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Perce Leigh "Pat" Malone (September 25, 1902 – May 13, 1943) was an American
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
in
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
who played from for the Chicago Cubs (–) and
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
(–). Listed at and , Malone batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He played for four pennant winners and two
World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
champions. Born in
Altoona, Pennsylvania Altoona is a city in Blair County, Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the Altoona Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The population was 43,963 at the time of the 2020 Census, making it the eighteenth most populous city in Pennsylvania. T ...
, Malone started playing semipro baseball when a teenager. Initially signed by the New York Giants in 1922, his hard-drinking lifestyle brought him in conflict with
manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities ...
John McGraw John Joseph McGraw (April 7, 1873 – February 25, 1934) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) player and manager who was for almost thirty years manager of the New York Giants. He was also the third baseman of the pennant-winning 1890 ...
, who sold his contract to the minor league
Minneapolis Millers The Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, through 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League. The team played first in ...
after 1924 spring training. Malone would spend six years in the minor leagues, but after successful seasons in 1926 and 1927, was signed by the Cubs before the 1928 season. As a rookie with the Cubs, Malone won 18 games and finished second to
Dazzy Vance Charles Arthur "Dazzy" Vance (March 4, 1891 – February 16, 1961) was an American professional baseball player. He played as a pitcher for five different franchises in Major League Baseball (MLB) in a career that spanned twenty years. Known for ...
in the
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...
(NL) with 155 strikeouts. In 1929, a year in which the Cubs won the pennant, he led the NL in wins (22),
shutouts In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball. Shutouts are usuall ...
(5), and strikeouts (166), becoming the league's first strikeout champion besides Vance in seven years. He made two starts in the
World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
against the Philadelphia Athletics but lost both, and the Cubs were defeated in five games. In 1930, he led the NL with 20 wins. The 1931 season saw him clash with new Cubs manager
Rogers Hornsby Rogers Hornsby Sr. (April 27, 1896 – January 5, 1963), nicknamed "The Rajah", was an American baseball infielder, manager, and coach who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1915–1926, 193 ...
; Malone became involved in further trouble in September when he beat up two reporters and was fined $500. He nonetheless posted a 16–9 record. In 1932, Malone had a 15–17 record and 3.38
earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA), but was relegated to the bullpen for the
World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
against the Yankees when the Cubs selected three other starters. Relieving
Charlie Root Charles Henry "Chinski" Root (March 17, 1899 – November 5, 1970) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the St. Louis Browns and the Chicago Cubs between 1923 and 1941. Root batted and threw right-handed. He holds the club record fo ...
after the starter gave up
Babe Ruth's called shot Babe Ruth's called shot is the home run hit by Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees against the Chicago Cubs in the fifth inning of Game 3 of the 1932 World Series, held on October 1, 1932, at Wrigley Field in Chicago. During the at-bat, Ruth mad ...
, Malone pitched scoreless innings in his only appearance of the series; the Cubs were defeated in four straight games. Struggles in late 1933 caused Malone to lose his rotation spot in September. He enjoyed a 14–7 record and a 3.53 ERA in 1934 but again lost his rotation spot in September, which he claimed was due to the Cubs not wanting him to gain bonuses for winning 15 or more games. Acquired by the Yankees before the 1935 season, Malone was used mainly as a reliever for the next three years. He led the
American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
(AL) in saves in 1936 and was on the Yankee roster when they beat the Giants in the
World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
. He did less well in 1937, however, and was left off the roster when the Yankees again beat the Giants in the
World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
. After one more season in the minor leagues, Malone retired. He returned to Altoona, where he operated a tavern before dying at the age of 40 in 1943 due to acute
pancreatitis Pancreatitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is a large organ behind the stomach that produces digestive enzymes and a number of hormones. There are two main types: acute pancreatitis, and chronic pancr ...
brought on by his life of heavy drinking.


