Red Faber - Early Career

Early Career

Born in Cascade, Iowa, of Luxembourgish ancestry, Faber started well in the minor leagues, pitching a perfect game in 1910, but developed a sore arm in his early twenties, and as a recourse began using the spitball in 1911. He broke into the major leagues in 1914, starting 19 games and relieving in another 21, and posted a 2.68 ERA while winning 10 games and saving a league-leading four others. Through the 1910s, he would vary between starting and relieving for a team which enjoyed a wealth of pitching talent. In his 1915 season, he won 24 games to tie for second in the American League behind Walter Johnson, and led the league with 50 appearances. In one game that season, he pitched a three-hitter with only 67 pitches.

In 1917 he had a fair record of 16–13, and at one point started - and won - three games in two days; but he saved his best work for the World Series against the New York Giants. After winning Game 2 in Chicago but losing Game 4 on the road, he came into Game 5 (at home) in relief and picked up the win as the Sox came back from a 5-2 deficit in the seventh inning to win 8-5. Faber came back two days later to go the distance in the clinching Game 6 at the Polo Grounds, picking up his third win of the Series by a 4–2 score. As a consequence, he holds the all-time American League record for pitching decisions in a single World Series with four, a record which stands to this day. His pitching was better than his baserunning—in one game he tried to steal third base when it was already occupied. However, in one game against Boston, he stole home, a rare feat for a pitcher.

After spending most of 1918 in the Navy due to World War I, he returned in 1919 only to develop arm trouble, finishing with a 3.83 ERA - the only time in his first nine seasons he posted a mark over 3.00. Those problems, along with a case of the flu possibly related to the epidemic, prevented him from playing in the scandal-torn World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. Years later, catcher Ray Schalk said that had Faber been available, there probably would have never been a fix (presumably because Faber would have gotten some of the starts that went to Eddie Cicotte and/or Lefty Williams).