Eppa Rixey

Infobox MLB retired
bgcolor1=#dcdcdc
bgcolor2=#dcdcdc
textcolor1=black
textcolor2=black
name=Eppa Rixey


position=Starting Pitcher
bats=Right
throws=Left
birthdate=birth date|1891|5|3|mf=y
Culpeper, Virginia
deathdate=death date and age|1963|2|28|1891|5|3
Cincinnati, Ohio
debutdate=June 21
debutyear=by|1912
debutteam=Philadelphia Phillies
finaldate=August 5
finalyear=by|1933
finalteam=Cincinnati Reds
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=266-251
stat2label=ERA
stat2value=3.15
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=1350
teams=
*Philadelphia Phillies (1912-1920)
*Cincinnati Reds (1921-1933)
highlights=
*Led NL in wins in 1922 with 25
*Led NL in innings pitched in 1922 with 313.3
*Led NL in shutouts in 1924 with 4
*Held NL record for a victories by a left-handed pitcher at the time of his retirement (266).
*Was on NL-pennant winning team in 1915, with the Phillies
hofdate=by|1963
hofmethod=Veteran's Committee

Eppa "Jeptha" Rixey (May 3, 1891 - February 28, 1963) was a left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the National League's leader in career victories for a left-hander until Warren Spahn. He was married to Dorothy Meyers of Cincinnati, OH and had two children, Eppa Rixey III and Ann Rixey Sikes. His grandson Eppa Rixey IV played basketball at Davidson College during the 1970's, and his great-grandson, Eppa Rixey V currently attends Vanderbilt University.

Baseball career

Rixey came into the major leagues with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1912, directly from the University of Virginia. He went 10-10 in his first year, with a 2.50 ERA. In 1914 he went 2-11, but Rixey went 22-10 in 1916 with a 1.85 ERA. Rixey missed the 1918 season to serve overseas in the war effort, and struggled upon returning to baseball, going 6-12 in 1919 and 11-22 in 1920.

Rixey was traded prior to the 1921 season to the Cincinnati Reds. Rixey returned to his best pre-war form. He won 19 games in 1921, a league-high 25 in 1922, 20 in 1923, 15 in 1924, and 21 in 1925. Rixey's play began to slip in 1930, when he went 9-13 with a 5.10 ERA, and pitched fewer than 200 innings for the first time since 1919. He lingered in the Reds organization until 1933, before retiring. He finished with 266 wins, 251 losses, and a 3.15 ERA.

Throughout his long career, the 210-pound Rixey charmed teammates and fans with his dry wit and big Southern drawl. His nonsensical nickname "Jeptha" seemed to capture his blue-blood roots and amiable personality. Rixey's good sense of humor helped him survive the ignominy of pitching for weak teams that finished in the second division 12 of his 21 seasons.

Rixey was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1963. He was also inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1959.

ee also

* List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
* List of Major League Baseball wins champions

External links

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