Books and articles about Sloppy Thurston

Sloppy Thurston's nickname was a misnomer. He inherited it from his father, a charitable restaurant owner who would dish out free soup to the poor. But the curveballing pitcher was a meticulous and dandy Jazz Age dresser. In the 12th inning of an August 22, 1923, game against the Athletics, he struck out the side on nine pitches. He had his best season for the last-place 1924 White Sox. He reeled off ten straight victories before the Yankees beat him on July 29, and ended the season at 20-14 with league highs of 28 complete games and 330 hits allowed. He was mediocre from then on.

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After Thurston's 6-8 performance in 1926, manager Eddie Collins declared his arm was dead and traded him to the Senators. Thurston was pitching for the Dodgers on August 13, 1932 when he allowed six HR in the first game of a doubleheader, tying the post-1900 ML record. He was one of the best-hitting pitchers of all time, with a .270 lifetime average and four .300 seasons. He became a longtime scout and signed Ralph Kiner to a Pirate contract. (RL)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » January 15, 1927: Washington veteran SS Roger Peckinpaugh is traded to the White Sox for P Sloppy Thurston and Leo Mangum. » May 23, 1927: Despite first inning back-to-back home runs by Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig off Sloppy Thurston, the Senators edge the Yankees, 3–2. » June 15, 1991: Pitching against the Reds in only his second major league start, Phillies rookie Andy Ashby strikes out the side on nine pitches in the 4th inning. A first for the Phillies, it is the 19th time in major league history this has happened, and the 4th time a rookie has accomplished the feat. Hod Eller (1917), Sloppy Thurston (1923), and Nolan Ryan (1968) were the other freshmen to turn the trick. Ashby is the loser in the 3-1 Phillie loss.