Skip to main content

Sunday School: Phillies History Lesson 98

Right-handed pitcher Claude Willoughby spent six seasons with the Phillies from 1925-1930. During his tenure with Philadelphia, he posted a 38-56 record, which was reflective of the team's troubles of the time, as the team sported the worst ERA in the big leagues for nine consecutive seasons beginning in 1922. With financial woes during this period, the team often relied on young, unproven arms, with Willoughby and his 5.83 career ERA with the Phils among them.

After winning 21 minor league games in 1924, the Kansas native made his Major League debut late in the following season at age 26. Willoughby started three games as a rookie and won two of them.

In 1926, Willoughby confirmed the trouble with handing the ball to an unproven pitcher over a lengthy stretch, when he led the National League in earned runs allowed with 111 in 47 games (19 starts). As a result of winning just 4 of his starts, Willoughby found himself taking on relief duty for much of the next two years.

Nicknamed "Weeping Willie", Willoughby had the best year of his career in 1929, posting a 15-14 record with a 4.99 ERA and 14 complete games, returning as a mainstay in the Phillies starting rotation. That year he won the team's road opener against the Giants at the Polo Grounds by a score of 3-1, stranding 20 runners on base in the process. The win was emblematic of Willoughby's season, as he constantly allowed a considerable number of base runners, leading the league in walks, despite his winning record.

A year later, Willoughby won only 4 of his 24 starts and tallied a 7.59 overall ERA, which seemed to usher him out of town as the Phillies traded him to Pittsburgh along with Tommy Thevenow for infielder Dick Bartell, who went on to become an All-Star shortstop for Philadelphia.

That year proved alarming to the organization, as the pitching staff posted an all-time team worst 6.71 ERA and Major League records for hits allowed (1,993) and runs allowed (1,199). Willoughby was one of three Phils pitchers with ERA's over 7.50 that year.

With the Pirates, Willoughby appeared in just 9 games before his big league career came to an end.

Willoughby returned to his home town of Buffalo, KS, and resided in that area until his death in 1973.

__________________________________________

You can follow PhoulBallz on Twitter by clicking HERE.

Also connect with PhoulBallz on Facebook by clicking HERE

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

2021 Phillies Top Prospects Countdown: #22 SS Casey Martin

Please visit Patreon.com/PhoulBallz in order to support my work, get access to material like this before anyone else and get access to interviews as well as other exclusive content you can't get anywhere else.   A third round draft pick last year, Arkansas junior Casey Martin was quickly signed by the Phillies and consideration as one of the organization's top infield prospects quickly began.  The team's confidence in his ceiling is likely evident in the signing bonus he got, which was reportedly $1.3 million, which was considerably more than slot money dictated by his 87th overall draft position ($685K). The right-handed batting Martin tallied a .311/.393/.545 slash line with 30 homers, 24 steals and 112 RBI in 143 games through his college career at Arkansas.  Reports had him falling in the draft as a result of an injury to the hamate bone in his left hand prior to his 2020 season.  Prior to the procedure, Baseball America projected Martin as a top ten draft pick.

Bubby Rossman's long awaited MLB debut

Eight years after he initially signed a professional contract with the Dodgers and a five-year stretch playing away from affiliated ball, Bubby Rossman became a major leaguer on Wednesday. Added as a substitute for pitcher Kyle Gibson, who is restricted from travel to Canada for the Phillies' series in Toronto, due to his medical inability to be vaccinated from COVID-19, Rossman took the mound for the first time in the majors. Rossman, who was a 22nd round draft selection in 2014 had pitched in 200 professional games before his one-inning outing in the Phillies' 8-2 loss to the Blue Jays. In 27 appearances with Double-A Reading this year, the 30-year-old right-hander has performed well, tallying a 2-2 record with a save, a 3.32 ERA and a .200 batting average against.   The embedded video below features a media session with Rossman from prior to opening day this year, in which the California native discusses his journey through independent baseball and back to affiliated ball wi

Slick fielding Sam is the Champion of the (PhoulBallz) world!

Phillies Ball(z)girl Sam Arnone was kind enough to answer some questions for the PhoulBallz site and all of you. Sam will be entering her 3rd season as a Phillies ballgirl and is a junior at Drexel University. Sam hails from the great town of Mt. Ephram, NJ. 1- Since the Phillies are the World Champions of baseball teams, are the Phillies ballgirls the world champions of ballgirl teams? - Of Course!!! There are not that many teams that have Ballgirls, so the competition is a little scarce. I would definitely put my team up against any other Ballgirl team with full confidence! 2- What is your routine to prepare for a day of on-field duties? - Before a game, I am always a little nervous. Once I am ready to leave my house and head to the ballpark I triple check my bag to make sure I have my glove and then I check again. I always have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat because it keeps me full and gives me energy for the entire game. I guess I might have to find a new favorite sa