August 13, 2019

OTD August 13

After his stellar season with the Goobers in 1913, winning 21 in 38 games pitched with a 2.54 ERA, Hedgpeth’s contract was purchased by Clark Griffith’s Washington Senators.

OTD in 1913, minor league pitcher Harry Hedgpeth pitches both games of a doubleheader in the Virginia League. The Petersburg Goobers pitcher tosses a 1-hit shutout in Game 1 against the Richmond Colts with Petersburg winning 1-0. In Game 2, Hedgpeth tosses a no-hitter as the Goobers win 10-0. The no-hitter was the 2nd of the season for Hedgpeth (his first was on August 2 vs Roanoke).

Harry’s path in life almost resembles the legendary Archibald “Moonlight” Graham. Both were born in Fayetteville, NC (Hedgpeth in 1888 and Graham in 1877). Harry played baseball in college at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill from 1909-1910, Graham played from 1899-1901. Similar to Graham, Hedgpeth found success in the Minor Leagues of baseball, but only tasted the Major Leagues for just 1 game. After his stellar season with the Goobers in 1913, winning 21 in 38 games pitched with a 2.54 ERA, Hedgpeth’s contract was purchased by Clark Griffith’s Washington Senators. With the Senators, Hedgpeth appears in 1 game, pitching the last inning of the second-to-last game of the 1913 season against the Boston Red Sox. His scoreless 9th inning resulted in what would later become known as a “save.”

And also like Moonlight Graham, Harry would retire from professional baseball and go on to become a doctor. According to baseball historian John Thorn, “[Hedgpeth] coached the baseball team at John Marshall High School in Richmond … as Dr. Harry Hedgpeth.”

August 13, 1913 box score:



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.