Amos Rusie

2.1. Childhood and Amateur Baseball

Amos Wilson Rusie was born on May 30, 1871, in Mooresville, Indiana, to William Asbury Rusie, a mason and plasterer, and his wife Mary Donovan. While Rusie was still a child, his family relocated to nearby Indianapolis, Indiana. During his youth in Indianapolis, he left school to work in a factory. It was during this period that Rusie began playing for a semi-professional Indianapolis baseball team known as the "Sturm Avenue Never Sweats." Scouts quickly took notice of his exceptional pitching speed and his effectiveness on the mound, particularly when he achieved shutouts against touring National League teams like the Boston Beaneaters and the Washington Senators.

2.2. Professional Start and Indianapolis Hoosiers

In 1889, at the age of 18, Rusie embarked on his professional baseball career by signing with the Burlington Babies of the Central Interstate League. However, his tenure there was brief, as he was soon signed by the Indianapolis Hoosiers of the National League. Rusie made his Major League debut on May 9, 1889, in a 13-2 loss to the Cleveland Blues, entering the game in relief of starting pitcher Jim Whitney.

During his rookie season with the Hoosiers, Rusie appeared in 33 games pitched. He recorded a 12-10 win-loss record, starting 22 games and completing 19, along with one shutout. Despite his fastball being difficult to hit, his control was a significant issue. He walked 116 batters in 225 innings pitched, though he also struck out 109 and led the league with 11 games finished as a relief pitcher.

3.1. Rise to Prominence (1890-1892)

Following the conclusion of the 1889 season, the Indianapolis Hoosiers disbanded. On March 22, 1890, Rusie, along with many of his teammates, was transferred to the New York Giants by the league. This move was orchestrated to strengthen the National League's largest market, especially as a countermeasure against the newly formed Players' League (PL). Rusie stepped into the starting pitching role vacated by future Hall of Famer Tim Keefe, who had joined the rival Players' League Giants. Unlike Keefe, who had evenly split pitching duties with Mickey Welch in previous seasons, Rusie became the primary starter, making 62 starts compared to Welch's 37 in 1890.

Rusie rapidly became a sensation among fans, media, and society due to the powerful combination of his extraordinary pitching velocity and his imposing physical stature, standing 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing 200 lb ^{(200 lb)}, which was considered large for the era. Fans affectionately dubbed him "The Hoosier Thunderbolt." His fame extended beyond baseball; the renowned vaudeville act of Weber and Fields incorporated his name into their performances, a paperback book titled Secrets of Amos Rusie, The World's Greatest Pitcher, How He Obtained His Incredible Speed on Balls was sold for a quarter, a drink was named in his honor, and he even received a message from the celebrated performer Lillian Russell.

On May 9, 1890, the Giants defeated the Boston Beaneaters 16-3 in a game where they committed no errors, a rarity for the time, and Rusie allowed only 6 hits. Three days later, on May 12, Rusie was on the winning side of a memorable pitching duel against future Hall of Famer Kid Nichols. The game concluded with a home run by the Giants' Mike Tiernan in the 13th inning, a "tape measure" hit that reportedly sailed over the outfield fence and landed in an adjacent baseball field, Brotherhood Park, where a Players' League game was simultaneously underway, eliciting cheers from fans in both parks.

Rusie completed the 1890 season with 67 games pitched, 62 games started, 56 complete games, and four shutouts over 548.2 innings pitched. He recorded a 2.56 ERA and a league-leading 341 strikeouts, which would stand as his career-high for a single season. However, his significant control issues were also evident, as he led the league with 289 walks, an all-time single-season record, and threw 36 wild pitches, another league-leading total. The Giants finished sixth among the eight NL teams, with Rusie posting a 29-34 win-loss record, leading the league in losses. As a hitter, he had a successful season, batting .278 in 284 at bats, with 13 doubles, six triples, and 31 runs. On November 8, 1890, Rusie married May Smith in Muncie, Indiana.

Following the collapse of the Players' League after the 1890 season, the Giants significantly strengthened their roster by absorbing many players from the rival crosstown team. Future Hall of Famers like Roger Connor, Jim O'Rourke, Buck Ewing, and Tim Keefe returned to the team, while John Ewing and Danny Richardson were new signings. This influx of talent solidified a powerful hitting lineup and a robust pitching rotation for the 1891 season. The improved Giants climbed to a third-place finish among the eight NL teams. Rusie continued his dominance, leading the league in strikeouts for the second consecutive year with 337, and walks with 262. He also led the league in shutouts for the first time with six. His record improved to 33-20.

On July 31, 1891, Rusie threw his own no-hitter against the Brooklyn Bridegrooms, reciprocating a no-hitter thrown against him by Tom Lovett of the Bridegrooms just over a month earlier on June 22. In 1892, Rusie maintained his high workload and effectiveness, finishing with a record of 32-31, 304 strikeouts (second only to Bill Hutchison), and 270 walks.

3.2. Impact of Pitching Distance Change and Triple Crown (1893-1895)

Following the 1892 season, Giants owner Andrew Freedman orchestrated a move to release Amos Rusie in an attempt to compel him to sign a new contract for a reduced salary. Freedman was known for being malevolent and stingy towards his players. Despite a gentleman's agreement among owners not to sign Rusie, the Chicago White Stockings acquired him for 8.25 K USD, which included a 2.00 K USD bonus. The Giants, chagrined by this, bought back the contract and even attempted to count the bonus money as part of Rusie's annual salary.

