Ferguson Jenkins

Ferguson Jenkins was originall signed by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1962. But it wasn't until he was traded April 1965 to the Chicago Cubs that he would come into his own. He was relief pitcher until 1967 when Leo Durocher decided to make him a starter. Durocher was known for many things, one is to know talent when he saw it. And Ferguson Jenkins went on from there to win 20 or more games for 6 straight seasons, 1967-1972. That is almost unheard of, especially in today's world.

What is also just as amazing was the amount of complete games. Listening to Fergie pitching a complete game is what he is most proud of. He says he was brought up to finish what he started. And in pitching he would plan to complete the game he started. He pitched a total of 140 complete games of the 236 games he started during that 6 year span.

In today's baseball world we pat starting pitchers on the back for going 6 innings or more. During his 19 year career Ferguson Jenkins started 594 games, won 284 and completed an amazing 267 games. No wonder he is in the Hall of Fame.

In addition Ferguson Jenkins won the Cy Young award in 1971. The 1971 season was one of his best. He went 24-13 and competed 30 of 39 games he started. He also posted a .277 ERA. He pitched a total of 325 innings and struck out 263 while walking only 37 batters. Some will say Tom Seaver should have won that year because he had better numbers. Some will say Jenkins won because he hadn't won before and this was his 5th consecutive 20 plus win season.

Another fact for the 1971 season is Ferguson Jenkins could hit the long ball. He hit 6 home runs and 7 doubles that year. He also had a .478 slugging per centage and 20 RBI. Not bad for a pitcher.

1973 was a down year as the 20 win season would end and the Cubs had a losing season after 6 seasons above .500 (Jenkins had 20 plus during those 6 ). So the Cubs decided to rebuild and traded Jenkins to the Texas Rangers. The Cubs did get Bill Madlock in return but Jenkins career was anything but over even though he was 14-16 and only 2 complete games in 1973.

Ferguson Jenkins would earn the comeback of the year award for his efforts in 1974 with the Texas Rangers going 25-12 and completing 29 of 40 games he started. The 25 wins was the best of his career.

Fergie would spend 1974 and 1975 with Texas who then traded him to the Boston Red Sox in the off season. Jenkins would spend the next 2 years there and then traded back to the Rangers following the 1977 season.

The next four season were with the Rangers where he posted double digit winning seasons the first 3 and fell to 5-8 in 1981. Free agency was now upon us and as a free agent Jenkins went back home to the Chicago Cubs. He pitched for the Cubs in 1982 and 1983.

Number 31 called it a career after the Cubs released him in March 1984. Jenkins spent 10 of his 19 years with the Chicago Cubs and feels that the Cubs and their fans are what he enjoyed the most. The Cubs organization obviously agreed as they retired his number 31 along with that Greg Maddux number 31 on May 3, 2009. It flyes on the on the left field flag pole along with Ernie Banks and Ron Santo.

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