If it weren’t for an astute telegraph boy in Washington DC, we may never known about perhaps the most efficiently-pitched game in White Sox history.
Using just 67 pitches, future Hall of Famer Red Faber fired a complete-game in the White Sox 4-1 win before 6,500 at Comiskey Park on this date (May 12) in 1915.
The paucity of pitches didn’t come to light until Frank Saffell noticed it in his job as operator of an electronic scoreboard in DC.
Upon his discovery, Saffell — the DC SoxNerd of his day perhaps? — telegraphed the Chicago Tribune with the news.
According to Saffel, Faber’s pitch-count was five fewer than the record set by Christy Mathewson “several years ago,” the Tribune reported.
Saffel said Faber threw 50 strikes and 17 balls in the 95-minute affair.
The right-hander from Iowa needed just three pitches in both the third and fifth innings.
Faber carried a 59-pitch one-hit shutout into the ninth before yielding a two-out single to Tommy Connally, who was making his pro debut.
After a passed ball, Connally scored on a Clyde Milan double. Faber then got the next batter to end it.
Faber walked one and struck out four to improve to 7-2.
“Speed, a great curve ball and almost perfect control made Faber look like a world beater,” the Tribune wrote. “… Seldom did any one clout it hard enough to get the ball past the infield.”