Win–loss record 195-183 Earned run average 3.51 | Strikeouts 1,319 Name Bullet Bush | |
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Died November 1, 1974, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States | ||
Leslie Ambrose "Bullet Joe" Bush (November 27, 1892 – November 1, 1974) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, St. Louis Browns, Washington Senators, Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Giants between 1912 and 1928. Bush batted and threw right-handed. He is credited with having developed the forkball pitch.
Career
Bush helped the Athletics win the 1913 World Series and the 1914 American League pennant, the Red Sox win the 1918 World Series, the Yankees win the 1922 AL pennant and 1923 World Series and the Pirates win the 1927 National League pennant.
Bush led the American League in losses (24) in 1916, walks allowed (109) in 1924, and wild pitches in 1916 (15), 1923 (12) and 1924 (7). While with the Athletics in 1916, when he led the league in losses, he won 15 games; the entire team won only 36 during what was then a Major League-worst 36-117 (.235 won-loss percentage) season. This was 41.7% of the team's total wins. On August 26 of that season, Bush no-hit the Cleveland Indians 5-0 at Shibe Park; a first inning, leadoff walk to Jack Graney was the only play that kept him from a perfect game.
Bush finished fourth in voting for the 1922 American League MVP, as he led the league in winning percentage (.788). He also had a 26–7 win-loss record, 255 ⅓ innings pitched, 85 walks allowed, 92 strikeouts, and a 3.31 earned run average.
Over a seventeen-year career, Bush had a 195–183 win-loss record, 489 games, 366 games started, 225 complete games, 35 shutouts, 93 games finished, 20 saves, 3,087 ⅓ innings pitched, 2,992 hits allowed, 1,443 runs allowed, 1,205 earned runs allowed, 96 home runs allowed, 1,263 walks allowed, 1,319 strikeouts, 62 hit batsmen, 90 wild pitches, 13,185 batters faced, 1 balk and a 3.51 ERA.
Bush died in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at the age of 81.