OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - The Big Bang: A Larger Baseball Universe Starting From Nothing in 1857

tm1681 · 01-02-2025, 07:29 PM

BANCROFT FIRST TO 250 WINS
5X ALL-STAR REACHES MAJOR PITCHING MILESTONE ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON

NEW YORK CITY (May 18, 1870) – Gotham BBC defeated Orange 11-5 at the St. George Cricket Grounds on Wednesday afternoon, and after the end of the game there were congratulations awaiting Gotham pitcher Carl Bancroft at Red House. The reason: Bancroft became the first pitcher ever to reach 250 career Wins.

Bancroft, who has played for Utica (1857-62), Empire (1863-66), Syracuse (1867), and now Gotham (1868-present) has been an extremely consistent pitcher, one known to reliably deliver positive results as long as he has a good defense behind him:

Bancroft’s career Won-Loss figures, ERA & WAR included:

• 1857 (UTI): 17-14, 3.41 ERA, 3.3 WAR
• 1858 (UTI): 13-19, 4.24 ERA, 1.7 WAR
• 1859 (UTI): 21-10, 3.14 ERA, 5.5 WAR
• 1860 (UTI): 20-11, 2.54 ERA, 6.1 WAR
• 1861 (UTI): 22-12, 2.78 ERA, 6.1 WAR
• 1862 (UTI): 20-13, 3.06 ERA, 5.1 WAR
• 1863 (EMP): 14-19, 3.88 ERA, 5.3 WAR
• 1864 (EMP): 17-16, 3.43 ERA, 4.0 WAR
• 1865 (EMP): 21-11, 3.29 ERA, 4.4 WAR
• 1866 (EMP): 12-20, 4.52 ERA, 3.8 WAR
• 1867 (SYR): 21-13, 3.15 ERA, 6.1 WAR
• 1868 (GOT): 24-12, 4.21 ERA, 5.0 WAR
• 1869 (GOT): 24-13, 3.55 ERA, 5.3 WAR
• 1870 (GOT): 5-3, 4.01 ERA, 1.2 WAR
• TOTAL: 251-186, 3.48 ERA, 62.9 WAR

Although he has never led the New York League in Wins, Bancroft has crossed the 20-win mark eight times and early returns from the 1870 season suggest he is on his way to season number nine with 20+ Wins to his name.

Bancroft has never been the flashiest pitcher in the NYL. Aside from leading the league in Pitching WAR in 1860 he has never led the league in any major pitching category. Instead, Bancroft has been incredibly dependable, starting 35+ games for his team every year of the NBBO’s existence, including an NYL-high 43 starts in 1867, his lone season with Syracuse.

At age 35 Bancroft probably has 2-3 years left of regularly pitching at a high level, so if luck can stay on his side then Bancroft may well become the first pitcher to cross the 300-Win barrier.