Tuesday Trivia: Oldest teams’ winningest pitchers

[cgjackson222]

The Braves, Cubs, Pirates and Reds are the 4 oldest existing MLB teams, all having been formed in 1881 or earlier. Who is the all-time franchise winningest pitcher for each of the 4 teams?

As always, please guess rather than look up the answer.

[Mark17]

Braves probably Spahn.

[Cliff Bowman]

The Cubs is Charlie Root, and no Root did not see Ruth call a home run and then throw the next pitch anywhere near the strike zone.

[judsonhamlin]

I’ll guess Tony Mullane for the Reds

[cgjackson222]

Originally Posted by Mark17

Braves probably Spahn.

Correct! Warren Spahn's 356 wins with the Braves is the 3rd most of anyone for a single franchise behind Walter Johnson's 417 for the Nationals and Mathewson's 372 for the Giants, and is 26 more than the 330 Kid Nichols had for the Braves. I believe the Braves are the only franchise that had 2 players reach 300 wins.

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

The Cubs is Charlie Root, and no Root did not see Ruth call a home run and then throw the next pitch anywhere near the strike zone.

Yes! Charlie Root's 201 wins is the most in Cubs franchise history, 13 more than 3 Finger Brown's 188.

Originally Posted by judsonhamlin

I’ll guess Tony Mullane for the Reds

Great guess! Tony Mullane's 163 wins for the Reds is the 2nd most in franchise history.

[Cliff Bowman]

Just wild guesses, Eppa Rixey for the Reds and Vern Law for the Pirates. Rixey might have played for other teams than the Reds but I know Law was a Pirate lifer.

[cgjackson222]

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

Just wild guesses, Eppa Rixey for the Reds and Vern Law for the Pirates. Rixey might have played for other teams than the Reds but I know Law was a Pirate lifer.

Nice work! Eppa Rixey's 179 wins is the most in Reds franchise history.

Vern Law is a fine guess, but is 40 away from the top spot.

Just looking for the Pirates top winning pitcher.

[rats60]

I believe the Pirates is Wilbur Cooper.

[cgjackson222]

Originally Posted by rats60

I believe the Pirates is Wilbur Cooper.

It most certainly is, Mr. Pirates fan! Wilbur Cooper's 202 wins is 8 more than Babe Adams or Sam Leever.

Well done everybody.

Cooper walked only 2.2 per 9 innings for his career (1917 to 1924 he finished in the NL’s Top 10 five times in fewest walks per nine innings) and also holds the franchise single-season record for ERA (1.87 in 1916).

According to his SABR biography: "He remains one of only two pitchers with more than 3,000 innings and an ERA under 3.00 who are not enshrined at Cooperstown. In one of his last letters he wrote: “I would die a happy man if they voted me into the Hall of Fame. But, if they don’t, I will understand.”"