Detroit Tigers: Ten best pitching performances in team history

One of the Tigers best pitchers that you’ve likely never heard of, Ed Summers threw 999 innings in the Motor City with a 2.42 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Those nearly 1,000 innings were only across five seasons however, as Summers was out of pro baseball by age 27.

That’s not before he unleashed a performance that would make modern pitching coaches and analysts shake in their boots. On July 16, 1909, Ed Summers threw a complete game shutout, giving up seven hits and two walks while striking out 10. That in itself is a phenomenal game. But here’s the kicker.

Summers threw 18 innings.

Oh, and the game ended in a 0-0 tie.

Perhaps my favorite story from this game is that the length of the game was (get this) 3 hours and 15 minutes. An 18-inning game in 1900 took less than last season’s 9-inning average. Wow.

Summers burst onto the scene as a 24-year-old rookie, going 24-12 with a 1.64 ERA in 1908. He was a big part of Detroit’s World Series against the Chicago Cubs. He went 19-9 in 1909 before tapering off the next few seasons. After only making three starts in 1912 his career was over, as quickly as it began.