"Welcome to the Hall's of Relief", III

The 1920s, '30s, and '40s

At the dawn of what's often referred to as Baseball's "Golden Era", the toolkit for relievers had been well stocked. In the first decade of the century, John McGraw had developed the main approaches: a) "star relievers", starters cast in the closer's role as well (e.g., Iron Joe McGinnity) and b) semi-modern reliever, a man who relieved in close games usually as a long reliever (e.g., Doc Crandall). These styles permeated the baseball community in the second decade to the point that they became part of a manager's repertoire. Starters completed remarkably fewer games than they had just a short time before.

In the next three decades, very little progress was made in the reliever's role. The Senators' Firpo Marberry, arguable the first great reliever, ushered in the 50-game reliever in 1925-'26. In 1939 Clint Brown of the White Sox brought us a season with 60 relief appearances (61, actually, all in relief). Marberry also set the saves "record" at 22 (breaking his two-year record of 15). This "record" stood until Joe Page tallied 27 in 1949.

Saves and relief appearances were generally higher than the Teens. There was a lot of waxing and waning along the way, however. Again, the role of the reliever wasn't greatly expanded. The use of the reliever was just becoming more widespread.

Over the period, the percentage of games completed by starting pitchers continued to fall but not at nearly the brisk pace of the previous decades. The percentage of pure starters also continued to fall and only in one of the three decades' years was it over 10 percent. The swingman's declined slightly to under 70% by the end of the period. It was still the most popular role, though the best starters began to become pure starters again. The use of the pure reliever had finally established itself (perhaps the one innovation of the period), to the point where they represented over 25% of all pitchers by the end of the period. The relief role was still the route for the tail end of the staff, but many talented players became pure relievers and their overall numbers became more respectable.

This period of malaise was to be followed by a decade of star relievers, some of who began their careers before the end of current period. We'll leave them to the 1950s section, however.

Here are the relief appearance and save totals for each of the decades. Note how the pure reliever came into his own in the 1940s. This readied the baseball world for the stars of the'50s:

The 1920s:

FirstName	LastName	RA	Saves	GP
Firpo	Marberry	262	75	333
Eddie	Rommel	193	24	423
Elam	Vangilder	178	19	364
Bill	Sherdel	169	24	378
Allan	Russell	169	25	210
George	Smith	168	7	254
Garland	Braxton	160	25	215
Sarge	Connally	157	25	205
Rube	Ehrhardt	153	10	193
Jack	Scott	149	18	329
Ken	Holloway	148	16	257
Rosy	Ryan	144	17	214
Bill	Bayne	143	8	196
Lou	North	142	13	166
Jakie	May	142	16	246
Syl	Johnson	132	11	198
Percy	Jones	131	6	242
Huck	Betts	131	8	157
Bert	Cole	131	10	177
Claude	Jonnard	128	17	137
Slim	Harriss	121	16	349
Benn	Karr	119	5	177
Art	Decatur	117	7	153
Johnny	Morrison	117	22	281
Jack	Quinn	117	22	368
Ray	Kolp	116	7	226
Wilcy	Moore	112	23	126
Fred	Heimach	111	5	210
Hal	Carlson	111	18	310
Guy	Bush	108	18	222
Lil	Stoner	107	14	217
Bob	McGraw	106	6	149
Carl	Mays	104	19	304
Rube	Walberg	103	18	251
Joe	Oeschger	103	3	224
Art	Nehf	100	13	312
Hooks	Dauss	100	24	269
   
FirstName	LastName	RA	Saves	GP
Firpo	Marberry	262	75	333
Waite	Hoyt	99	29	379
Allan	Russell	169	25	210
Garland	Braxton	160	25	215
Sarge	Connally	157	25	205
Eddie	Rommel	193	24	423
Bill	Sherdel	169	24	378
Hooks	Dauss	100	24	269
Lefty	Grove	75	24	222
Wilcy	Moore	112	23	126
Sam	Jones	85	23	363
Johnny	Morrison	117	22	281
Jack	Quinn	117	22	368
Urban	Shocker	69	22	330
Herb	Pennock	65	20	352

The 1930s:

