Sunday School: Phillies History Lesson 81

Jimmy Ring was a righty hurler with the Phillies from 1921-1925 and then again in 1928. Ring debuted in the Majors with the Cincinatti Reds in 1917, where his manager was pitching great Christy Mathewson.

In his rookie season, Ring posted a 3-7 record and a 4.40 ERA. After having a look at Ring's disappointing "stuff", Mathewson taught Ring a curveball that helped him improve and continue on in the Majors for 11 more seasons. In 1918, Ring improved his numbers, going 9-5 with a 2.85 ERA.

The following season, Ring helped the Reds win the National League pennant, winning 10 games and improved his ERA a considerable amount, rocking a 2.26 mark. In the famed "Black Sox" World Series against Chicago, Ring went 1-1, while allowing just 1 earned run in 14 innings.

Following another season with the Reds, Ring was traded to the Phillies in a deal for pitcher Eppa Rixey. Unfortunately for the Phils, Ring would only produce one winning season, while Rixey went on to win 19 games or better in 4 of his first 5 seasons as a Red.

Ring, who was twice the Phillies' opening day pitcher, often had trouble with his command, leading the National League in walked batters in four consecutive years with the Phillies and led the league in wild pitches in 5 out of 6 seasons.

In 1921, Ring had a 10-19 record with a 4.24 ERA on a Phillies club where no pitcher won more than 11 games. After going 12-18 in 1922, Ring went 18-16 in 1923. However, even though he posted a winning record on a team that had 50 wins and 104 losses, Ring was far from a pitching force, weakening down the stretch and losing 9 of his final 11 starts that season.

The Phillies traded Ring to the Giants after the 1925 season for pitcher/first baseman Jack Netley and pitcher Wayland Dean. With New York, Ring served up an 11-10 record before being dealt to St. Louis in a deal for Rogers Hornsby.

Ring returned to the Phillies to wrap up his playing career, going 4-17 with a 6.44 ERA in 1928. In 218 career games with Philadelphia, Ring had a 68-96 record with a 4.47 ERA.

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