Ranked by most historians as the best relief pitcher in baseball during the 1950s, Jim Konstanty was virtually a one-man bullpen wonder for the Philadelphia Phillies. In 1949, the bespectacled, 6'2 inches, 205-pounder went 9-5, 3.25 ERA. In 1950 with his palm ball and 'sliding-slider', Konstanty was a main reason the Phillies won the pennant and he was honored by being voted the first-ever relief pitcher to win the Most Valuable Player Award. In that season he posted a brilliant 16-7 record, 2.66 ERA in 74 games, allowing only 108 hits in 152 innings (.205 opponents batting average). He was traded to the New York Yankees in 1955 and his 7-2 record, 2.32 helped the Bronx Bombers win that year's pennant. Jim Konstanty lifetime mark: 66-48, .579 pct., 3.46 ERA, 433 Games, 269 Ws, 268 Ks in 945 innings. Nickname Big Jim - baseballhistorian.com |