Mlb great hitters that also pitched in a game

[ValKehl]

Originally Posted by GeoPoto

Sam Rice came up as a pitcher (career ERA+ of 117) before converting to the outfield where he went on to 2,987 hits despite only playing one season before his age-29 season, due to military service and other emergencies.

At age 25, Sam Rice was primarily a pitcher with very little pro experience when Clark Griffith acquired him in late July 1915 from the Petersburg Goobers of the Class C Virginia State League in exchange for a debt owed to Griffith that the financially strapped team was unable to pay. The following is from SABR's bio of Rice:

"In his second major league outing, on August 10, Rice set the Detroit Tigers down in order in two more innings of relief. According to the Washington Post, Rice looked good against the Tigers. 'He got Ty Cobb on a sickly fly to left, fanned Sam Crawford and Bobby Veach, and caused George Burns to foul out. Any time a pitcher can dispose of this quartet so easily, he must have something other than a glove and a pleasant smile.

Rice followed his two successful relief appearances with a start on September 7, pitching a complete game against the Philadelphia Athletics in which he recorded his only win as a major league pitcher. He gave up two runs on five hits and four walks against the A’s ...' "

After being used sparingly as a pitcher, Rich became a full-time outfielder in July 1916, hitting .299 in 197 at bats for the year, and the rest is history. His 2-year pitching record is 9 games, 39.1 innings pitched, a W-L record of 1-1, and an ERA of 2.52. Here's another one of Sam's rookie cards: