Baseball History: Carl Schieb Youngest Pitcher in AL History
Joe Nuxhall was the youngest player in baseball history. On this day in 1943, Philadelphia Athletics pitcher Carl Schieb became the youngest pitcher in the history of the American League.
With World War Two underway, teams were scrambling to find viable players for the major league roster. It was during this point in baseball history that Joe Nuxhall, the youngest player in the history of the game, made his one ill fated appearance before returning seven years later. Before Nuxhall, there was Carl Schieb, who on this day in 1943, made his debut for the Philadelphia Athletics.
Unlike Nuxhall, who fell apart when he realized the stage he was on, Schieb pitched relatively well. He allowed a run on two hits while recording two outs in his initial outing. That performance gave Connie Mack some confidence in the pitcher, as he made six appearances in total that year. Overall in 1943, Schieb had a respectable 4.34 ERA and a 1.446 WHiP, striking out three batters in his 18.2 innings.
The next year, Schieb continued to be a part of the Athletics bullpen, getting into 15 games. He was even better, with a 4.21 ERA and a 1.294 WHiP, striking out 13 batters against 11 walks in his 36.1 innings. Schieb even had some success with the bat, picking up three hits, including two doubles, in his ten plate appearances.
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In 1947, Schieb returned to the majors to stay. He proved to be far more than a wartime novelty, becoming a valuable piece of the Athletics roster. Not only was he a valuable pitcher, capable of shuffling between the bullpen and the starting rotation, but he was also a viable weapon with the bat. He would spend some time in the outfield, and was used as a pinch hitter on occasion.
Overall, Schieb spent 11 years in the majors, leaving at 27 years old. He posted a 45-65 record with a 4.88 ERA and a 1.516 WHiP, striking out 290 batters while issuing 493 walks in 1070.2 innings. As a batter, he posted a .250/.284/.338 record, hitting 14 doubles and five homers.
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Carl Schieb was a decent pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics, particularly during wartime. On this day in 1943, he became the youngest pitcher in the history of the American League.