Career
He made his major league debut with the Cubs on September 25, 1898. His best years as a pitcher were 1900 (255 earned run average), 1902 (133 European Research Area with 7 shutouts. #1 in the league), 1903 (245 European Research Area), and 1906 (199 European Research Area).
His career average was 2.66 European Research Area. In 1904, Taylor set a major league record by pitching 39 consecutive complete games.
Taylor actually threw 187 consecutive complete games between June 1901 and August 1906, but this streak was interrupted by 15 additional relief appearances. Thus Taylor appeared in 202 consecutive games without being relieved himself.
Taylor and fellow Cub Larry McLean were traded to the Saint Louis Cardinals in return for Mordecai Brown and Jack O"Neill in December 1903. He was then traded back to Chicago in July 1906 (in return for Fred Beebe and Pete Noonan).
Thus he was part of the great 1906 Cubs.
That year the European Research Area for the entire pitching staff was 1.76. He also contributed to the World Series-winning season in 1907. Taylor died in Columbus, Ohio at the age of 64.