Early life

Perce Leigh Malone was the second child of Christian and Anna Malone, born on September 25, 1902, in
Altoona, Pennsylvania Altoona is a city in Blair County, Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the Altoona Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The population was 43,963 at the time of the 2020 Census, making it the eighteenth most populous city in Pennsylvania. T ...
. His father was an assistant yard master for the Pennsylvania Railroad, and his mother and sister, Evelyn, also supported the family through odd jobs. Loathing the name "Perce," Malone insisted on being called "Pat" instead. A rather wild youth, Malone enjoying participating in fights. He led a gang of local boys who would steal food and carry it to their hideout in a ravine out of town, where they would plan their next move. Malone attended school only until the age of 14, dropping out to take a job with Adam's Express, a package-delivery service. Soon, Malone had begun playing baseball, joining a local semipro team when he was just 15. "I caught the ball and let loose with a peg to first base with such speed that George Quinn, the manager, immediately decided a fellow with an arm like that ought to be a pitcher", Malone later remembered. He started working for the Pennsylvania Railroad as a fireman at age 16, lying about his age to get the job. Then, he served a year in the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
, which assigned him to
Fort Douglas Camp Douglas was established in October 1862, during the American Civil War, as a small military garrison about three miles east of Salt Lake City, Utah, to protect the overland mail route and telegraph lines along the Central Overland Route. I ...
in
Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
. While in the Army, Malone participated in sports such as baseball, football, and
boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermine ...
. Returning to Altoona after his military service, Malone resumed his job with the Pennsylvania Railroad, boxed under the name "Kid Williams," and played football in
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania Huntingdon is a borough in (and the county seat of) Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located along the Juniata River, approximately east of Altoona and west of Harrisburg. With a population of 7,093 at the 2010 census ...
, at
Juniata College Juniata College is a private liberal arts college in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1876 as a co-educational school, it was the first college started by members of the Church of the Brethren as a center for vocational learning for those wh ...
. He also played baseball for the semipro Altoona Independents, with whom he excelled. Pat Blake, a friend of his, recommended the pitcher to the management of the Knoxville Pioneers, a Class D team in the Appalachian League. Knoxville took Blake's advice, and the Pioneers signed Malone to pitch for them in 1921.


Minor League career

In 28 games for Knoxville in 1921, Malone had a 13–12 record, a 2.96
earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA), and 183 hits allowed in 219 innings pitched. Dick Kinsella, a scout for the New York Giants, recommended him to the major league team, who purchased Malone's rights before the 1922 season. Malone attended spring training for the Giants in 1922 but made a disfavorable impression on manager
John McGraw John Joseph McGraw (April 7, 1873 – February 25, 1934) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) player and manager who was for almost thirty years manager of the New York Giants. He was also the third baseman of the pennant-winning 1890 ...
, who rebuked him for his heavy drinking and rowdy behavior. He began the year with the
Waterbury Brasscos Waterbury is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut on the Naugatuck River, southwest of Hartford and northeast of New York City. Waterbury is the second-largest city in New Haven County, Connecticut. According to the 2020 US Census, in 202 ...
of the Class A Eastern League. In 24 games for the club, he pitched excellently, accruing just a 6–8 record but a 2.31 ERA in 140 innings pitched. Reports of his disorderly behavior got back to McGraw, however, who threatened to suspend Malone on general principles. Instead, Malone told McGraw he was quitting and returned to Altoona to play semipro ball. He refused to return to the Giants unless the organization promoted him to the
Toledo Mud Hens The Toledo Mud Hens are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Toledo, Ohio, and play their home games at Fifth Third Field. A Mud Hens team has played in ...
of the
Class AA Double-A (officially Class AA) is the second-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946, below only Triple-A. There are currently 30 teams classified at the Double-A level, one for each team in Major League ...
American Association American Association may refer to: Baseball * American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891 * American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997 * American Association of Profe ...
. The Giants agreed, and Malone went to Toledo, where he posted an 11.25 ERA in three games before the season ended. In 1923, Malone again went to spring training for the Giants but was sent to Toledo to start the season. He spent the whole year with the Mud Hens, but did not pitch well. Malone posted a 9–21 record and a 5.64 ERA, ranking among the league leaders with 21 losses (tied with three other pitchers behind Eric Erickson's 25), 120 walks (fourth, behind Dan Tipple's 170, Joe Giard's 153, and
Ferdie Schupp Ferdinand Maurice Schupp (January 16, 1891 – December 16, 1971) born in Louisville, Kentucky, was a pitcher for the New York Giants (1913–19), St. Louis Cardinals (1919–21), Brooklyn Robins (1921) and Chicago White Sox (1922). In 10 season ...
's 142), and 151
earned runs In baseball, an earned run is any run that was fully enabled by the offensive team's production in the face of competent play from the defensive team. Conversely, an unearned run is a run that would not have been scored without the aid of an erro ...
allowed (first). He joined the Giants in spring training for a final time in 1924, but he repeatedly violated his curfew, partying at the Watrous Hotel. These violations were the last straw for McGraw, and the Giants sold his contract to the American Association's
Minneapolis Millers The Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, through 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League. The team played first in ...
. The next two seasons were not good ones for Malone. Spending most of 1924 with Minneapolis, Malone posted a 2–9 record and an 8.30 ERA over 77 innings pitched in 20 games. He also made three appearances for the
Beaumont Exporters The Beaumont Exporters was the predominant name of a minor league baseball team located in Beaumont, Texas that played between 1920 and 1957 in the Texas League and the Big State League. Beaumont rejoined the Class AA Texas League (1983-1986) and ...
of the Class A
Texas League The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...
, with whom he had a 1–1 record and a 6.50 ERA. In 1925, he spent most of the season in the Texas League again, this time with the
Shreveport Sports The Shreveport Sports were a professional Minor League Baseball team based in Shreveport, Louisiana, in the United States. The Sports fielded a team from 1925 to 1935, 1938 to 1942, 1946 to 1957, and 1959 to 1961. They were affiliated with the C ...
, for whom he pitched in 33 games (25 starts). He had a 12–13 record, a 4.83 ERA, and 219 hits allowed in 190 innings pitched. Also making four appearances for Minneapolis, Malone had an 0–2 record and a 9.33 ERA. In 1926, Malone joined another Class A team, the Des Moines Demons of the Western League. Improved control of his
fastball The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. " Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thr ...
resulted in a lower number of walks and his most successful season to date. In 52 games for the team, he had a 28–13 record and a 2.84 ERA, finishing second in the league in wins (behind Herb Hall's 29) and innings pitched (349, one shy of Al Pallas's 350). Malone was selected to the league's first All-Star team, and his strong pitching helped Des Moine win the league pennant. Back in Minneapolis for 1927, Malone finally stuck with the Millers for a full season. He had a 20–18 record and a 3.98 ERA for the ballclub, ranking among the league leaders with 20 wins (tied with Paul Zahniser for fifth), 319 innings pitched (fourth behind
Tom Sheehan Thomas Clancy Sheehan (March 31, 1894 – October 29, 1982) was an American pitcher, scout, coach and manager in Major League Baseball. Born in Grand Ridge, Illinois, Sheehan, a right-hander, had a six-year pitching career from 1915–16, 1921 ...
's 331,
Jimmy Zinn James Edward Zinn (January 21, 1895 – February 26, 1991) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played all or part of four seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Athletics (1919), Pittsburgh Pirates (1920–22), a ...
's 330, and Roy Meeker's 323), and 53 games (second only to Leo Moon's 55). Most notably, he led the American Association with 214 strikeouts. Team owner Mike Kelley eagerly began offering Malone's contract rights for sale to major league clubs, eventually selling them to the Chicago Cubs, whose manager, Joe McCarthy, was a good friend of Kelley. The Cubs paid Minneapolis $25,000 total, with $15,000 up front and the rest due by the next season's
trade deadline In professional sports within the United States and Canada, a trade is a sports league transaction between sports clubs involving the exchange of player rights from one team to another. Though player rights are the primary trading assets, draft p ...
of June 15, unless the Cubs were dissatisfied with Malone and wished to return him to the Millers instead.


