Charles J. Ferguson

Infobox MLB retired
name=Charles Ferguson
position=Pitcher


bgcolor1=#263473
bgcolor2=#A50024
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
bats=Both
throws=Right
birthdate=April 17 1863
city-state|Charlottesville|Virginia
deathdate=death date and age|1888|4|29|1863|4|17
city-state|Philadelphia|Pennsylvania
debutdate= May 1
debutyear= by|1884
debutteam= Philadelphia Quakers
finaldate= October 8
finalyear= by|1887
finalteam= Philadelphia Quakers
stat1label=Pitching record
stat1value=99-64
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=2.67
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=728
teams=
* Philadelphia Quakers (by|1884–by|1887)
highlights=
*Threw a no-hitter on August 29, by|1885
*4 20-win seasons

Charles J. "Charlie" Ferguson (April 17 1863 – April 29 1888) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire four-year career for the Philadelphia Quakers (who were later renamed the Phillies). When not pitching, he increasingly played in the outfield and – in his final season – at second base.cite web| title = Charlie Ferguson's Stats | work = retrosheet.org | url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/F/Pfergc101.htm | accessdate = 2008-02-16 ]

Career

Born in Charlottesville, Virginia, he played college baseball and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1883. After graduation, he played for the Virginia representative in the Eastern League, with his team winning the championship.cite web| title = Charlie Ferguson's Obit | work = The Philadelphia Inquirer, Monday, April 30th, 1888 | url=http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Ferguson.Charles01.Obit.html | accessdate = 2008-02-16 ] Ferguson made his major league debut with the Quakers in by|1884. Philadelphia finished 6th in the National League that season, and Ferguson had a win/loss record of 21-25.cite web| title = 1884 Philadelphia Quakers team page | work = baseball-reference.com | url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/1884.shtml | accessdate = 2008-02-16 ] That was the only season in which he produced a losing record, and he had his highest earned run average with 3.54.

The next season proved to be his break-out season; his record improved to 26-20, and his ERA dropped to 2.22, while Philadelphia improved in the standings, finishing 3rd in by|1885.cite web| title = 1885 Philadelphia Quakers team page | work = baseball-reference.com | url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/1885.shtml | accessdate = 2008-02-16 ] On August 29, he pitched a no-hitter against the Providence Grays, a 1-0 victory.cite web| title = List of No-Hitters and Perfect Games | work = hickoksports.com | url=http://www.hickoksports.com/history/nohitter.shtml | accessdate = 2008-02-16 ]

He continued his dominance in the by|1886 season, winning 30 games and again lowering his ERA, this time to 1.98, good for second in the NL behind Henry Boyle of the St. Louis Maroons.cite web| title = 1886 National League leaders | work = baseball-reference.com | url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL_1886_t.shtml | accessdate = 2008-02-16 ] In by|1887, he won 22 games and had a 3.00 ERA. That same season, he played 27 games at second base, and had 264 at bats. Not only was he the ace of the pitching staff, but he also led his team in runs batted in with 85, and his .337 batting average would have led his team as well had his total plate appearances not been enough to qualify for the batting title.cite web| title = 1887 Philadelphia Quakers team page | work = baseball-reference.com | url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/1887.shtml | accessdate = 2008-02-16 ]

Death

Before the by|1888 baseball season, he contracted typhoid fever and subsequently died in Philadelphia. He is interred in Maplewood Cemetery in his hometown of Charlottesville. For the 1888 season, the Quakers, Washington Nationals, New York Giants and Boston Beaneaters wore a black crepe on their left sleeves to commemorate Ferguson.cite web| title = Dressed To The Nines: Misc. Uniform Markings | work = exhibits.baseballhalloffame.org | url=http://exhibits.baseballhalloffame.org/dressed_to_the_nines/patches.htm | accessdate = 2008-02-15 ] In 1931, Wilbert Robinson rated Ferguson as the fifth-best player to that point in baseball history.cite web| title = Ever Hear of Charlie Ferguson? | work = baseball-fever.com | url=http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=38520 | accessdate = 2008-02-15 ]

ee also

*List of Major League Baseball saves champions
*List of Major League Baseball no-hitters

References

External links

*baseball-reference|id=/f/ferguch01
*findagrave|13491504

Persondata
NAME = Ferguson, Charles J.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Ferguson, Charlie
SHORT DESCRIPTION = 19th century baseball player, pitcher
DATE OF BIRTH = April 17, 1963
PLACE OF BIRTH = Charlottesville, Virginia
DATE OF DEATH = April 29, 1888
PLACE OF DEATH = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania