Career
Klobedanz, a "hard throwing, wild lefty," began playing semi-professional baseball in 1889, around the age of 17, and then started his professional baseball career in 1892. He played in the New England League for the next few years, mostly with the Fall River Indians. During the 1895 season, Klobedanz married the former Annie L. Durfee of Fall River.
In 1896, Klobedanz had another good season, going 25–6 with a 2.38 earned run average, leading the league in wins and batting.353.
He was then purchased by the National League"s Beaneaters that August and pitched well in his first MLB action during the last several weeks of the season. In 1897, Klobedanz went 26–7 to lead the majors in winning percentage.
His European Research Area was mediocre, but he was aided by the powerful Boston offense which provided league-leading run support. Klobedanz himself batted.324 that season.
In 2004, baseball analyst Bill James wrote that Klobedanz had the second-luckiest pitcher season of all-time.
In 1898, Klobedanz had a record of 19–10, helping the team to another championship. He started off slow in 1899, however, and was sold to the Eastern League in May. Besides another short stint with Boston in 1902, he remained in the minor leagues from 1900 to 1908.
In 1902, he went 26–10 with a 1.29 European Research Area for the New England League"s Lawrence Colts.
His last winning season was 1906, when he went 18–10. He died in 1940, in his hometown of Waterbury, Connecticut.