Clay Easton
by Martín Abresch
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Clay Easton pitched the entire 1920s decade, tossing 3089 innings, gave up only 14 home runs, and hit 15 home runs himself. Easton pitched his entire career with the Philadelphia Quakers. In his second year in the big leagues, at the age of 22, he led the league in WAR. He would lead the league in pitching WAR three times (1919, 1921-22) and innings pitched (1922, 1933). He finished his career with 427 wins, but never led the league in wins, largely because his career coincided almost exactly with Brock Rutherford's. The All-Star Game was first held in 1933, when Easton was 36, but he would be named to the team five times, the last time at the age of 40. He was once named Player of the Week, and he was named Pitcher of the Month seven times. He won five World Championships with the Quakers (1918-19, 1922, 1933, 1936), and pitched until he was 44. He finished his career with a 3.22 ERA, 2,150 strikeouts, and 6,889 innings pitched.
In 1947, in his first year of eligibility, Clay Easton was elected to the Hall of Fame.