The following is no secret ... the 1930's was a
decade of bewildering offense. It's also accepted wisdom that Wrigley Field is a great hitter's park. Combine those two factors and you may as well hang a sign on the mound; "Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here."

Suffice it to say, a pitcher who'd survive an ordeal like that should be given a medal ... but ... what about a pitcher who thrived in those conditions?

Before we proceed further ... who would you say were the three best National League pitchers of the 1930's? Well Dizzy Dean may be the best known. I think the "meal ticket" Carl Hubbell was probably better, but who would you say was third?

I love
The "Arkansas Hummingbird"
guessing games (except when my progeny says "Guess what Dad?"). A hint, obviously, was the pitcher described at the outset. Allow me to toss out a few more clues. He ...

... pitched the Cubbies to two NL flags and made the All-Star team three times from 1932-36 and five times in all.

... from 1932-36 at Wrigley Field he posted a wonderful 102-55 record, entered the 20-win circle three times and posted a splendid (especially considering the Wrigley Field, 1930's hitting double whammy) ERA of 2.79. He most likely would've won 20 games in 1933 (18-13) had he had better offensive support during his starts. His ERA? 2.00!

... in the 1935 World Series the Tigers roared over the Cubbies
4-2 but couldn't lay a paw on him ... he went 2-0 with an ERA of 0.54.

... the aggregate ERA of the NL in the 1930's was 3.98, pitching the decade in hitter's parks (Wrigley and Sportsmans Park) when the NL batting average for the decade was .278 he posted an ERA of 3.29.

And finally ... finished his career with a 192-121 record and an ERA of 3.18. As a bonus he twirled 30 shutouts.

Would you say I'm exaggerating when I say he was the third best National League pitcher of the 1930's? I wouldn't.

Would you say he, that is Lon Warneke, is a Hall-of-Famer?

Lon Warneke - PITCHING TOTALS
YR
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1942
1943
1945		TM
Chi
Chi
Chi
Chi
Chi
Chi
Chi
StL
StL
StL
StL
StL
StL
Chi
Chi
Chi		LG
NL
NL
NL
NL
NL
NL
NL
NL
NL
NL
NL
NL
NL
NL
NL
NL		W
0
2
22
18
22
20
16
18
13
13
16
17
6
5
4
0		L
0
4
6
13
10
13
13
11
8
7
10
9
4
7
5
1		ShO
0
0
4
4
3
1
4
2
4
2
1
4
0
1
0
0		 ERA
33.75
3.22
2.37
2.00
3.21
3.06
3.45
4.53
3.97
3.78
3.14
3.15
3.29
2.27
3.16
3.86		 CG
0
3
25
26
23
20
13
18
12
6
17
12
5
8
4
0		IP
1.1
64.1
277.0
287.1
291.1
261.2
240.1
238.2
197.0
162.0
232.0
246.0
82.0
99.0
88.1
14.0		H
2
67
247
262
273
257
246
280
199
160
235
227
76
97
82
16		 ER
5
23
73
64
104
89
92
120
87
68
81
86
30
25
31
6		BB
5
37
64
75
66
50
76
69
64
49
47
82
15
21
18
1		K
0
27
106
133
143
120
113
87
89
59
85
83
31
28
30
6
TotalsW
192		L
121		ShO
30		ERA
3.18		 CG
192		IP
2782.1		H
2726		ER
984		BB
739		K
1140

Photos courtesy of cubs.com

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