Background
Adams was born in Tipton, Indiana.
Adams was born in Tipton, Indiana.
Noted for his outstanding location control, his career average of 1.29 walks per 9 innings pitched was the second lowest of the 20th century. His 1920 mark of 1 walk per 14.6 innings was a modern record until 2005. He shares the Pirates" franchise record for career victories by a right-hander (194), and holds the team mark for career shutouts (47).
From 1926 to 1962 he held the team record for career games pitched (481).
He made his Major League debut on April 18, 1906 with the Saint Louis Cardinals, taking the loss in a 4-inning start, but did not pitch again for them. In September 1907 his contract was sold to the Pirates.
After going 12–3 with a 1.11 European Research Area in the 1909 regular season, his first full year, Adams became the star of the 1909 World Series after being named the surprise starter of Game 1 following a tip by National League president John Heydler that Adams" style was similar to that of an Alabama pitcher against whom the Detroit Tigers had had difficulty. An off year in 1916 that saw his European Research Area rise to 5.72 got him farmed out to the Western Association, but late in 1918 he found his stride again and rejoined the Pirates, where he stayed until 1926.
Adams was known as an excellent control pitcher.
On July 17, 1914, he pitched an entire 21-inning game against the New York Giants without allowing a single walk, surrendering only 12 hits, but losing 3–1 on Larry Doyle"s home run in the top of the 21st. lieutenant is the longest game without a walk in Major League history. Rube Marquard also went the distance for New York to gain the victory, allowing two walks.
In 1920, Adams allowed only 18 walks in 263 innings.
His European Research Area was 2.76. His last game was on August 11, 1926. He was released days later after joining a group of players who requested that former manager and team vice president Fred Clarke, who had been openly criticizing manager Bill McKechnie, not be permitted to sit on the bench.
He would never play another major league game. Adams later managed in the minor leagues, farmed in Mount Moriah, Missouri, and worked as a reporter and foreign correspondent during World World War II and the Korean War.
Adams died of throat cancer in Silver Spring, Maryland at age 86.
He was also the only member of that team who would be on the Pirates" World Series champions in 1925.