King Cole (baseball)

Infobox MLB retired
name=King Cole
position=Pitcher

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bgcolor1=#d82427
bgcolor2=#0e3386
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
birthdate=April 15, 1886
city-state|Toledo|Iowa
deathdate=death date and age|1916|1|6|1886|4|15
city-state|Bay City|Michigan
bats=Right
throws=Right
debutdate=October 6
debutyear=1909
debutteam=Chicago Cubs
finaldate=September 20
finalyear=1915
finalteam=New York Yankees
stat1label=Pitching Record
stat2label=Earned run average
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat1value=56-27
stat2value=3.12
stat3value=298
teams=
*Chicago Cubs (1909-1912)
*Pittsburgh Pirates (1912)
*New York Yankees (1914-1915)
highlights=
*National League pennant: 1910
*National League ERA champion: 1910

Leonard Leslie "King" Cole (April 15, 1886 in Toledo, Iowa – January 6, 1916) was a baseball player in the early twentieth century. He started his baseball career as a pitcher with the Chicago Cubs in by|1909. In by|1910, he led the National League with a record of 20-4 and helped win a National League Pennant for the Cubs. His 20-4 record is the best winning percentage (.866) for a Cub pitcher in the twentieth century. Cole was traded to Pittsburgh, and then to the New York Yankees On October 2, 1914, Cole gave up a double to Babe Ruth—Ruth's first hit in the major leagues.

In 1915, Cole was diagnosed with tuberculosis, and died shortly after the end of the 1915 season.

Ring Lardner wrote about Cole in articles for "The Sporting News". Lardner compiled the stories into the "Alibi Ike" stories, making Cole a baseball immortal.

ee also

* List of Major League Baseball ERA champions

External links

*baseball-reference|id=c/coleki01