The Yankees won another pennant and World Series. Ho hum. Outstanding pitchers like Whitey Ford and Early Wynn had more outstanding seasons. All this is interesting and commendable, but had been seen before. The biggest news of the year was another phenomenal season from Cleveland pitcher Herb Score.

         First, we'll decide whether Score was the best pitcher in the league. Ford's ERA is a little bit lower, but Score threw more innings, won more games, had more shutouts, and a whole bunch more strikeouts. I think Score was the best pitcher in the league.
         I'm also picking Wynn over Ford. Again, Ford's ERA was a little lower, but Wynn pitched many more innings than Ford did, and won more games. Next I'll take Ford, and then Frank Lary. This was Lary's first big season, and he would remain a fine (and very durable) pitcher for the next few seasons.
        But getting back to Score. At age 23, he was an amazing pitcher, if still unrefined. His strikeout rates at the time were by far the best in baseball history; he was the first to break nine strikeouts per game, and he broke that barrier easily. He was the first of a new breed of pitchers, arriving a decade before the great power pitchers who dominated the game in the 1960's.
        Strikeout rates in both leagues had remained stagnant before the 1950's; the average pitcher usually struck out 3-4 batters per game. There were a number of reasons why; hitters were more focussed on making contact, and pitchers were less focussed on striking batters out, instead choosing to conserve their pitches and throw more innings. Also, pitchers didn't throw as hard as they do now. Older fans may disagree, and say that Walter Johnson and Bob Feller threw just as hard as Nolan Ryan. I doubt this is true; today's athletes are much bigger and stronger, which doesn't make them better players, but does make them superior in doing simple tasks, like throwing a baseball.
        Strikeouts were already on the rise when Score exploded on the scene. He was the first modern power pitcher; not only did he throw harder than anyone else, but he also had the will to try to strike out every batter who faced him. As many of you know, Score was hit in the eye by a line drive early next season; his vision became impaired, and he never pitched well again. We will never know how great Score might have been, but he was clearly similar to Sam McDowell, and with luck could have been in the class as Sandy Koufax or Randy Johnson.
         This was also the year that Don Larsen threw a perfect game in the World Series. Two years earlier, Larsen had pitched for the new team in Baltimore, and had posted a record of 3-21. The next year he was sent to the Yankees. Has there ever been a pitcher whose career was hurt by pitching for New York?