Chicago Cubs (1928–1934)


1928

The Cubs considered using Malone as a starter to begin 1928, but control issues in spring training caused him to open the season in the bullpen. He made his major league debut on April 12, relieving Percy Jones with one out in the seventh inning in a game against the Cincinnati Reds. Due to errors by his fielders, he allowed six runs, none earned. Malone lost that game, along with his next four decisions. Things turned around for him on May 6, when he struck out eight Philadelphia Phillies over five innings of relief and earned his first win in a 5–4 victory. Getting a start against the Giants on May 12, he "pitched for Chicago in a masterly manner" according to ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'', allowing just six hits and two runs in a complete game, 4–2 victory. Five days later, he pitched his first major league shutout, holding the Boston Braves to two hits in a 2–0 victory that was Chicago's 11th straight win. As the season progressed, Malone was used more and more as a starter. He "proved to be the Cubs’ most successful and consistent pitcher, especially during the pennant race in the last two months of the 1928 season" according to Gregory H. Wolf of the
Society for American Baseball Research The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) is a membership organization dedicated to fostering the research and dissemination of the history and record of baseball primarily through the use of statistics. Established in Cooperstown, New ...
. Malone won nine of his last 10 decisions, posted a 2.41 ERA in the season's final two months, and completed eight of his final nine starts. Though the Cubs finished the season in third place, they were only four games behind the first-place
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
. In 42 games (25 starts), Malone had an 18–13 record and a 2.84 ERA. He led the Cubs in wins, games, and innings pitched (). Amongst other
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...
(NL) pitchers, Malone trailed only
Dazzy Vance Charles Arthur "Dazzy" Vance (March 4, 1891 – February 16, 1961) was an American professional baseball player. He played as a pitcher for five different franchises in Major League Baseball (MLB) in a career that spanned twenty years. Known for ...
for the league lead with 155 strikeouts and 5.56
strikeouts per nine innings pitched In baseball statistics, strikeouts per nine innings pitched (K/9, SO/9, or SO/9IP) is the mean of strikeouts (or Ks) by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by multiplying the number of strikeouts by nine, and dividing by the numb ...
.


