Wilcy Moore, the First Great New York Yankees Closer

New York Yankees, Mariano Rivera

July 21 will be a special day for New York Yankees legend Mariano Rivera as he takes in the rightful place in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Acknowledged as the greatest closer the game has ever known, Rivera was naturally the strongest link in the chain of great closers that helped the Yankees win 40 pennants and 27 World Series. A chain that began with a man named Wilcy Moore.

Moore was a right hander who toiled in the minors for many years before finally getting his chance at the age of 30-with the “Murderers’ Row” Yankees in 1927. He appeared in 50 games that year. Thanks to his sidearm sinkerball, he notched a league-leading 13 saves as well as 13 wins in relief; he also started 12 games.

Throwing 213 innings, Moore went 19-7 with a 2.28 e.r.a. Despite having the lowest e.r.a., Moore did not win the e.r.a. title. Why? Baseball had a rule then that said that pitchers had to have at least 10 complete games with the required number of innings pitched to qualify for the e.r.a. title; Moore only had six. That rule was changed after the season.

Moore capped off his season by getting the save in Game One of the World Series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, then starting and winning Game Four as the Yankees swept the Bucs on the only World Series ending wild pitch.

Perhaps all those innings had an effect on Moore, as he was not the same pitcher after that. Still, when Mariano Rivera thanks all the people who helped him get to Cooperstown, maybe he should thank the man who originated the role he perfected. Maybe, just maybe, he should say thank you to Wilcy Moore.

 

 

 

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