Ralph Savidge

Ralph Austin Savidge (February 3, 1879 – July 22, 1959), nicknamed "Human Ripcord" and "the finger nail artist", was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the Cincinnati Reds in 1908 and 1909 and also had an eight-year minor league career. He stood at 6' 2" and weighed 210 lbs. He went 17-13 during his first year, with 185 strikeouts in 33 games. He then slumped to win–loss records of 10-13 and 14-17 with the Charleston Sea Gulls, but rebounded in 1907, going 19-12 for the Jacksonville Jays. Savidge's 216 strikeouts that year ranked second in the league to Bugs Raymond's total.

Savidge has introduced the finger-nail ball, so called because it is pitched with the nails of the thumb and the first three fingers penetrating the leather sphere. The finger-nail ball is thrown with all the force possible, but the Southern pitcher has mastered it so that it floats slowly toward the plate and breaks fast as it passes the batter. He stayed in Memphis for the next two months, however, and ran his record to 20-11. The 20 wins led the entire league. Savidge also had a record of 67 consecutive scoreless innings pitched that season.

Savidge was called up to the Reds in September. In four major league games (including one start), he went 0-1 with a 2.57 earned run average. but he was eventually purchased by the Eastern League's Montreal Royals. Savidge pitched well in May. However, his overall record that year was just 11-15. and eventually pitched for the Rochester Bronchos, going 13-12. and subsequently retired from professional baseball.

Ralph Savidge died in 1959 in Berwick, Pennsylvania. He was buried in Pine Grove Cemetery.