1929

Malone got off to a strong start in 1929, this time winning his first five starts, two of which were shutouts. He struck out 12 batters on June 12 in a complete game, 7–3 victory over the Phillies. One week later, in his next start, he struck out 10 batters in a complete game, 7–3 victory over the Cardinals in which the only runs he allowed were unearned. He completed his last five starts of the season, winning four of them. On September 19, he displayed "a rare exhibition of pitching skill" according to sportswriter John Drebinger, allowing just six hits in a 5–0 victory over the Giants, his fifth shutout and 22nd win of the year. He finished the year with a 22–10 record and a 3.57 ERA, leading the NL in wins, shutouts, and strikeouts (166). By winning the strikeout title, he became the first pitcher besides Vance to do so in the NL since 1921. Behind his stellar pitching, the Cubs won the NL pennant. In the
1929 World Series The 1929 World Series featured the American League (AL) champion Philadelphia Athletics playing against the National League (NL) champion Chicago Cubs. The Athletics defeated the Cubs in five games to win the Series. This Series featured the At ...
, the Cubs faced the Philadelphia Athletics, who were heavily favored. After Philadelphia won Game 1, Malone started Game 2 of the series but struggled, allowing six runs (three earned), five hits, and five walks in innings and taking the loss in the team's 9–3 defeat. With the Cubs down two games to one entering Game 4, Malone came on in relief in the bottom of the seventh inning, with the game tied at eight runs per side. Malone first hit
Bing Miller Edmund John "Bing" Miller (August 30, 1894 – May 7, 1966) was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from 1922 to 1936, most prominently as a member of the Philadelphia Athletics ...
with a pitch to load the bases, then gave up a
double A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another. Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to: Film and television * Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character * ...
to Jimmie Dykes that scored the winning runs in Philadelphia's 10–8 triumph. With the Cubs one loss away from elimination, Malone started Game 5. Staked to a 2–0 lead in the fourth inning, he had allowed only two hits and two runs going to the ninth. After striking out Walter French to start the inning, however, he gave up a single to
Max Bishop Max Frederick Bishop (September 5, 1899 – February 24, 1962) was an American professional baseball player, scout and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a second baseman from through , most notably as a member of the Philadelphia ...
, followed by a two-run
home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
by
Mule Haas George William "Mule" Haas (October 15, 1903 – June 30, 1974) was an American professional baseball player. He played as a center fielder in Major League Baseball from 1925 through 1938, most notably as a member of the Philadelphia Athletics dy ...
which tied the game. He then allowed two more baserunners and took the loss when Miller recorded an RBI double, giving the Athletics the championship in five games.


1930

On April 25, 1930, Malone pitched 12 innings against the Cincinnati Reds; he lost the lead in the top of the inning when he allowed an unearned run, but won after the Cubs scored two runs in the bottom of the inning to secure a 6–5 victory. In early May, he was arrested for disorderly conduct in a café on Chicago's South Side, though he paid the bill for the damages upon his release from jail. He won four straight starts from June 14 through June 28, then won eight straight decisions from July 16 through August 29. The last of these, a two-inning relief stint in a game the Cubs won in walkoff fashion over the Cardinals in the bottom of the 13th inning, gave Chicago a game lead over St. Louis for first place. The Cubs slumped in September, however, starting the month 9–13. Malone lost his first three decisions of the month, though he won his last three. It was not enough for the pennant, though, as St. Louis won 21 of its final 25 games to take first place in the league. Malone was "the NL's most dominant pitcher" in 1930, according to Wolf. He led the league with 20 wins and finished in third place with 142 strikeouts, surpassed only by
Bill Hallahan William Anthony Hallahan (August 4, 1902 – July 8, 1981) was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball during the 1920s and 1930s. Nicknamed "Wild Bill" because of his lack of control on the mound—he twice led the National Leag ...
(177) and Vance (173). He also tied Erv Brame for the lead in complete games, with 22. Malone's record was 20–9, and his ERA was 3.94.


