Jack Harshman
Born: 7/12/1927 in San Diego, CA, USA
Died: 8/17/2013 in Georgetown, TX, USA
MLB Debut: 1948-09-16 | Final Game: 1960-10-01
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 178 lbs
Full name: John Elvin Harshman
Biography
Jack Harshman was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1948 to 1960. Born in 1927, Harshman made his mark in Major League Baseball during a time when the sport was transitioning into the modern era, characterized by a growing emphasis on power hitting and the emergence of new pitching strategies. Over the course of his career, he compiled a record of 69 wins and 65 losses, showcasing his competitiveness on the mound. With an earned run average (ERA) of 3.5, Harshman demonstrated his ability to keep runs at bay, while his 741 strikeouts illustrated his effectiveness in overpowering batters.
Harshman was known for his versatility as a pitcher, contributing not only as a starter but also finding success in relief roles, as evidenced by his 7 saves. His playing style reflected the evolving nature of the game during the late 1940s and 1950s, when pitchers were increasingly tested by the offensive prowess of the era. Though he may not have achieved the fame of some of his contemporaries, Harshman’s contributions to the teams he played for were significant, and his legacy remains as a reliable and skilled pitcher in the annals of baseball history.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 69 | 65 | 217 | 155 | 61 | 12 | 7 | 1169.3 | 1025 | 455 | 96 | 539 | 741 | 3.50 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | NY1 | NL | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.3 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 14.21 | 0.0 |
| 1954 | CHW | AL | 14 | 8 | 35 | 21 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 177.0 | 157 | 58 | 96 | 134 | 2.95 | - |
| 1955 | CHW | AL | 11 | 7 | 32 | 23 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 179.3 | 144 | 67 | 97 | 116 | 3.36 | - |
| 1956 | CHW | AL | 15 | 11 | 34 | 30 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 226.7 | 183 | 78 | 102 | 143 | 3.10 | - |
| 1957 | CHW | AL | 8 | 8 | 30 | 26 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 151.3 | 142 | 69 | 82 | 83 | 4.10 | - |
| 1958 | BAL | AL | 12 | 15 | 34 | 29 | 17 | 3 | 4 | 236.3 | 204 | 76 | 75 | 161 | 2.89 | 4082.6 |
| 1959 | BAL | AL | 0 | 6 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47.3 | 58 | 36 | 28 | 24 | 6.85 | -1403.8 |
| 1959 | BOS | AL | 2 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24.7 | 29 | 18 | 10 | 14 | 6.57 | 140.0 |
| 1959 | CLE | AL | 5 | 1 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 66.0 | 46 | 19 | 13 | 35 | 2.59 | 1085.9 |
| 1960 | CLE | AL | 2 | 4 | 15 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54.3 | 50 | 24 | 30 | 25 | 3.98 | -1540.4 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 258 | 424 | 46 | 76 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 65 | 0 | 72 | 119 | 0.179 | 0.294 | 0.344 | 0.638 | -314.7 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | NY1 | NL | 5 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 1950 | NY1 | NL | 9 | 32 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0.125 | 0.0 |
| 1952 | NY1 | NL | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1954 | CHW | AL | 36 | 56 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 21 | 0.143 | -205.7 |
| 1955 | CHW | AL | 32 | 60 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 17 | 0.183 | -212.5 |
| 1956 | CHW | AL | 36 | 71 | 8 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 19 | 0 | 11 | 21 | 0.169 | -44.7 |
| 1957 | CHW | AL | 30 | 45 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 17 | 0.222 | 47.5 |
| 1958 | BAL | AL | 47 | 82 | 11 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 17 | 22 | 0.195 | 100.8 |
| 1959 | BAL | AL | 15 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
| 1959 | BOS | AL | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.143 | 0.0 |
| 1959 | CLE | AL | 21 | 34 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 0.206 | 0.0 |
| 1960 | CLE | AL | 15 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.176 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 13 | 0 | 103 | 8 | 1 | 9 |
| OF | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| P | 217 | 153 | 25 | 175 | 8 | 10 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | NY1 | 1B | 3 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1950 | NY1 | 1B | 9 | 0 | 83 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| 1952 | NY1 | P | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1954 | CHA | P | 35 | 21 | 2 | 27 | 1 | 1 |
| 1954 | CHA | 1B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955 | CHA | P | 32 | 23 | 3 | 29 | 1 | 1 |
| 1956 | CHA | P | 34 | 30 | 2 | 29 | 4 | 3 |
| 1957 | CHA | P | 30 | 26 | 3 | 15 | 1 | 1 |
| 1958 | BAL | P | 34 | 29 | 5 | 43 | 1 | 1 |
| 1958 | BAL | OF | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959 | BAL | P | 14 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 2 |
| 1959 | BOS | P | 8 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959 | CLE | P | 13 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 1960 | CLE | P | 15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 217 |
| First Base | 13 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 24th | 2.0 | 336 | 0 |