Mickey Welch Biography

The pitcher "Smiling Mickey" Welch spent his career in the shadow of Tim Keefe. The two right-handers were teammate most of his years in the majors, and most of those seasons, Keefe was considered as cast pitching.

Welch admitted willingly that Keefe was the best pitcher of the two, and in his old age cataloged as the largest of the year 1880. However, if Welch was not the greatest of his time, Michael Francis Welch was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1859 and started playing baseball in the streets and pleasures. He turned professional in 1877, when he joined Poughkeepsie Volunteers, a semi-professional team. Then they followed two seasons with Auburn and the National Association of Holyoke.

In 1880 he went to play for the Troy Trojans, who was then a member of the National League, with whom he became an immediate sensation.

Photo : baseballhall.org

Although only 5 feet eight inches and weighed 160 pounds, Welch was known for his strength. He finished his rookie season with 34 and 30, and all were complete games. His fastball and curve were somewhat better than average, but also launched the ball effect, or "screwball", a rarity in those days.

Tim Keefe joined the Haymakers in August 1880 and had only 6 and 6. In its second year, however, he managed to establish himself as the ace of the cast, and Welch became the number two in the rotation. Welch began "only" 40 games in 1881, completed again each, and ended with a balance of 21 and 18.

On July 4 he celebrated his 22nd birthday with two complete games were wins against Buffalo. It was not relieved until his second start in 1882, having started his career in the majors with an admirable record of 105 complete games in as many outings.

The 1883 season was the last of Troy in the National League. When John B. Day was granted both the franchise in the National League and the American Association in New York, bought the Haymakers for US $ 7,000. Day payroll divided between the two teams. Welch was incorporated into the Gothams NL, while Keefe pitched for the Metropolitan AA. The teams played in enclosed fields, separated by a fence and canvas. When both teams were at home, fans of the bleachers of a park could see the two games.

Welch in 1883 and 1884 won a total of 64 games for the Gotham’s and launched nearly a thousand entries. He also played 38 games as an outfielder in 1883, when he hit three home runs, five triples and twelve double. However, he did his best work on the mound. The 28 August 1884 imposed a major league mark for nine consecutive strikeouts. The record was not broken until Tom Seaver fanned ten in 1970.

At the same time, Keefe won 77 games and led the Mets to the 1884 AA degree, but the Metropolitans were losing money. The ticket prices AA club was only 25 cents, while the charged Gotham’s 50. The Mets would have had to double aid to the Gotham’s to raise the same amount of money, which was highly unlikely. In an effort to raise the audience, Day changed to .314 hitter and fielder, "Dude" Esterbrook, the "manager" Jim Keefe Mutrie and the Gotham’s. The change was about to unleash the war between the two leagues.

With the arrival of Keefe, Welch once again became the team's number two pitcher. If you bother to what constituted a demotion, just let him glimpse. His personality made blood being called "Smiling Mickey" Miguelito Smiling, cartoonist for a newspaper. According to the obituary of Welch in 1941, "salary Smiling Mickey never exceeded US $ 4,000 a year and the money earned. Mutries had him playing center jardíon day not launched and also had to be on stage one hour early to watch the tourniquet. "

The 1885 season was the best of Welch. Had 44 and 11, won 12 games more than Keefe, and finished with the best winning percentage in the league, the only time he has led the NL in any category, except for walks. On one occasion, he won 17 games in a row.

While Welch and Keefe formed the best combination of pitchers in the league, the team failed to win a championship until 1888. That year, defeated the champion of AA, the Carmelites of San Luis in the then World Series, when Keefe won four games Welch and split two and two together. Giants repeated as NL champions in 1889 and defeated the Brooklyn Series. Surprisingly or not Keefe Welch won a game in the World Series that year. However, "Cannonball" Crane and Hank O'Day, three four pitchers Giants won six games between the two.

The 1890 season was interrupted by the First World War. The owners had devised a plan to rank players from "A" to "E" according to their capabilities, with a maximum salary of US $ 2,500. For many players, including Welch, it seemed a drastic reduction in his salary.

The Brotherhood of Professional Baseball Players, founded in 1885 as a benign organization, decided to fight and established his own League players to compete with the LN and AA. Most stars have joined the new league. The 1890 season was a total disaster for the LN and AA, and most of the teams lost money.

Despite being one of the founders of the Brotherhood, Welch chose to stay with the Giants. He won only 17 games since his career was coming to an end. His victory was the 3,000th 15th of his career and joined Welch Jim Galvin and Keefe as only members of that exclusive club.

The Players League was dissolved after its first year and seriously wounded AA fought one more season before failing too. The LN it took years to recover.

In 1891 Welch won only five games, and in 1892, friction between Mickey and director Smiling Pat Powers emerged. After a single opening, the contract was transferred to Welch minor league team the Giants in Troy. Mickey was presented in mid-June, he won 17 games and left. His major league record was 308 and 209, with 525 complete games in 549 starts.

Welch moved to Holyoke, Massachusetts, where he worked as an assistant at the Elks Club. In 1912, John McGraw offered a job as custodian of the Polo Grounds. For many years Welch was guardian at the entrance to the stands, sharing memories with fans and always smiling.

He died in 1941. And in 1973, his name was included in the Hall of Fame.