1931

With four games remaining in 1930, the Cubs fired McCarthy, replacing him as their manager with
Rogers Hornsby Rogers Hornsby Sr. (April 27, 1896 – January 5, 1963), nicknamed "The Rajah", was an American baseball infielder, manager, and coach who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1915–1926, 193 ...
. Blaming the poor conditioning of the pitchers for the team's struggles that September, Hornsby tried to get the pitchers in better shape in 1931 spring training. Malone, however, was unable to pitch much because of shoulder problems. By the end of May, he had only three wins, though he also had only two losses. On June 26, after he lasted only of an inning against Boston and allowed four runs, Hornsby suggested that the pitcher was overrated, calling his performance "distasteful". During his time with the Cubs, Malone had become best friends with star hitter
Hack Wilson Lewis Robert "Hack" Wilson (April 26, 1900 – November 23, 1948) was an American Major League Baseball player who played 12 seasons for the New York Giants, Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies. Despite his diminutive statur ...
, who shared the pitcher's love of heavy drinking. They got into trouble together on September 5 when the team was on a road trip. Aboard a passenger coach in Cincinnati, the two ran across Wayne K. Otto of the ''Herald Examiner'' and Harold Johnson of the ''Chicago American''. According to the players, the writers were criticizing them for their poor performance and out-of-control alcohol consumption. The reporters maintained that Wilson was in a bad mood, as Hornsby had recently benched him. Whatever the case, a fight broke out, resulting in Malone thoroughly pounding both reporters. The Cubs fined Malone $500 for his behavior and suspended Wilson. Said teammate
Gabby Hartnett Charles Leo "Gabby" Hartnett (December 20, 1900 – December 20, 1972), nicknamed "Old Tomato Face", was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played almost his entire career in Major League Baseball as a catcher with the Chic ...
, "Everybody in the league knows not to mess with either of them. Hack is as strong as they come, and Pat, with that Irish temper of his, he wouldn't hesitate to punch a bull right between the eyes. They really should have known better." The fight did not bother Malone's pitching, as he won his final three starts and his final four appearances of the season. In 36 games (30 starts), he had a 16–9 record and a 3.90 ERA. Though he struck out only 112 batters, that was good enough to tie him with
Ed Brandt Edward Arthur Brandt (February 17, 1905 – November 2, 1944) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1928 to 1938. He played for the Boston Braves, Brooklyn Dodgers, and Pittsburgh Pirates. Brandt started his professional baseball career w ...
for eighth in the NL. He also tied
Bill Walker Bill Walker may refer to: Australian rules football * Bill A. Walker (1886–1934), Australian rules footballer for Essendon * Bill Walker (Australian footballer, born 1883) (1883–1971), Australian rules footballer for Fitzroy * Bill J. V. Wal ...
and teammate
Guy Bush Guy Terrell Bush (August 23, 1901 – July 2, 1985) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, nicknamed ''the Mississippi Mudcat.'' Bush played in the major leagues from 1923 to 1938 and again in 1945. The pitcher played fo ...
for ninth in the NL in victories.


1932

Before the 1932 season, the Cubs traded Wilson, hoping that this would help Malone stop partying so much. On May 7, Malone struck out a season-high eight batters in a 3–0 shutout win over the Brooklyn Dodgers. His record was just 10–10 through July, and the rest of the ballclub was playing mediocrely. At that point, the Cubs replaced Hornsby as manager with
Charlie Grimm Charles John Grimm (August 28, 1898 – November 15, 1983), nicknamed "Jolly Cholly", was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman, most notably for the Chicago Cubs; he was als ...
, who was far more easygoing with the players. The ballclub won 23 of its next 28 games and took over first place in the NL. The first of these wins was a complete game thrown by Malone against the Phillies on August 4; though he struck out only one batter, he allowed only one run. Facing the Phillies again on August 23, Malone tied his season high with eight strikeouts in a 5–1 win. Though he won only five games under Grimm, the Cubs continued to play well and finished the season as NL champions for the second time in Malone's duration with the team. In 37 games (32 starts), he had a 15–17 record and a 3.38 ERA. His 17 losses tied
Red Lucas Charles Fred "Red" Lucas (April 28, 1902 – July 9, 1986) was an American professional baseball pitcher and pinch hitter. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1923 to 1938 for the New York Giants, Boston Braves, Cincinnati Reds, and Pi ...
for second in the NL (behind
Ownie Carroll Owen Thomas "Ownie" Carroll, (November 11, 1902 – June 8, 1975) was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played nine seasons in the major leagues with the Detroit Tigers (1925, 1927–1930), New York Yankees (1930), Cincinnati Reds (1930–1932) ...
's 19), but his 15 wins tied
Flint Rhem Charles Flint Rhem (January 24, 1901 – July 30, 1969), born in Rhems, South Carolina, was a pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals (1924–28, 1930–32, 1934 and 1936), Philadelphia Phillies (1932–33) and Boston Braves (1934–35). Before hi ...
and teammate
Charlie Root Charles Henry "Chinski" Root (March 17, 1899 – November 5, 1970) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the St. Louis Browns and the Chicago Cubs between 1923 and 1941. Root batted and threw right-handed. He holds the club record fo ...
for eighth, and his 120 strikeouts were third (behind
Dizzy Dean Jay Hanna "Dizzy" Dean (January 16, 1910 – July 17, 1974), also known as Jerome Herman Dean (both the 1910 and 1920 Censuses show his name as "Jay"), was an American professional baseball pitcher. During his Major League Baseball (MLB) career ...
's 191 and Carl Hubbell's 137). In the
World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
against the Yankees, Malone saw little action, as Grimm went with a three-man starting rotation of Bush,
Lon Warneke Lonnie Warneke (March 28, 1909 – June 23, 1976) (pronounced WARN-a-key), nicknamed "The Arkansas Hummingbird", was a Major League Baseball player, Major League umpire, county judge, and businessman from Montgomery County, Arkansas, whose caree ...
, and Root. His only appearance in that series came after Root surrendered back-to-back home runs to
Babe Ruth George Herman "Babe" Ruth Jr. (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948) was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Su ...
and
Lou Gehrig Henry Louis Gehrig (born Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig ; June 19, 1903June 2, 1941) was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees (1923–1939). Gehrig was renowned f ...
in Game 3, the former of which was
Babe Ruth's called shot Babe Ruth's called shot is the home run hit by Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees against the Chicago Cubs in the fifth inning of Game 3 of the 1932 World Series, held on October 1, 1932, at Wrigley Field in Chicago. During the at-bat, Ruth mad ...
. After Gehrig's home run, the Cubs brought in Malone, who threw innings of scoreless relief, including a called third strike against Gehrig. The Cubs nonetheless lost the game 7–5 and were swept by the Yankees in four games.


