Baseball's Best Decade by Carroll Conklin

league pitchers since with the exception of Robin Roberts (199) and Warren Spahn (202). Carl Hubbell’s 188 wins for the New York Giants during the 1930s included 31 shutouts. Red Ruffing, another Yankee Hall-of-Famer who arrived in New York via Boston, went from back-to-back 20-game loser for the Red Sox to winning 175 games in 10 years, including a quartet of 20-victory seasons. Wes Ferrell was a 5-time 20-game winner for the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox. Lefty Gomez won 165 games for the New York Yankees during the decade, leading the American League in victories in both 1934 (26) and 1937 (21).
    Who almost made the list? Mel Harder at 158, Tommy Bridges at 150, Paul Derringer at 148.
     
    1940s – No pitchers had ever dominated a decade the way Hal Newhouser and Bob Feller did in the 1940s. Pitching for the Detroit Tigers, Newhouser won 136 games for the Tigers from 1944 to 1949, leading the American League in ERA, complete games and strikeouts twice each during that period. Feller’s “part-time” performance in the 1940s included 137 victories in only 6 full seasons, when Feller led the American League in victories and shutouts 4 times each, and in strikeouts 5 times. 
    Who almost made the list? Tex Hughson at 114, Claude Passeau at 111, Harry Brecheen, Kirby Higbe and Rip Sewell at 105.

    The Top Winning Pitchers for Each Decade (1950s-1970s)
     
    1950s
Warren Spahn
202
Robin Roberts
199
Early Wynn
188
Bob Lemon
159
Billy Pierce
155
     
    1960s
Juan Marichal
191
Bob Gibson
164
Don Drysdale
158
Jim Bunning
150
Jim Kaat
142
     
    1970s
Jim Palmer
186
Gaylord Perry
184
Steve Carlton
178
Ferguson Jenkins
178
Tom Seaver
178
     
      
    Since 1920, Braves left-hander Warren Spahn (left) was the only pitcher to record more than 200 victories in a decade. His 202 wins in the 1950s was 3 more than Phillies right-hander Robin Roberts.
     

    Juan Marichal led the major leagues in victories during the 1960s with 191. Marichal pitched a one-hit shutout in his major league debut in 1960.
     

    Minnesota Twins left-hander Jim Kaat had more American League wins than any other pitcher in the 1960s. He led the AL with 25 victories in 1966.
     

    Jim Bunning was the first pitcher to win more than 100 games in each league. He was also the first to strike out at least 1,000 batters and pitch a no-hitter … in each league.
     
    1950s – Warren Spahn was the only pitcher in the modern era to win 200 or more games in a decade. His 202 total was 3 victories better than the Philadelphia Phillies right-handed ace, Robin Roberts, who won 20 or more for 6 straight seasons. Early Wynn and Bob Lemon were members of the Cleveland Indians’ staff that produced at least one 20-game winner each season from 1950 to 1955. Billy Pierce led the American League in complete games for 3 straight years starting in 1955.
    Who almost made the list? Mike Garcia at 128, Lew Burdette and Don Newcombe at 126.
     
    1960s – Though rarely mentioned in the same breath with Sandy Koufax or Bob Gibson, Juan Marichal of the San Francisco Giants was baseball’s winningest pitcher during the 1960s, averaging 19 victories per season. Marichal won 20 or more game 6 times between 1963 and 1969, winning 25 or more games in three of those seasons. Bob Gibson’s 164 wins during the decade included 4 times being a 20-game winner (he would add a fifth 20-win season in 1970). Don Drysdale and Jim Bunning each were 20-game winners only twice in their careers. Jim Kaat ranked fifth in victories for the decade, but had more career victories than the other four pitchers on this list.
    Who almost made the list? Larry Jackson at 141, Sandy Koufax at 137, Jim Maloney at 134.
     
    1970s – Of all 9 decades surveyed in this book, the 1970s were the only decade when the top 5 winning pitchers were all 300-game winners for their careers. Jim Palmer was a 20-game winner 8 times during the 1970s, and led the American League in ERA twice. Gaylord Perry was the first pitcher to win