brooklyn wins 8–7. The Cards are now trailing the Cubs by two 1/2 games. » July 26, 1936: Before a paid attendance of 41,596 in Boston—the largest crowd in the National League since 1930—the Cards and Bees split. The Bees take the opener, 4–3, on Wally Berger's two run homer in the 8th inning off Jess Haines. The nitecap is knotted at 2–2 in the 7th, when the Cards unload five runs. Joe Medwick leads off the frame with a homer, Johnny Mize doubles, and Virgil Davis homers to knock out Ben Cantwell. After two more reach base, Dizzy Dean drives them both home to ensure his 16th win of the year. Dean a run-scoring triple in the 3rd as well. » February 1, 1970: The Hall of Fame Special Committee on Veterans selects former commissioner Ford Frick and former players Earle Combs and Jesse Haines for enshrinement. » July 27, 1970: The Expos beat the White Sox 10–6 in the annual Hall of Fame game, following the induction ceremonies for Lou Boudreau, Earle Combs, Ford Frick, and Jesse Haines. » June 21, 1972: Bob Gibson wins his 211th, passing Jess Haines as the Cards' biggest winner, in St. Louis's 14–3 win over the Padres. Gibson cracks a 3-run homer in the 7th before exiting. » April 16, 1978: Cardinal Bob Forsch (3–0) hurls a no-hitter in beating the Phillies 5–0. Forsch walks two and strikes out three in pitching the first no-hitter in St. Louis by a Cardinal since Jesse Haines in 1924. Roger Freed's bases loaded pinch double drives in three runs to help beat Randy Lersch.