The Youngest and Oldest Pitchers
Nuxhall, Paige and Two More Hold the Major League Records
Mar 14, 2008
A list of the major leagues's youngest and oldest pitchers contains one memorable name and three that are not well known today except by the game's most avid followers.
The two major league players during the post-1900 era who set “youngest” pitching records were at the start of successful, if not spectacular, careers. One of the two who set the “oldest” records should be in the Hall of Fame, but isn’t. The other is, but was prevented from playing in the majors during his prime because of the game’s one-time “color barrier.”
Youngest National League Pitcher
- Joe Nuxhall (1928-2007) was 15 years, 10 months, and 11 days old when he pitched for the Cincinnati Reds in a 1944 game against the St. Louis Cardinals. The 6’-3” ninth grade lefthander was treated roughly in his only appearance that season. In 2/3 of an inning, he gave up five runs on two hits, five walks, and a wild pitch. Nuxhall, after a few years in the minors, would later go on to have a respectable big league career, mainly with Cincinnati, compiling a 135-117 win-loss record and a 3.90 ERA. He then became the radio voice of the Reds for 38 years.
Youngest American League Pitcher
- Like Nuxhall, Carl Schieb (1927- ) benefited from the manpower drain of World War II when he signed a contract with the Philadelphia Athletics on September 6, 1943 at the age of 16 years, 8 months, and 5 days. That same day the right-hander pitched in relief against the New York Yankees. In 2/3 of an inning, he gave up one run on two hits. Scheib would pitch in five more games that season, finishing with one loss and a 4.34 ERA. Unlike Nuxhall, Scheib played continually in the majors, all but three games with the Athletics. Plagued by arm troubles for several years, he retired in 1954 with a 45-65 win-loss record and 4.88 ERA and became a small businessman.
Oldest National League Pitcher
- Jack Quinn (1883-1946) was 50 years and 2 days old when he appeared in his last major league game on July 7, 1933, pitching for the Cincinnati Reds. That season he lost one game, had one save, and posted a 4.02 ERA. It was the culmination of a career that spanned 23 years of pitching for several teams in the American, National, and Federal Leagues in which he accumulated a 247-218 win-loss record, a 3.29 ERA, and led his respective league in several yearly categories. Proving that he was still a solid pitcher even late in his career, Quinn led the National League in saves in 1931 and 1932 while pitching for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Oldest American League Pitcher
- Although the exact birth year of Leroy Robert (Satchel) Paige is in dispute (1905 or 1906), the legendary right-hander was at least 59 years, 2 months, and 18 days old when he pitched for the Kansas City Athletics against the Boston Red Sox on September 25, 1965. In his three innings, Paige gave up no runs on one hit and struck out one. A victim of baseball’s color barrier when he was younger, he had previously pitched in the majors between 1948 and 1953 for the Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Browns during which time he had a 28-31 win-loss record, 288 strikeouts, and a 3.29 ERA. He also holds the major league record for oldest rookie, having been 42 years and 2 days old when he signed with the Indians. Remembered for his colorful showmanship and home-spun philosophy, Paige was elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1971 and died in 1982.
Additional articles on major league pitchers: No Hit Major League Pitchers; Youngest and Oldest 300 Game Winners; and, Youngest and Oldest 20 Game Winners.
Sources: baseball-reference.com and baseball-almanac.com
The copyright of the article The Youngest and Oldest Pitchers in Major League Baseball is owned by John K. Davis. Permission to republish The Youngest and Oldest Pitchers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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