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Oren Edgar Summers - Kickapoo Ed

Nicknames: Eddie, Ed, Kickapoo Ed, Chief
Ed Summers pitched for the Tigers


Born: 5 Dec 1884 in Ladoga, Indiana
Died: 12 May 1953 in Indianapolis, Indiana

College: Wabash College, Crawfordsville, IN

Team: Detroit Tigers 1908-1912

Batted: Both
Threw: Both (primarily pitched Right-handed)
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 180 lbs

Win-loss Record: 68-45 (.602)
ERA: 2.42
Strikeouts: 362


Ed Summers, was one of baseball’s first knuckleballers. The ambidextrous Summers is recognized in one article as the "Father of the Finger-tip Knuckleball".

During his baseball career, Summers was commonly nicknamed Kickapoo Ed (after the Kickapoo tribe in Indiana). 

In his 1908 rookie season, Ed Summers emerged as the Tigers' best pitcher, finishing with a 1.64 ERA in 301 innings pitched and a 24–12 win-loss record. The following year, Summers threw 282 innings – finishing with a solid 19-9 record and 2.24 ERA. 

He tallied 999 innings pitched during 5 seasons with the Tigers.


Eddie Summers - Pitcher

Switch Pitcher Eddie

Early in his career he was “as talkative as the Sphinx.” He was a non-drinker, and a family man, having married his Ladoga sweetheart Nellie Williams in 1904. Yet Summers could also be “an eccentric character.” He had a “trick” left arm, and apparently pitched ambidextrously in moments of his semipro and/or minor league days. (source: Bio by Phil Williams, SABR.org)


Oren Edgar Summers - The Kickapoo Chief

Eddie still holds the American League record for the longest scoreless game ever pitched by a single pitcher-18 innings in a 0-0 tie with the Washington Senators in 1909.  This record was mentioned in the July 16, 1997 edition of USA Today. (http://cannerhilites.blogspot.com/)

Major League Baseball Player. Born Oron Edgar Summers, he spent five years in the Major Leagues as a pitcher with the Detroit Tigers. He appeared in the 1908 and 1909 World Series, losing two games in each of the two series. He made his major league debut in 1908 at the age of 23. He appeared in 138 games between 1908 and 1912 winning 68 games and losing 45. He ended his playing career throwing 79 complete games, nine shutouts with a 2.42 earned run average. (bio by: Nils M. Solsvik Jr.)

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Famous Pitcher Dies; Still Holds Records in 1953

The Bedford Gazette (Bedford, Pennsylvania)
Wednesday, May 13, 1953

Indianapolis, May 12 (AP) - Oren Edgar Summers, who had a notable career as a major league baseball pitcher more than two score years ago, died today at the age of 68.

The 18 innings he pitched for the Detroit Tigers in their 0-0 game with Washington July 16, 1909, still stands as a record.

Summers also hold the American League record for the most victories by a freshman pitcher. He won 24 while losing 12 on the Tigers in 1908.

Summers pitched for the Tigers in two World Series, in 1908 against Chicago and 1909 against Pittsburgh.

Read Article

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Ed Summers Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

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