Richmond was born in Sheffield, Ohio, in 1857. He was the son and grandson of Baptist ministers and he had eight siblings, all of them older. He went to the college preparatory academy affiliated with Oberlin College.[1] He started attending Brown University in 1876 and was an outfielder and pitcher on the school's baseball team.[2] He was also class president and he played on the football team.[1]
Professional baseball career
On June 2, 1879, Richmond was paid $10 to pitch for Worcester of the National Baseball Association in an exhibition game against the Chicago White Stockings. He pitched a seven-inning no-hitter and signed with Worcester after the game. On July 28, he pitched a no-hitter against Springfield.[2]
Worcester joined the National League in 1880, and Richmond signed with the team for $2,400 ($72,778 in current dollar terms) that season. Before a game against Cleveland on June 12, Richmond was up all night taking part in college graduation events, and he went to bed at 6:30 AM. He caught the 11:30 AM train for Worcester so he could pitch in the afternoon contest and then pitched a perfect game to beat Cleveland, 1–0. According to the Chicago Tribune, "The Clevelands were utterly helpless before Richmond's puzzling curves, retiring in every inning in one, two, three order, without a base hit. The Worcesters played a perfect fielding game." Cleveland pitcher Jim McCormick allowed three hits, and the only run was scored on a double error by second baseman Fred Dunlap.[2]
Richmond graduated from Brown University four days after the perfect game, and he finished the year with a win–loss record of 32–32, a 2.15 earned run average, and 243 strikeouts in 590.2 innings pitched. He was the first left-handed pitcher to win 30 games in a season.[2][3]
Richmond found success throwing an offspeed pitch that he termed a "half-stride ball" and that other players referred to as a "drop ball". He also had a rising fastball that he called a "jump ball". He also learned to throw a curveball in college, even though a Brown physics professor tried to convince him that nothing could make a ball curve in midair.[1]
In both 1881 and 1882, Richmond pitched over 400 innings. After the 1882 season, the Worcester franchise disbanded, and Richmond played for the National League's Providence Grays in 1883. He experienced arm problems and was primarily an outfielder that year. He finished his MLB career with a record of 75–100, a 3.06 ERA, and 552 strikeouts.[2][3]
Richmond then changed careers, and from 1890 to 1921, he was a high school chemistry teacher at Scott High School in Toledo, Ohio.[2][4] Richmond married Mary Naomi Chapin, his former student, in 1892, and had three children: Ruth, Dorothy, and Jane. He died in Toledo in 1929.[2]
richmond, john, 1857, october, 1929, american, pitcher, major, league, baseball, played, boston, stockings, worcester, worcesters, providence, grays, cincinnati, stockings, best, known, pitching, first, perfect, game, major, league, history, after, retiring, f. John Lee Richmond May 5 1857 October 1 1929 was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball He played for the Boston Red Stockings Worcester Worcesters Providence Grays and Cincinnati Red Stockings and is best known for pitching the first perfect game in Major League history After retiring from baseball he became a teacher Lee RichmondRichmond c 1880Pitcher OutfielderBorn 1857 05 05 May 5 1857Sheffield Ohio U S Died October 1 1929 1929 10 01 aged 72 Toledo Ohio U S Batted UnknownThrew LeftMLB debutSeptember 27 1879 for the Boston Red StockingsLast MLB appearanceOctober 4 1886 for the Cincinnati Red StockingsMLB statisticsWin loss record75 100Earned run average3 06Strikeouts552Batting average 257Home runs3Runs batted in113TeamsBoston Red Stockings 1879 Worcester Worcesters 1880 1882 Providence Grays 1883 Cincinnati Red Stockings 1886 Career highlights and awardsPitched the first perfect game in MLB history on June 12 1880 Contents 1 Early life 2 Professional baseball career 3 Later life 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksEarly life EditRichmond was born in Sheffield Ohio in 1857 He was the son and grandson of Baptist ministers and he had eight siblings all of them older He went to the college preparatory academy affiliated with Oberlin College 1 He started attending Brown University in 1876 and was an outfielder and pitcher on the school s baseball team 2 He was also class president and he played on the football team 1 Professional baseball career EditOn June 2 1879 Richmond was paid 10 to pitch for Worcester of the National Baseball Association in an exhibition game against the Chicago White Stockings He pitched a seven inning no hitter and signed with Worcester after the game On July 28 he pitched a no hitter against Springfield 2 Worcester joined the National League in 1880 and Richmond signed with the team for 2 400 72 778 in current dollar terms that season Before a game against Cleveland on June 12 Richmond was up all night taking part in college graduation events and he went to bed at 6 30 AM He caught the 11 30 AM train for Worcester so he could pitch in the afternoon contest and then pitched a perfect game to beat Cleveland 1 0 According to the Chicago Tribune The Clevelands were utterly helpless before Richmond s puzzling curves retiring in every inning in one two three order without a base hit The Worcesters played a perfect fielding game Cleveland pitcher Jim McCormick allowed three hits and the only run was scored on a double error by second baseman Fred Dunlap 2 Richmond graduated from Brown University four days after the perfect game and he finished the year with a win loss record of 32 32 a 2 15 earned run average and 243 strikeouts in 590 2 innings pitched He was the first left handed pitcher to win 30 games in a season 2 3 Richmond found success throwing an offspeed pitch that he termed a half stride ball and that other players referred to as a drop ball He also had a rising fastball that he called a jump ball He also learned to throw a curveball in college even though a Brown physics professor tried to convince him that nothing could make a ball curve in midair 1 In both 1881 and 1882 Richmond pitched over 400 innings After the 1882 season the Worcester franchise disbanded and Richmond played for the National League s Providence Grays in 1883 He experienced arm problems and was primarily an outfielder that year He finished his MLB career with a record of 75 100 a 3 06 ERA and 552 strikeouts 2 3 Later life EditIn the winter of 1880 Richmond had begun to pursue a career in medicine studying under a Providence physician C T Gardner He enrolled at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York a few months later then at the University of the City of New York After the 1883 baseball season Richmond practiced medicine at Bellevue Hospital and with Gardner in Providence 1 Richmond then changed careers and from 1890 to 1921 he was a high school chemistry teacher at Scott High School in Toledo Ohio 2 4 Richmond married Mary Naomi Chapin his former student in 1892 and had three children Ruth Dorothy and Jane He died in Toledo in 1929 2 See also Edit Baseball portal Biography portalList of Major League Baseball perfect games List of Major League Baseball annual saves leadersReferences Edit a b c d Husman John Richmond May 10 1987 Baseball s first perfect game Toledo Blade Retrieved May 31 2015 a b c d e f g Husman John R Lee Richmond sabr org Retrieved January 28 2014 a b Lee Richmond Statistics and History baseball reference com Retrieved January 28 2014 Richmond s perfect game recalled Toledo Blade February 21 1948 Retrieved May 31 2015 External links EditCareer statistics and player information from MLB or ESPN or Baseball Reference or Fangraphs or Baseball Reference Minors Lee Richmond at Find a GraveAchievementsPreceded byGeorge Bradley No hitter pitcherJune 12 1880 Succeeded byJohn Montgomery Ward Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lee Richmond amp oldid 1162490164, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
