Born: June 5, 1874, in North Adams, Massachusetts
Died: November 6, 1931, in Conway, Massachusetts

ML Debut: 7/12/1899
Primary Position: Pitcher
Bats: R   Throws: R  

Played For: Pittsburgh Pirates (1899-1902), New York Highlanders (1903-09), Boston Red Sox (1909)

Bio
"Happy Jack" Chesbro was an early spitball ace whose 1904 performance with the New York Highlanders still rates among the game's most remarkable seasons. He started 51 games, completed 48 and was the victor in 41 while hurling 455 innings. From 1901 to 1906, he won 154 games - an average of 25 per season. Hurling for pennant winners in Pittsburgh and New York, Chesbro was a league leader in winning percentage three times; wins, appearances and games started twice each; and once each in complete games, innings and shutouts.

Quote
"I still remember the first day he threw the thing in a regular game. We were playing Cleveland. He had a tough first inning. They hit him for three runs. He came back to the bench and said, 'Griff, I haven't got my natural stuff today. I'm going to give 'em the spitter the next inning, if it's all right with you.' I told him to go to it, and you know what? He fanned fourteen. They didn't get another run and we won the game 4 to 3."
   — Clark Griffith

Did You Know... that on April 20, 1903, Jack Chesbro pitched the very first game in the history of the New York Yankees, then known as the Highlanders?