1933

Malone started the 1933 season still a Cub, despite rumors that the Phillies, Reds, and Braves were all interested in signing him. Shoulder problems plagued him all season, leading to inconsistent pitching. He won four consecutive complete games from May 21 through June 4, one of which (on May 25) was a two-hit shutout of the Braves. Later, he won three starts in a row from July 23 through August 6. He lost three decisions in a row from April 25 through May 16, however, six decisions in a row from June 9 through July 16, and five decisions in a row from August 12 through September 1. During the last stretch, his ERA was 8.49. He made no starts after September 1, serving the rest of the year out of the bullpen and appearing in just three more games, though two of these were wins. In 31 games (26 starts) and innings pitched, he had a 10–14 record and a 3.91 ERA. He recorded just 72 strikeouts during the season, and his 3.5 strikeouts per nine innings pitched would be the lowest in any of his seasons.


1934

Malone was late reporting to 1934 spring training as he sought more money, causing Edward Burns of the ''
Chicago Daily Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television are ...
'' to call him "hard to handle” and “frivolous in nature". He was moved to the bullpen after four starts, but rejoined the rotation in June when Bush was sidelined with a rib injury. From July 19 through August 18, Malone won six decisions in a row; the Cubs won all seven of his starts during the streak. The last game of the streak, against the Phillies, was what Wolf called "arguably the most dominant game in his career". Malone allowed just two hits and no runs, tying his career high with 12 strikeouts in a 2–0 victory. He gave up six runs in his next start against the Dodgers on August 24, however, and was used only twice more all year, both times in relief. The Cubs never explained why they stopped using Malone, but the pitcher claimed the team was ensuring he would not receive contractual bonuses that he would have become eligible with each win starting with his 15th. When ''
The Sporting News The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...
'' inquired on October 25 where he would be pitching next year, he responded, "Anywhere will do just as long as it isn’t with the Cubs." In 34 games (21 starts) and 191 innings pitched, he had a 14–7 record and a 3.53 ERA. His 111 strikeouts ranked eighth in the NL. On October 26, 1934, Malone was traded with cash to the
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
for
Ken O'Dea James Kenneth O'Dea (March 16, 1913 – December 17, 1985) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher for the Chicago Cubs (1935–38), New York Giants (1939–41), St. Louis Cardinals (1942 ...
. The Cardinals wanted him to take a 50 percent pay cut, but he refused, even after no team claimed him on waivers. He eventually reached an agreement with the Cardinals, but he would never pitch for them, as his contract was sold to the Yankees on March 26, 1935. During his time with the Cubs, Malone (along with Bush and Root) formed part of what Wolf called "the NL’s most successful and durable pitching trio from 1928–34". Each of the starters won at least 100 games over that span, and they combined to win 336 total in 4,776 innings pitched. The team reached the World Series twice during those years.


New York Yankees (1935–1937)


1935

The trade to New York reunited Malone with McCarthy, who had been trying to acquire the pitcher since the previous season. McCarthy expected that Malone could win 15 games but was disappointed to discover that the pitcher had shoulder issues. Malone made only two starts in 1935, both losses in which he allowed five runs, and he spent most of the season in the bullpen. His ERA was 3.92 through August 7, but he posted a 7.79 ERA in his final eight games and pitched only once in September. In 29 games (two starts) and innings pitched, he had a 3–5 record, a 5.43 ERA, and 25 strikeouts.


