Background
Galvin grew up in Kerry Patch, an Irish neighborhood in Saint Louis.
Galvin grew up in Kerry Patch, an Irish neighborhood in Saint Louis.
He debuted for Saint Louis of the National Association in 1875, the franchise"s inaugural season, and started eight games for the team He spent the next 6½ seasons with Buffalo in the International Association and later of the National League. On August 20, 1880, he became the first major league pitcher to throw a no-hitter on the road, leading his Buffalo Bisons to a 1-0 victory over the Worcester Worcesters.
He pitched over 400 innings in 1880, 1881, and 1882.
In 1883, Galvin went 46-29 with a 2.72 European Research Area, setting career highs in wins, games started (75), complete games (72), and innings pitched (6561). He led the Netherlands in the latter three categories.
The following season, in 1884, he went 46-22 with a 1.99 European Research Area in 72 games started, 71 complete games, and 636.1 innings pitched. Galvin was traded to the Pittsburg Alleghenys midseason in 1885.
He played for the Allegheny club from 1885 to 1889, pitching over 300 innings each year.
He jumped to the Pittsburgh Burghers before the 1890 season and then returned to the Alleghenys (now named the "Pirates") after only one season. On June 14, 1892 Galvin was traded to the Saint Louis Browns. He retired after the 1892 season, though he made a brief return to Buffalo (by this time a minor league franchise) in 1894.
Galvin played in an era where two-man pitching rotations were common – hence his 6,003 innings pitched and 646 complete games, both of which are second only to the career totals of Cy Young.
Upon his retirement, Galvin held all-time records in several pitching categories, including wins, innings pitched, games started, games completed and shutouts. Galvin holds the record for most games started in a single season by a pitcher before 1893, 75 (tied with Will White).
The nickname "Pud" originated because Galvin was said to make hitters "look like pudding." Galvin was also nicknamed "The Little Steam Engine", a tribute to his power in spite of his small size. He was sometimes known as "Gentle Jeems" because of his kind disposition.
Galvin died poor at age 45 on March 7, 1902 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and, as a Roman Catholic, is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1965 by the Veterans Committee. A 2006 National Public Radio article referred to Galvin as "the first baseball player to be widely known for using a performance enhancer." The Washington Post reported that Galvin used the Brown-Séquard elixir, which contained monkey testosterone, before a single game in 1889. However, no one seemed bothered by the use of the elixir, and the newspaper practically endorsed it after the game, saying that Galvin"s performance was "the best proof yet furnished of the value of the discovery.".