Looking Back: Noodles Tossed a No-Hitter in 1900
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History says that Nashville-born Frank "Noodles" Hahn pitched the first major league no-hitter of the 20th century in 1900. However, officially the 20th century began on January 1, 1901. Hahn acquired the nickname "Noodles" as a youngster due to the liking of his mother's noodle soup. He was born in 1879, just blocks away from the Sulphur Dell ballpark.
When Hahn was 15 years old, he was a left-handed pitching sensation for the amateur Nashville Athletic Club. In an exhibition game (1894) against the Nashville Tigers of the Southern League, Hahn recorded a three-hit shutout. Nashville's manager, George Stallings, would pass on the chance to sign him to a contract due to his age. Stallings would later manage in the major leagues for many years.
Hahn would be in the Southern League the next season as a professional, but not with Nashville. He signed on with Chattanooga, a team that folded and finished the 1895 season in Mobile. Playing in the Southern League would send the kid home to Nashville occasionally to pitch in Sulphur Dell as a rival.
Hahn recorded a 10-15 record in 26 games for the Southern League clubs. The next season he was also in Mobile appearing in 15 games achieving a 9-5 record. Hahn spent the next two seasons with Detroit of the Western League. He was 18-18 and 12-16 in Detroit. The 20-year-old was ready in 1899 for a chance in the major leagues with Cincinnati of the National League.
Cincinnati fans were taken with the youngster immediately when he won his major league debut on April 18, 1899 against Pittsburgh, 1-0. Hahn was 23-8 as a rookie to lead the Reds and started 34 of 36 games with a 2.68 ERA. He collected a league-leading 145 strikeouts in 309 innings pitched.
The next season his record dipped to 16-19, but Hahn pitched a memorable gem. On July 12, 1900, Hahn tossed a 4-0 no-hitter against Philadelphia while walking two batters. Hahn's four shutouts in 38 games led the National League.
In 1901, Hahn rebounded with a 22-19 record for the last place Reds. Hahn started a record-breaking 42 games and completed 41. He hurled 376 innings and fanned 16 Boston Braves in a game, a record that lasted for years. His 239 strikeouts led the league.
Hahn had identical 22-12 records in1902 and 1903. He completed all of his 34 starts in 1903 and slipped to 16-18 in 1904. In 1905, Hahn developed a sore arm while pitching to a disappointing 5-3 mark. Hahn was released by the Reds after that season and attempted a comeback with the New York Highlanders (later Yankees). He was 3-2 in New York, but his comeback failed, so Hahn retired at age 27.
The anonymous writer of a newspaper article from 1916 recalls an incident concerning a writer and Hahn when the American League was formed in 1901 and a battle for players ensued:
"At that time Henry Killilea of Milwaukee, who was the principal owner of the Boston American League Base Ball Club, wanted to get hold of Hahn as he considered him one of the best pitchers in the country. Killilea delegated the writer to visit Cincinnati with the object of signing Hahn to a Boston contract.
"The trip was made and a meeting arranged between Hahn, Billy Clingman and the writer. No time was lost in getting right down to business, and Hahn was offered a contract calling for $4,000 a year, with $2,000 advance money on the spot.
"It was big salary in those days for a pitcher like Hahn. However, Noodles was in love with a young woman in Cincinnati and did not like the idea of getting away from the native town; in fact, he said he would rather work there for a great deal less so as to be near his sweetheart.
"He had promised one thing, and that was in case he could not come to terms with the Cincinnati club, he would go to Boston at the price offered. Killilea's instructions were to try get him by fair means-that is by offering top price and that if the Cincinnati club could go beyond that to drop the matter.
"Accordingly it was arranged that Pitcher Hahn should see Ashley Lloyd, who was then at the head of the Cincinnati club, and put the matter right up to him. We all made the trip to Lloyd's house and Hahn broached the subject to him while the others remained outside. Lloyd was dumbfounded, there could be no foundation to what Hahn was telling him.
"In order to make good, Noodles called upon Clingman and the writer, and within a few minutes the entire bunch met in conference in Lloyd's house. It was then that the propostion was put to Lloyd, and the old fellow nearly fell off his chair. However, he recovered himself quickely and said, 'Give me just fifteen minutes and I will know whether we can meet the terms of the Boston club. If not, I will not stand in your way, Noodles, for you to go to Boston.'"
The group left for downtown while Lloyd consulted with the other Cincinnati officials. Lloyd relented and Hahn got nearly $5,000 a year on his new contract. This was one of many incidents of the newly formed American League attempting to raid the established National League rosters. The competition was beneficial for the ball players.
In his eight-year career, Hahn had a 129-93 record in 242 games (229 complete), 908 strikeouts in 2,012 innings, and 25 shutouts. Hahn still holds these Reds' team records: Most lifetime games completed (207), most games started in a season (42), most games completed in a season (41), most strikeouts for a left-hander in a season (239), most hits in a season (368) and most runs in a season (158). Hahn was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1963.
When Hahn retired from baseball in 1906, he stayed in Cincinnati as a government meat inspector for over 30 years. Until Hahn moved to North Carolina in 1953, he was a non-paid Reds assistant to the coaches in charge of batting practice at home games in Crosley Field. Hahn died in 1960, at age 80.
Traughber's Tidbit: In 1964, New York Yankees manager Yogi Berra was in a bad mood after a loss. After the game on the team bus, utility infielder Phil Linz began playing happy tunes on his harmonica. Berra got into an argument with Linz and fined him $200 for playing the harmonica. The next year when Linz signed his Yankees contract it included a $200 bonus. With the contact was a letter from Berra telling him to spend the money on harmonica lessons.
Tidbit Two: Joe "Ducky" Medwick was a St. Louis Cardinals' outfielder with a pleasant sense of humor. Once Medwick and a group of celebrities visited the Vatican City in Rome. The group was granted an audience with the Pope. Each person revealed their occupation when introduced to the Pope. One person would say, "I'm a singer." The next one would say, "I'm a comic." When it was Medwick's turn to meet the Pope he said, "Your Holiness, I'm a Cardinal."
Tidbit Three: On sale now is the book "Nashville Baseball History: From Sulphur Dell to the Sounds." The paperback book consists of 227 pages, 33 chapters covering 19th century Nashville baseball through the Nashville Vols and Nashville Sounds though First Tennessee Park. There are 86 illustrations many unpublished and the book can be purchased at Parnassus Books (Green Hills), Barnes & Nobles, Amazon and Summer Game Books. Also check with retailers that see books.
If you have any comments or suggestions contact Bill Traughber via email [email protected].