1936

Despite Malone's lackluster performance the previous season, the Yankees gave Malone another chance in 1936. "I am going to pitch Malone into winning form or run him out of the league", promised McCarthy. Though his weight had ballooned from 200 to 230 pounds, Malone fixed one source of bad health, replacing his rotten teeth, which had been giving him headaches. On April 25, after Monte Pearson allowed four runs in the first two innings and allowed the first two batters of the third to reach base, Malone entered and pitched six innings without giving up an earned run against the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...
. Though the Yankees lost 7–2, it was Malone's best outing since his shutout of the Phillies two years earlier. McCarthy gave him a start against the
St. Louis Browns The St. Louis Browns were a Major League Baseball team that originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the Milwaukee Brewers. A charter member of the American League (AL), the Brewers moved to St. Louis, Missouri, after the 1901 season, where they p ...
on May 5, and "the burly right-hander came through with a sparkling eight-hit performance", according to sportswriter Louis Effrat. Malone struck out nine in a complete game, 8–2 triumph. A week later, however, Malone gave up seven runs to the Browns in a 7–0 loss. He then gave up at least six runs for three starts in a row, from May 23 through June 2, though he was 2–0 in them. His record was 8–2 at the All-Star break, despite a 5.54 ERA. In the second half of the year, he "played an important role as a
fireman A firefighter is a first responder and rescuer extensively trained in firefighting, primarily to extinguish hazardous fires that threaten life, property, and the environment as well as to rescue people and in some cases or jurisdictions also ...
", according to Wolf. In 68 innings pitched out of the bullpen, his ERA was 2.12. Used as a starter in his final two games of the year, he gave up 11 and 15 hits respectively but only four and three runs. Both outings were complete game victories. In 35 games (nine starts) for the pennant winners, he had a 12–4 record, a 3.81 ERA, and 72 strikeouts in innings pitched. His .750 winning percentage made him one of three Yankees to finish atop the AL in that category, along with
Bump Hadley Irving Darius Hadley (July 5, 1904 – February 15, 1963) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, he played in the major leagues for the Washington Senators (1926–31 and 1935), Chicago White Sox (1932), St. ...
(.778) and Pearson (.731). Malone also led the league with nine saves, though this was not yet an official statistic. The Yankees faced the Giants in the
1936 World Series The 1936 World Series was the championship series in Major League Baseball for the 1936 season. The 33rd edition of the World Series, it matched the New York Yankees against the New York Giants, with the Yankees winning in six games to earn t ...
, the first time since 1923 the series involved exclusively New York teams. Malone recorded a save in Game 3, relieving starting pitcher Hadley at the start of the ninth inning and throwing a scoreless inning to cement a 2–1 win. In Game 5, he was the hard-luck loser. He worked four innings of one-hit relief, but the hit, an RBI double by Bill Terry, came in the top of the 10th inning and resulted in the Giants staving off elimination. The Yankees then won Game 6 and the series, giving Malone his first World Series championship.


1937

Prior to the 1937 season, ''The Sporting News'' portrayed Malone as a "stout-hearted has-been of another era". In his first outing, on April 25, Malone relieved Hadley with two outs in the fifth inning with two outs and the bases loaded after the starter had issued three straight walks, the latter two forcing in runs to trim a 5–0 lead over the Red Sox to 5–2. Malone struck out Fabian Gaffke to end the inning, then issued one run in the remaining four innings, earning the victory in a 9–3 triumph. The April 25 outing would be a rare bright spot, as according to Wolf, he was "unable to duplicate the magic from the previous season". His final appearance of the year came in the second game of a doubleheader against the Washington Senators on September 28, when he allowed two hits but no runs in one inning of a 2–1 defeat. In 28 games (nine starts), he had a 4–4 record, six saves, a 5.48 ERA, and 49 strikeouts in a mere 92 innings pitched. He was left off the roster for the 1937 World Series, in which the Yankees again defeated the Giants.


Final professional season (1938)

Malone's tenure with the Yankees ended when he was released on January 20, 1938. The McCarthy-Kelley friendship proved helpful again, as the Yankee manager convinced Minneapolis to reacquire him. Malone drew a suspension from the team before the start of the season due to a drunken fight he was involved in at the team's hotel, and after pitching just one game for the Millers, he quit the team in April. When the
Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...
of the Class AA International League bought his contract, Malone reported to them, splitting the rest of the season between them and the
Chattanooga Lookouts The Chattanooga Lookouts are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team plays its home g ...
of the Class A1
Southern Association The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A (1902–1935), Cla ...
. At Chattanooga, his manager was Hornsby, whom Malone had clashed with during his time in Chicago. In 19 games (11 starts) with Baltimore, he had a 3–8 record and a 5.24 ERA in 79 innings pitched. His record was also 3–8 in 16 games with Chattanooga, where he had a 3.83 ERA in 94 innings. The Orioles sold his contract to the Oakland Oaks of the Class AA Pacific Coast League after the season, but Malone retired on February 20, 1939.


