FanPost

Pittsburgh Pirates All-Time Top 100: 88. Waite Hoyt

Waite Hoyt was a 6’ right handed pitcher from Brooklyn, New York. Born September 9, 1899, he signed as a free agent with the New York Giants in 1915. He made his professional debut in 1916 between the "B" level Eastern League Lynn Pipers and the Hartford Senators, collecting a 4-5 composite record as a 16 year old (THEY CALLED HIM THE SCHOOLBOY WONDER). In 1917, he earned two promotions. First to the "A" level Southern Association Memphis Chicasaws (3-9, 3.23), then later with the Montreal Royals of the "AA" LEVEL INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE (7-17, 2.51).

1918 WOULD SEE HOYT ENJOY HIS FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE ACTION. AFTER STARTING OUT THE SEASON WITH THE SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION NASHVILLE VOLUNTEERS (5-10, 2.04 ERA), AND THE INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE NEWARK BEARS. HE MADE HIS DEBUT WITH THE GIANTS IN A 10-2 LOSS TO THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS ON JULY 24TH, STRIKING OUT TWO OF THE THREE BATTERS HE FACED IN ONE PERFECT INNING OF RELIEF WORK. HE WOULD NEVER RETURN TO THE MINOR LEAGUES.

HOYT WAS TRADED WITH BILL KELLY, JACK OGDEN, JOSE RODRIGUEZ, JOE WILHOIT AND CASH TO ROCHESTER OF THE INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR EARL SMITH. HE JOINED THE ROTATION WITH THE BOSTON RED SOX STARTING AT THE END OF JULY, MAKING 11 STARTS AND TWO RELIEF APPEARANCES. ON SEPTEMBER 8TH IN THE SECOND GAME OF A DOUBLEHEADER AGAINST THE NEW YORK YANKEES, HE PITCHED A COMPLETE GAME SHUTOUT, 3-0 STRIKING OUT FIVE AND ALLOWING THREE HITS AND TWO WALKS. THREE TURNS LATER ON SEPTEMBER 24TH, ALSO IN THE SECOND GAME OF A DOUBLEHEADER AGAINST THE YANKEES, HE TOOK A COMPLETE GAME 2-1 LOSS WHILE STRIKING OUT SIX AND ALLOWING A WALK AND FIVE HITS OVER 12.1 INNINGS.

AFTER GOING 6-6 WITH THE RED SOX THE FOLLOWING SEASON, HOYT SPENT THE NEXT NINE AND A HALF SEASONS WITH THE YANKEES, COLLECTING A 157-98 RECORD WITH A 3.48 ERA. HE RANKED AMONGST THE AL TOP 10 IN ERA FOUR TIMES AND IN WINS SEVEN TIMES (INCLUDING A LEAGUE LEADING 22 IN 1927). HE THEN SPENT PARTS OF TWO SEASONS WITH THE DETROIT TIGERS (12-16, 5.22), PART OF A SEASON WITH THE PHILADELPHIA ATHLETICS (10-5, 4.22), HALF A SEASON WITH THE BROOKLYN DODGERS (1-3, 7.76), AND HALF WITH THE GIANTS FOR A SECOND TURN (5-7, 3.42). NEW YORK RELEASED HIM AFTER THE SEASON.

ON JANUARY 21, 1933, HOYT SIGNED AS A FREE AGENT TO PITCH FOR THE PIRATES. HE APPEARED MOSTLY IN RELIEF HIS FIRST SEASON WITH THE BUCS, STARTING EIGHT OF HIS 36 APPEARANCES. HE RACKED UP A 5-7 RECORD WITH A 2.92 ERA IN 117 INNINGS. THE BEST OF HIS EIGHT STARTS WAS IN THE SECOND GAME OF A DOUBLEHEADER ON SEPTEMBER 12TH, IN A 2-0 SHUTOUT OF THE BROOKLYN DODGERS. HE ALLOWED FOUR HITS AND A WALK, STRIKING OUT THREE. THE TEAM FINISHED AT 87-67, FIVE GAMES BEHIND THE PENNANT WINNING NEW YORK GIANTS.

