Joe Williams
Before Stachel Paige there was Joe Williams. Smokey Joe, or sometime known as Cyclone, was the most feared pitcher. It was told, his blazing fastball would leave a trail of smoke! Born in 1885, he was too old to play when baseball desegrated. However, he displayed his talents in exhibition games featuring white players. During those days, Smokey Joe put together a dominating record of 22–7 and beat future Hall of Famers Walter Johnson, Grover (Pete) Alexander, and Chief Bender- in their prime! Legendary hitter Ty Cobb called Williams, “a sure 30-game winner in the major league”.
Joe played from 1914 to 1932 and overlapped as a player/manager from 1916 to 1922. He spent 10 years with the New York Lincoln Giants and seven with Homestead Grays. His first season, 1914, was his best season with an unbelievable pitching record of 41–3. His most remarkable accomplishment came on August 7, 1930, at the age 44. In a game against the KC Monarchs, Joe struck out 27 batters in 12 innings producing a 1-hitter. In modern baseball, it is rare to have a pitcher complete nine innings. The most significate part of the game was not performance. It was game itself. It was the first time it was played under lighting. Portable lights were used five years prior to any major league team. Smokey Joe was more than a pitcher or a ball player; he is part of history.
The Hall of Fame records show an impressive career record of 89–55 with a 61.8% winning percentage. Much more remarkable was Joe’s ability to complete 111 of 141 games. Joe Williams was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.
https://baseballhall.org/hall-of-famers/williams-joe
https://www.mlb.com/history/negro-leagues/players/smokey-joe-williams
https://www.mlb.com/news/smokey-joe-williams-stories-facts-and-figures-to-know
