Celebrate the legendary pitchers of America’s greatest pastime with this licensed, authoritative history packed with stats, facts, and photos from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum's archives.
A central position in the game of baseball, pitchers must face every hit with utter control and strength. In Baseball's Greatest Pitchers, learn what it takes to command the role through the lives of the 86 (as of 2026) pitchers elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Officially licensed by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and loaded with profiles including team affiliations, Hall of Fame induction info, and statistical data for each pitcher, this retrospective documents the impressive achievements of those who have baffled batters and thrilled fans. In a photo-rich compendium, devoted aficionados and casual fans alike receive a wealth of record-setting achievements and other features, including:
- Quotes from teammates, managers, and the pitchers themselves
- Chronological chapters that add context to the profiles
- Special features—such as the evolution of relief pitching—that add historical depth and perspective
- Over 200 photos, featuring many images from the Hall of Fame's unmated archive
Baseball's Greatest Pitchers is a must read for anyone wanting to celebrate—and understand—the role that pitching has played in shaping the game of baseball. Step up to the mound and follow the lives of the sport’s most famous players.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
1 Aces of the 1800s (Beginning 1879)
Old Hoss Radbourn
Pud Galvin
Tim Keefe
Mickey Welch
John Clarkson
Cy Young
Kid Nichols
Joe McGinnity
Amos Rusie
Hall of Fame Showcase of the 1800s
2 Dealers of the Deadball Era (Beginning 1900)
Jack Chesbro
Eddie Plank
Vic Willis
Rube Waddell
Mordecai Brown
Addie Joss
Christy Mathewson
Ed Walsh
Charles Bender
José Méndez
Joe Williams
Rube Marquard
Grover Alexander
Walter Johnson
Hall of Fame Showcase of the 1900s
3 Spit and Shine (Beginning 1912)
Red Faber
Stan Coveleski
Dazzy Vance
Eppa Rixey
Jesse Haines
Joe Rogan
Burleigh Grimes
Herb Pennock
Andy Cooper
Waite Hoyt
Lefty Grove
Ted Lyons
Hall of Fame Showcase of the '10s and '20s
4 Golden Age Greats (Beginning 1924)
Carl Hubbell
Bill Foster
Red Ruffing
Martín Dihigo
Satchel Paige
Hilton Smith
Ray Brown
Lefty Gomes
Dizzy Dean
Leon Day
Bob Feller
Early Wynn
Hall of Fame Showcase of the '20s and '30s
5 Cold War Powers (Beginning 1942)
Bob Lemon
Warren Spahn
Hal Newhouser
Hoyt Wilhelm
Robin Roberts
Whitey Ford
Jim Bunning
Bob Gibson
Sandy Koufax
Don Drysdale
Juan Marichal
Gaylord Perry
Jim Kaat
Hall of Fame Showcase of the '40s, '50s, and '60s
6 New Sensations (Beginning 1965)
Phil Niekro
Ferguson Jenkins
Tom Seaver
Steve Carlton
Don Sutton
Jim Palmer
Catfish Hunter
Rollie Fingers
Nolan Ryan
Bert Blyleven
Goose Gossage
Bruce Sutter
Dennis Eckersey
Jack Morris
Lee Smith
Hall of Fame Showcase of the '60s, '70s, and '80s
7 Modern Marvels (Beginning 1986)
Randy Johnson
Tom Glavine
Greg Maddux
John Smoltz
Trevor Hoffman
Mike Mussina
Mariano Rivera
Billy Wagner
Pedro Martínez
Roy Halladay
CC Sabathia
Hall of Fame Showcase of the '90s, '00s, and '10s
Resources
Photo Credits
About the Author
About the Author :
David Aretha is an award-winning author and editor of more than 200 books for thirty-plus publishers such as Random House, HarperCollins, St. Martin’s Press, and Scholastic, with some of his books appearing on the Today show, The Early Show, CNN, MSNBC, and NPR.
David specializes in history, sports, biographies, and fiction for both adults and young readers. His authorship includes books in the Sports Greats series, such as Top 10 Pitchers in Baseball, Top 10 Hitters in Baseball, and Top 10 Teams in Baseball. He has also written thousands of MLB and NFL player profiles for The Topps Company.
In 2014 he earned a Moonbeam Children’s Book Award and the Wilbur Award for his book Malala Yousafzai and the Girls of Pakistan, and his book The Murder of Emmett Till has been used as text for students at New York University. He has also worked with or been recognized by prominent individuals such as Walter Cronkite, John Eisenhower, Congressman John Lewis, Al Gore, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden.