A significant event often associated with Rusie's wildness was the incident in 1897 when one of his fastballs struck future Hall of Fame shortstop Hughie Jennings in the head, rendering him comatose for four days before he recovered. While this particular incident occurred after the rule change, Rusie's overall reputation for wildness and his powerful, sometimes erratic, pitches were a major factor that prompted baseball officials to change the distance from the pitching rubber (the back line of the pitching box at the time) to home plate. This distance was officially moved from 55 feet 6 inches to the current 60 feet 6 inches, effective for the 1893 season.

Despite the increased pitching distance, Rusie's effectiveness did not diminish. In the 1893 campaign, he continued to lead the league in strikeouts with 208, a testament to his overpowering velocity. He had an extraordinary season, completing 50 games in 52 starts and achieving a 33-21 win-loss record.

The peak of Rusie's dominance came in 1894 when he achieved the pitching Major League Baseball Triple Crown. He led the National League in wins with a 36-13 record, in strikeouts with 195, and in earned run average (ERA) with a league-best 2.78 ERA. This ERA was particularly remarkable considering the league average for that year was 5.32 ERA. He also led the league in walks for the fifth consecutive time, with 200. His stellar pitching was instrumental in leading the New York Giants, normally an also-ran team, to the National League runner-up position that year. This period also saw Rusie improve his control of pitches, notably developing a highly effective curveball with a significant break, and also utilizing a slow ball, akin to a modern changeup.

After the 1894 regular season, a Pittsburgh sportsman named William C. Temple sponsored a trophy, the Temple Cup, for a postseason series between the first and second-place teams in the National League. The Giants, as the runner-up, swept the powerful Baltimore Orioles, who featured future Hall of Famers John McGraw and Wilbert Robinson, with a 4-0 victory. Rusie was virtually unhittable in the Temple Cup, surrendering only one earned run, winning two complete games, and compiling an impressive 0.50 ERA. Demonstrating his all-around athleticism, he also batted an outstanding .429 during the series. His 36 wins that year ranked as the fourth-best total since the establishment of the modern pitching distance of 60 feet 6 inches.

In the 1895 campaign, Rusie secured his final strikeout crown with 201 strikeouts. However, he finished the season with a more modest 23 wins and 23 losses.

3.3. Contract Dispute and Final Giants Years (1896-1898)

Following the 1895 season, Amos Rusie became embroiled in a bitter contract dispute with Giants owner Andrew Freedman. Freedman, dissatisfied with Rusie's 23 losses that year, publicly alleged that Rusie was slacking off in his training. Rusie responded by publicly "thumbing his nose" at Freedman, a gesture equivalent to the modern middle finger in the 19th century. In retaliation, Freedman fined Rusie 200 USD from his annual salary of 2.50 K USD.

Rusie refused to play until Freedman returned his money, leading to a season-long holdout for the entire 1896 season. This standoff became a major public relations fiasco for baseball. Fans boycotted games, and the press widely criticized the owners for their handling of the situation. Other team owners implored both Rusie and Freedman to reach a compromise, but neither would yield. The holdout was finally resolved just before the 1897 season. A settlement was reached where the owners collaborated to ensure the recoupment of Rusie's garnished wages, along with a 5.00 K USD settlement. This resolution was partly driven by respect for Rusie's standing as a premier player, but primarily by the significant threat of legal action against baseball's contentious reserve clause had Rusie's case proceeded to court, which could have fundamentally altered player rights in the sport.

After the 1898 season, Rusie's career was significantly hampered by recurring arm trouble. Furthermore, he suffered hearing damage due to a line drive that struck him in the head. These compounding issues forced Rusie out of baseball for two years, preventing him from playing during the 1899 and 1900 seasons.

4.1. Stint with Cincinnati Reds and Career End

In December 1900, after two years away from pitching, Amos Rusie was involved in one of the most infamously lopsided trades in baseball history. He was traded by the New York Giants to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for a promising young pitcher named Christy Mathewson.

Rusie's tenure with the Reds was extremely brief and largely ineffective. He pitched in only three games for Cincinnati before deciding to retire from professional baseball, a stark contrast to his earlier dominance. Meanwhile, Mathewson went on to have an illustrious career with the Giants, winning 371 games and becoming part of the inaugural class inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936. Rusie's career concluded with 245 wins, 174 losses, 1,934 strikeouts, and a 3.07 ERA.

8.1. Baseball Hall of Fame

Amos Rusie's significant contributions and impact on the game of baseball were formally recognized when he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 1977. His induction came through the vote of the Veterans Committee, a body responsible for considering individuals whose contributions to baseball may have been overlooked by the regular voting process.

8.2. Historical Significance

Rusie's enduring legacy in baseball history is multifaceted. He was widely known by his distinctive nickname, "The Hoosier Thunderbolt," which perfectly encapsulated his electrifying presence on the mound and his Indiana roots. His direct influence on the alteration of the pitching distance in Major League Baseball stands as one of his most profound impacts. The incident where his fastball struck Hughie Jennings, while not the sole cause, certainly highlighted the increasing danger of the shorter pitching distance and accelerated the rule change to 60 feet 6 inches. This rule modification fundamentally reshaped the game, emphasizing the importance of pitching control and strategic pitch selection.

Furthermore, Rusie's season-long holdout in 1896, stemming from his dispute with Giants owner Andrew Freedman, was a pivotal event in the history of player rights in professional baseball. It drew considerable public attention to the restrictive nature of the reserve clause and the imbalance of power between players and team owners. While it cost him a season of his career, it became an early, significant stand for player autonomy and served as a precursor to later movements for player freedom in the sport. His overall career, marked by both overwhelming dominance and control challenges, firmly places him as a foundational figure in the development of professional baseball pitching in the late 19th century.