WILLIAM ARTHUR "Candy" CUMMINGS
W.A. 'Candy' Cummings carved a niche for himself by confounding batters in 1867 when he began pitching a 'curveball'
for the first time in baseball history. He perfected his curve when he was the ace for the amateur
Brooklyn Stars.
Asked how he got the idea for the pitch, he said, " When I was only 14 years old, I came up with the
idea while throwing clam shells on a New England beach around 1862."
As a professional, he won 124 games in
four seasons in the National Association. Twice he led the league in shutouts and once led the league in innings pitched.
His career as a pitcher ended in 1876 at the conclusion of the first year in existence of baseball's National League, where
he played for the Hartford Dark Blues. In his final year as a player, on Sept 9, 1876 he became the first Major League pitcher
to start, complete, and win both games of a doubleheader.
In 1877 Candy Cummings became the first President of the
International League, the first Professional Minor League. He subsequently had a distinguished career as a baseball executive.
Elected
to Hall of Fame in 1939 by Committee on Baseball Veterans
Born: October 18, 1848 - Ware, Massachusetts
Played
for: New York Mutuals, Baltimore Lord Baltimores, Philadelphia Whites, Hartford Dark Blues, Cincinnati Reds
Threw: right
Batted:
right
Died: May 16, 1924 - Toledo, Ohio
