Tim Keefe : A Biography of the Hall of Fame Pitcher and Player-Rights Advocate Paperback / softback

One of the greatest pitchers of the 19th century, Tim Keefe (1857-1933) was an ardent believer in the artisan work ethic that was becoming outmoded in burgeoning industrial America.

A master craftsman, he compiled 342 career victories during his 14-season Major League career while adapting to numerous changes in pitching rules during the 1880s.

Known as a strategic pitcher, he outsmarted batters, particularly with his change-of-pace pitch.

He led the New York Giants to the National League pennant in 1888 and 1889, establishing a Major League record with 19 consecutive pitching victories in 1888. He taught pitching as a college baseball coach, wrote several articles about his craft and established a sporting goods firm where he manufactured a baseball of his own design.

He was a proponent for players' rights as the secretary of the Brotherhood of Professional Base Ball Players, which formed the ill-fated Players' League in 1890.

This first-ever biography of Keefe covers the career of the 1964 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee.