Jim Devlin

Jim Devlin began his career in the first organized professional league, the National Association, as an infielder for his hometown Philadelphia White Stockings team in 1873, and the Chicago White Stockings in the 1874 and 1875 seasons. In 1876, the National Association folded and was replaced by the National League that lives on to this day. In this year, Devlin began pitching for the Louisville Grays, starting 68 games with an impeccable 1.56 earned run average and leading the Grays in batting with .315. His best pitch was a "drop pitch", now known as a sinker, which Devlin may have been the first to throw. In 1877, Devlin, the only pitcher on the roster, threw every pitch of his team\'s 61 games, the only pitcher ever to do so.\n', '

Led by Devlin and slugger George Hall, the Grays opened up a four-game lead in the NL pennant race by mid-August. However, the Grays suffered a horren…