“When (Rube) Waddell had control and some sleep, he was unbeatable.”
-Branch Rickey Rube Waddell was perhaps baseball’s most interesting man. Considered by many to be the greatest pitcher who ever lived, he is better known for his eccentric exploits both on and off the field. He was literally one of the weirdest players in history, but baseball fans loved him. We still do… Born George Edward Waddell on Friday the 13th in October of 1876 in Bradford, Pennsylvania, he grew to be a refrigerator of a man. At 6’1” and almost 200 lbs., compared to his teammates he was considered jumbo-sized (the average male height in the late 19th century was under 5’7”). He was ambidextrous but chose to play left-handed. He claimed to have developed his pitching arm by throwing rocks at crows on the farm. He earned the nickname Rube because he looked like a big old country boy. Given his bent toward creative lunacy, some speculate that Rube was autistic. Whatever the case, Rube found baseball, and the game was never the same.
During the deadball era, Rube’s talent was remarkable. He threw a heavy fastball that was unhittable. He had a curve ball that darted and swooped and may have been the best breaking ball pitch in the major leagues.
Over the course of 13 years (1897-1910), Rube played for the Louisville Colonels, the St. Louis Browns, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Chicago Orphans (they later became the Chicago Cubs), and the Philadelphia Athletics.
Rube’s career ERA was an excellent 2.16 (ranked 11th of all time). He topped the league in strikeouts an amazing six straight years (1902-1907) and in 1903 and 1904 was the only pitcher to compile consecutive 300 strikeout seasons until Sandy Koufax did it in 1965 and 1966. Waddell’s 349 strikeouts in 1904 held the record for more than 60 years (6th on all time list) and is still the American League single-season record for left-handed pitchers. In 1905, Rube won the pitching Triple Crown, leading the league with 27 wins, 287 strikeouts, and an unbelievable 1.48 ERA.
But besides being a phenomenal pitcher, Rube was possibly the most unorthodox player in the history of the game. His antics have become the stuff of legend.
Rube was easily distracted and fascinated by fire trucks. Unbelievably, if he heard a fire truck pass, he would leave the game to help fight the fire.
Rube also exhibited a fondness for dogs. Opposing fans acquired the habit of waving puppies from the stands to distract Rube. This often worked because Rube couldn’t resist stopping play to go pet the dogs.
Rube always provided entertainment at the ballpark. He would sometimes wow the crowd with cartwheels and backflips on the mound. And he was fond of going commando. If late for the game, he was in the habit of climbing down through the grandstands (downing hot dogs and chugging beer with fans along the way) and stripping off his street clothes as he headed for the dugout and his uniform. With no underwear, he invariably flashed the crowd for fun.
On one occasion Rube saved a man’s life, carrying a fellow teammate who was hit in the temple with a ball off the field, flagging down a passing carriage, and seeing his friend to the hospital, where he sat by his side all night.
Rube’s escapades did become trying at times, however. In those days, players on the road had to share a bed. Rube’s roommate complained so often about Rube eating animal crackers and peanuts in bed (evidently the crumbs and peanut shells made it hard to sleep), that a “no crackers clause” was added to Rube’s contract.
Rube’s many adventures are almost too numerous to mention. At various times he wrestled alligators, rode ostriches, was bitten by a lion, and kept a flock of geese that he trained to jump rope. He enjoyed a stint as an actor in a play during the off season one year. His acting skills were subpar. He always had to adlib his part, and once lifted a fellow cast member over his head, throwing him across the stage and into the orchestra pit. Rube was quite a crowd pleaser, even if he couldn’t remember his lines.
Rube was a good fighter, never hesitating to pummel those he found deserving. He once pounded one of his teammates into submission in a dispute over a straw hat. Apparently, the offending player had made the mistake of wearing a straw hat after Labor Day, and Rube took grave offense.
Rube passed away on April 1, 1914 (April Fool’s Day), a few months shy of his 38th birthday, after a severe illness. He was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.
As crazy as he was, Rube Waddell is remembered with great affection by baseball fans today. In his own way, he made baseball better.
