Candy Cummings

Executive

Class of 1939

Candy Cummings

Executive

Class of 1939
Candy Cummings is often cited as the inventor of the curve ball.

Primary Team Or Role

Birth year

About Candy Cummings

With 145 wins to his credit and an early retirement from professional baseball at age 28, William Arthur “Candy” Cummings does not possess a typical Hall of Fame resume for a pitcher.

However, despite Cummings’ short career, he is often cited with the invention of a new pitch called the “curveball” that made him one of the most influential pitchers in baseball history.

The Basics

Year inducted
1939
Birth Place
Ware, Massachusetts
Birth Year
1848
Died
1924, Toledo Ohio

Career at a Glance

Primary Team
Hartford Dark Blues
Primary Position
Executive
Played For
New York Mutuals, 1872
Baltimore Canaries, 1873
Philadelphia Whites, 1874
Hartford Dark Blues, 1875-1876
Cincinnati Reds, 1877

Career MLB Stats

Games
242
Wins
145
Losses
97
Winning %
.607
Saves
0
Hits
2,526
Walks
113
Runs
1,450
Games Started
241
Innings Pitched
2,149
Completed Games
233
Shutouts
19
Earned Runs
579
Strikeouts
259
ERA
2.42
WHIP
1.228