FirstName	LastName	RA	Saves	GP
Jack	Russell	290	37	394
Dick	Coffman	246	33	366
Clint	Brown	216	49	344
Joe	Heving	215	33	241
Chief	Hogsett	213	33	323
Charlie	Root	190	28	377
Syl	Johnson	185	30	327
Johnny	Murphy	179	54	218
Mace	Brown	175	22	213
Pete	Appleton	174	17	240
Chad	Kimsey	167	16	174
Bob	Smith	166	31	276
Fred	Frankhouse	157	10	345
Lloyd	Brown	153	17	302
Waite	Hoyt	149	23	281
Bill	Swift	143	18	305
Whit	Wyatt	143	12	205
Allyn	Stout	142	10	171
Ivy	Andrews	141	8	249
Jumbo	Brown	139	14	162
Rube	Walberg	134	14	293
Al	Smith	133	13	188
Russ	Van Atta	131	6	207
Jim	Lindsey	130	18	143
Benny	Frey	129	8	253
Larry	French	125	14	430
Ben	Cantwell	124	18	255
Guy	Bush	122	15	316
Jack	Quinn	122	30	130
Jack	Knott	122	19	250
Phil	Collins	119	19	248
Bump	Hadley	117	20	374
Wilcy	Moore	117	26	135
Don	Brennan	115	19	141
Clyde	Shoun	115	10	139
Jesse	Haines	114	6	208
Willis	Hudlin	113	23	338
Leon	Chagnon	113	3	134
Si	Johnson	112	7	287
Bob	Kline	111	7	148
Pat	Malone	110	22	275
Dolf	Luque	107	18	151
Tommy	Thomas	106	6	242
Hi	Bell	106	21	134
Larry	Benton	105	10	195
Jack	Wilson	105	14	192
Lynn	Nelson	102	6	160
Johnny	Welch	102	6	165
Firpo	Marberry	102	26	218
Mel	Harder	100	21	385
   
FirstName	LastName	RA	Saves	GP
Johnny	Murphy	179	54	218
Clint	Brown	216	49	344
Jack	Russell	290	37	394
Dick	Coffman	246	33	366
Joe	Heving	215	33	241
Chief	Hogsett	213	33	323
Bob	Smith	166	31	276
Lefty	Grove	83	31	351
Syl	Johnson	185	30	327
Jack	Quinn	122	30	130
Dizzy	Dean	86	30	305
Carl	Hubbell	81	30	383
Charlie	Root	190	28	377
Wilcy	Moore	117	26	135
Firpo	Marberry	102	26	218
Waite	Hoyt	149	23	281
Willis	Hudlin	113	23	338
Mace	Brown	175	22	213
Pat	Malone	110	22	275
Hi	Bell	106	21	134
Mel	Harder	100	21	385
Bump	Hadley	117	20	374

The 1940s:

FirstName	LastName	RA	Saves	GP
Ace	Adams	295	49	302
Hugh	Casey	259	54	290
Clyde	Shoun	254	19	315
Harry	Gumbert	228	47	354
Tom	Ferrick	212	41	219
George	Caster	209	37	242
Ted	Wilks	204	28	247
Ken	Trinkle	197	21	216
Johnny	Murphy	196	53	197
Joe	Page	196	63	241
Joe	Beggs	192	29	224
Andy	Karl	187	26	191
Ed	Klieman	185	33	217
Joe	Heving	175	30	189
Alex	Carrasquel	171	14	218
Al	Benton	169	50	280
Joe	Haynes	165	16	277
Mace	Brown	157	26	174
Mike	Ryba	156	16	183
Kirby	Higbe	147	22	354
Hank	Behrman	147	19	174
Russ	Christopher	144	35	241
Emil	Kush	142	12	150
Murry	Dickson	140	7	248
Johnny	Gorsica	140	17	204
Dizzy	Trout	135	22	374
Gordon	Maltzberger	135	33	135
Joe	Berry	133	18	133
Nels	Potter	129	15	272
Bob	Chipman	129	9	204
Les	Webber	129	14	154
Bill	Zuber	129	5	191
Earl	Caldwell	127	23	139
Bob	Klinger	124	22	200
Johnny	Hutchings	121	6	155
Paul	Erickson	121	6	207
Bob	Muncrief	119	9	283
Steve	Gromek	115	14	217
Sam	Zoldak	113	3	175
Earl	Johnson	112	16	162
Boom-Boom Beck	111	2	146
Xavier	Rescigno	108	16	129
Ken	Burkhart	107	7	148
Andy	Hansen	105	6	142
Jim	Turner	105	19	138
Si	Johnson	104	8	201
Milo	Candini	104	8	141
Johnny	Lanning	100	7	149
Ed	Heusser	100	13	190
Nick	Strincevich	100	6	203
   