Career statistics

In a 10-season major league career, Malone posted a 134–92 record with 1,024 strikeouts and a 3.74 ERA in 357 appearances, including 220 starts, 115 complete games, 15 shutouts, 26 saves, and 1,915 innings pitched. "One can only wonder what he could have accomplished if he had not had such a love affair with the bottle and the nightlife", wrote baseball historian Frank Russo. As a hitter, Malone recorded a .188
batting average Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic. Cricket In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
(129 for 688) with nine home runs and 61 RBI. He is one of four pitchers in the modern era to hit at least one home run in his first five major league seasons, along with
Claude Hendrix Claude Raymond Hendrix (April 13, 1889 – March 22, 1944) was a professional baseball pitcher who played in the National League for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1911–13) and Chicago Cubs (1916–20) and in the Federal League with the Chicago Whales ...
,
Dontrelle Willis Dontrelle Wayne Willis (born January 12, 1982), nicknamed "The D-Train", is an American former left-handed professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Cincinn ...
, and
Travis Wood Travis Alan Wood (born February 6, 1987) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, and San Diego Padres. Amateur career Born and raise ...
.


Pitching style

Malone was not afraid to intimidate hitters, standing out among other pitchers with the amount of
brushback pitch In baseball, a brushback pitch is a pitch–usually a fastball–thrown high and inside the strike zone to intimidate the batter away from the plate on subsequent pitches. It differs from the beanball in that the intent is not to hit the batte ...
es he threw. "Malone never had problems busting one inside, especially if he thought the batter was getting too comfortable up there. He'd throw one high and tight, and if you didn't move, he'd throw another one", recalled Cubs teammate and manager
Charlie Grimm Charles John Grimm (August 28, 1898 – November 15, 1983), nicknamed "Jolly Cholly", was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman, most notably for the Chicago Cubs; he was als ...
. Teammate Billy Jurges claimed, while all Chicago's pitchers during that era were tough, Malone was the toughest. Malone only hit 45 batters during his major league career, however, owing to his good control. Standing at and , Malone's build and hard fastball caused people to compare him to Vance. In 1929, the
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. ne ...
wrote that Malone possessed "probably the fastest ball in the major leagues". He also threw a curveball.


Personal

Malone quickly gained a reputation as a prankster upon reaching the major leagues. He enjoyed doling out hot feet, and towel-whipping unsuspecting teammates while they showered. During his rookie season, he caught some pigeons on a hotel ledge and put them in roommate Jones's bed while he slept. An irritated Jones promptly requested a new roommate. In 1926, Malone married Marion Seeley. He credited her influence on his personal life with his improvement in 1926. The couple would have one daughter, Patricia. When Malone's teams were in the offseason, they lived in Marion's hometown of
Milan, Ohio Milan ( ) is a village in Erie and Huron counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 1,367 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the birthplace and childhood home of Thomas Edison. The Erie County portion of Milan is part of the ...
; Altoona, or
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
. After Malone's career, he and his family returned to Altoona, where the pitcher opened up a tavern. Malone enjoyed
golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping ...
, hunting, and fishing as hobbies. On May 13, 1943, at his father's home in
Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania Hollidaysburg is a borough in and the county seat of Blair County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is located on the Juniata River, south of Altoona and is part of the Altoona, Pennsylvania, metropolitan statistical area. In 1900, 2,99 ...
, Malone was attacked by severe abdominal pain. After consulting a local physician, he checked into Mercy Hospital in Altoona. At 11:45 that evening, he died from acute
pancreatitis Pancreatitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is a large organ behind the stomach that produces digestive enzymes and a number of hormones. There are two main types: acute pancreatitis, and chronic pancr ...
that had resulted from his hard-drinking lifestyle. He was 40 years old. His body was cremated in
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...
, then delivered to Milan, where it was buried in the Milan Cemetery at Section HO, Lot 28, Grave 3.


See also

* List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders * List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders * List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders * List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Malone, Pat 1902 births 1943 deaths Major League Baseball pitchers National League strikeout champions National League wins champions Chicago Cubs players New York Yankees players Juniata Eagles baseball players Toledo Mud Hens players Beaumont Exporters players Minneapolis Millers (baseball) players Shreveport Sports players Des Moines Demons players Chattanooga Lookouts players Baltimore Orioles (IL) players Baseball players from Pennsylvania Sportspeople from Altoona, Pennsylvania Deaths from pancreatitis Alcohol-related deaths in Pennsylvania United States Army soldiers