Rube Marquard

Richard William "Rube" Marquard (1886–1980) made his name on the strength of one impossible spring. Born October 9, 1886 in Cleveland, Ohio, he turned pro in 1906, debuted with the New York Giants in 1908, and pitched eighteen big-league seasons through 1925, with another eight years of pro ball through 1933. In 1912, age 25, he opened the season with nineteen consecutive wins — a streak still intact more than a century later — and finished 26-11 with a 2.57 ERA before losing in the World Series to Boston. A 6'3", 180-pound left-handed thrower who switched from either side of the plate, he was one of John McGraw's prized investments, signed for an unheard-of $11,000 in 1908. Marquard appears in E254 Colgan's Chips and E90-1 American Caramel during his Giants peak. He died June 2, 1980 in Baltimore, Maryland, and is buried at Division 8, Section 13, Lot 147, Grave 1 of Baltimore Hebrew Cemetery. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1971.