FirstName	LastName	RA	Saves	GP
Joe	Page	196	63	241
Hugh	Casey	259	54	290
Johnny	Murphy	196	53	197
Al	Benton	169	50	280
Ace	Adams	295	49	302
Harry	Gumbert	228	47	354
Tom	Ferrick	212	41	219
George	Caster	209	37	242
Russ	Christopher	144	35	241
Ed	Klieman	185	33	217
Gordon	Maltzberger	135	33	135
Joe	Heving	175	30	189
Joe	Beggs	192	29	224
Ted	Wilks	204	28	247
Andy	Karl	187	26	191
Mace	Brown	157	26	174
Earl	Caldwell	127	23	139
Kirby	Higbe	147	22	354
Dizzy	Trout	135	22	374
Bob	Klinger	124	22	200
Ken	Trinkle	197	21	216

Here are the totals by pitching role:

Year   GP   GS  SV   CG    CG%   RA   P/G  #P SP    SP% RP    RP% SP/RP Swing%
1920 3998 2468 143 1395 56.52% 1530 1.620 207  9  4.35% 46 22.22%  152  73.43%
1921 4265 2458 177 1273 51.79% 1807 1.735 202 13  6.44% 41 20.30%  148  73.27%
1922 4432 2478 156 1240 50.04% 1954 1.789 207 13  6.28% 45 21.74%  149  71.98%
1923 4451 2463 167 1224 49.70% 1988 1.807 206 10  4.85% 51 24.76%  145  70.39%
1924 4505 2462 175 1198 48.66% 2043 1.830 218 10  4.59% 44 20.18%  164  75.23%
1925 4510 2457 175 1209 49.21% 2053 1.836 207 10  4.83% 44 21.26%  153  73.91%
1926 4577 2468 194 1155 46.80% 2109 1.855 198  7  3.54% 41 20.71%  150  75.76%
1927 4487 2473 197 1198 48.44% 2014 1.814 210 10  4.76% 42 20.00%  158  75.24%
1928 4496 2462 218 1172 47.60% 2034 1.826 210  7  3.33% 42 20.00%  161  76.67%
1929 4554 2458 215 1169 47.56% 2096 1.853 206 13  6.31% 41 19.90%  152  73.79%
1930 4701 2468 215 1094 44.33% 2233 1.905 199  7  3.52% 37 18.59%  155  77.89%
1931 4524 2472 196 1188 48.06% 2052 1.830 189  7  3.70% 29 15.34%  153  80.95%
1932 4608 2466 193 1125 45.62% 2142 1.869 196  3  1.53% 44 22.45%  149  76.02%
1933 4593 2452 222 1113 45.39% 2141 1.873 184  8  4.35% 26 14.13%  150  81.52%
1934 4787 2446 229 1061 43.38% 2341 1.957 202 11  5.45% 29 14.36%  162  80.20%
1935 4712 2456 208 1093 44.50% 2256 1.919 201 13  6.47% 28 13.93%  160  79.60%
1936 4782 2476 238 1075 43.42% 2306 1.931 206 10  4.85% 35 16.99%  161  78.16%
1937 4713 2477 215 1114 44.97% 2236 1.903 208 14  6.73% 35 16.83%  159  76.44%
1938 4627 2446 210 1090 44.56% 2181 1.892 214 15  7.01% 48 22.43%  151  70.56%
1939 4841 2462 250 1027 41.71% 2379 1.966 229 15  6.55% 52 22.71%  162  70.74%
1940 4863 2472 236 1095 44.30% 2391 1.967 224 16  7.14% 47 20.98%  161  71.88%
1941 4807 2488 220 1085 43.61% 2319 1.932 228 19  8.33% 44 19.30%  165  72.37%
1942 4621 2448 199 1128 46.08% 2173 1.888 215 17  7.91% 47 21.86%  151  70.23%
1943 4650 2476 253 1095 44.22% 2174 1.878 219 23 10.50% 46 21.00%  150  68.49%
1944 4699 2484 223 1123 45.21% 2215 1.892 226 16  7.08% 59 26.11%  151  66.81%
1945 4655 2460 218 1140 46.34% 2195 1.892 236 15  6.36% 52 22.03%  169  71.61%
1946 5180 2484 227 1052 42.35% 2696 2.085 275 18  6.55% 62 22.55%  195  70.91%
1947 5287 2486 290  961 38.66% 2801 2.127 231 16  6.93% 54 23.38%  161  69.70%
1948 5523 2474 314  897 36.26% 3049 2.232 235  7  2.98% 67 28.51%  161  68.51%
1949 5302 2480 245  979 39.48% 2822 2.138 214  9  4.21% 56 26.17%  149  69.63%

Year