1934 WOULD SEE HOYT GO 15-6 WITH AN NL THIRD BEST 2.93 ERA AND A LEAGUE FIFTH BEST 1.191 WHIP FOR THE BUCS. HE COMPLETED EIGHT OF HIS 20 STARTS (OF 48 TOTAL APPEARANCES). ON JULY 15TH, IN THE FIRST GAME OF A DOUBLEHEADER, HE WON A 5-0 COMPLETE GAME OVER THE BOSTON BRAVES, ALLOWING ONE HIT AND THREE WALKS WHILE STRIKING OUT SEVEN. IN THE SECOND GAME OF A DOUBLEHEADER ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, HE WON A 4-1 DECISION OVER THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES BY STRIKING OUT FIVE AND ALLOWING FOUR HITS AND A WALK. JUST OVER A WEEK LATER ON SEPTEMBER 26TH, HE THREW A COMPLETE GAME TWO HITTER, ALLOWING A WALK AND STRIKING OUT THREE IN A 3-0 WIN OVER THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS. THE PIRATES FINISHED FIFTH IN THE THEN-EIGHT TEAM NATIONAL LEAGUE WITH A 74-76 RECORD, 19.5 GAMES BEHIND THE PENNANT WINNING CARDINALS.

IN 1935, HOYT WENT 7-11 WITH A 3.40 ERA. HE STARTED IN 11 OF HIS 39 APPEARANCES. HIS BEST APPEARANCE OF THE SEASON WAS IN A 2-0 LOSS TO THE BROOKLYN DODGERS ON MAY 16TH. HE PITCHED 13 INNINGS, ALLOWING ONLY TWO UNEARNED RUNS WHILE STRIKING OUT THREE AND ALLOWING NINE HITS AND THREE WALKS. THE PIRATES FINISHED FOURTH IN THE NL WITH AN 86-67 RECORD, 13.5 GAMES BEHIND THE FIRST PLACE CHICAGO CUBS.

HOYT WENT 7-5 IN 22 GAMES FOR THE PIRATES IN 1936. HE POSTED A 2.70 ERA IN 22 GAMES, COMPLETING SIX OF HIS NINE STARTS. HE HAD A 1.157 WHIP AND ALLOWED FEWER THAN A HIT PER INNING. ON SEPTEMBER 7TH, HE WON A 4-1 DECISION OVER THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS IN THE FIRST GAME OF A DOUBLEHEADER BY STRIKING OUT THREE AND ALLOWING FIVE HITS AND A WALK. THE PIRATES 84-70 RECORD WASN’T GOOD ENOUGH, FINISHING FOURTH IN THE LEAGUE JUST EIGHT GAMES BACK OF THE NEW YORK GIANTS.

1937 WOULD SEE HOYT START OUT THE SEASON FOR PITTSBURGH 1-2, WITH A 4.50 ERA THROUGH 11 APPEARANCES. HE WAS PURCHASED FROM THE BUCS BY THE BROOKLYN DODGERS ON JUNE 12TH. HE WOULD FINISH UP HIS CAREER IN BROOKLYN, GOING 7-10 OVER THE NEXT SEASON AND A HALF.

HOYT LATER ENJOYED A SUCCESSFUL THREE DECADE CAREER AS A BROADCASTER FOR THE CINCINNATI REDS. HE WAS ALSO INDUCTED INTO THE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME WITH THE CLASS OF 1969.

FORGIVE THE CAPS. THE CAPS LOCK BROKE ON THIS COMPUTER SOON AFTER I STARTED WRITING. I’M NOT YELLING AT YOU.

All-Time Statline: Five seasons, 35-31, 3.08 ERA, 156 games, 45 starts, 23 CG, four shutouts, 616.1 innings pitched, 635 hits allowed, walked 115, struck out 270, 1.217 WHIP, 12.0 wins above replacement.

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