The Deacon and the Schoolmaster: Phillippe and Leever, Pittsburgh's Great Turn-of-the-Century Pitchers

Among the great pitchers in baseball history, Charles "Deacon" Phillippe and Samuel "The Schoolmaster" Leever are hardly household names. But during the first decade of the twentieth century, these two Pittsburgh Pirates were among the most celebrated pitchers in the majors. From 1900 through 1906, they posted a combined record of 261 victories against 131 losses for a win-loss percentage of .666. During the years Deacon and the Schoolmaster pitched together, the Pirates never finished out of the first division, won four National League pennants, and came in second four times. Without flamboyance or controversy to color their legacy, their fame faded quickly after their playing days. But they remain among the most important players in the history of the club.