WASHINGTON • As he continues his movement up the ranks of modern pitchers, from 2,500 strikeouts this season to 3,000 in the future, Washington Nationals ace and St. Louis-area native Max Scherzer has already elbowed his way into a list of the greats, just closer to home.
The history of great St. Louis-born pitchers stretch all the way back to Christmas Day 1856 – or maybe it was 1855 – when James Francis Galvin was born in an area of town known as “Kerry Patch.” Although largely forgotten for as long as he played, Galvin would win 365 games, lose 310, and throw 688 complete games.