Red Faber was born on Thursday, September 6, 1888, in Cascade, Iowa. Faber was 25 years old when he broke into the big leagues on April 17, 1914, with the Chicago White Sox. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous items-of-interest are presented by Baseball Almanac on this comprehensive Red Faber baseball stats page.
"Actually it (the spitball) is an effective pitch when mastered, no more difficult to control than any other. Leaders of the saliva set like Red Faber, Clarence Mitchell, Bill Doak and Burleigh Grimes were no wilder than their arid playmates, and if the records were to show that Grimes potted more batsmen than some of his contemporaries, that should be attributed to his combative disposition, not his moist delivery." - Smith, Red. Red Smith on Baseball. 2000.
Red Faber![]() Red Faber Autograph on a 1961 Fleer Baseball Card (#24) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Biographical Data | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Red FaberRed Faber Pitching Stats |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Year | Age | Team | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD |
| 1914 | 26 | White Sox | 40 | 19 | 17 | 10 | 9 | .526 | 2.68 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 181.1 | 740 | 154 | 54 | 77 | 3 | 64 | 0 | 88 | 8 | 12 | 0 | - |
| 1915 | 27 | White Sox | 50 | 32 | 14 | 24 | 14 | .632 | 2.55 | 21 | 2 | 2 | 299.2 | 1,250 | 264 | 85 | 118 | 3 | 99 | 1 | 182 | 4 | 11 | 0 | - |
| 1916 | 28 | White Sox | 35 | 25 | 7 | 17 | 9 | .654 | 2.02 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 205.1 | 816 | 167 | 46 | 67 | 1 | 61 | 2 | 87 | 0 | 5 | 1 | - |
| 1917 | 29 | White Sox | 41 | 29 | 10 | 16 | 13 | .552 | 1.92 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 248.0 | 1,043 | 224 | 53 | 92 | 1 | 85 | 2 | 84 | 1 | 10 | 1 | - |
| 1918 | 30 | White Sox | 11 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 1 | .800 | 1.23 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 80.2 | 319 | 70 | 11 | 23 | 3 | 23 | 0 | 26 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 1919 | 31 | White Sox | 25 | 20 | 3 | 11 | 9 | .550 | 3.83 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 162.1 | 718 | 185 | 69 | 92 | 7 | 45 | 1 | 45 | 2 | 8 | 0 | - |
| 1920 | 32 | White Sox | 40 | 39 | 1 | 23 | 13 | .639 | 2.99 | 28 | 2 | 1 | 319.0 | 1,349 | 332 | 106 | 136 | 8 | 88 | 4 | 108 | 4 | 4 | 0 | - |
| 1921 | 33 | White Sox | 43 | 39 | 4 | 25 | 15 | .625 | 2.48 | 32 | 4 | 1 | 330.2 | 1,350 | 293 | 91 | 107 | 10 | 87 | 0 | 124 | 5 | 7 | 0 | - |
| 1922 | 34 | White Sox | 43 | 38 | 5 | 21 | 17 | .553 | 2.81 | 31 | 4 | 2 | 352.0 | 1,464 | 334 | 110 | 128 | 10 | 83 | 0 | 148 | 2 | 6 | 0 | - |
| 1923 | 35 | White Sox | 32 | 31 | 1 | 14 | 11 | .560 | 3.41 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 232.1 | 1,000 | 233 | 88 | 114 | 6 | 62 | 3 | 91 | 5 | 6 | 0 | - |
| 1924 | 36 | White Sox | 21 | 20 | 1 | 9 | 11 | .450 | 3.85 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 161.1 | 717 | 173 | 69 | 78 | 5 | 58 | 2 | 47 | 4 | 2 | 0 | - |
| 1925 | 37 | White Sox | 34 | 32 | 1 | 12 | 11 | .522 | 3.78 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 238.0 | 1,009 | 266 | 100 | 117 | 8 | 59 | 0 | 71 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - |
| 1926 | 38 | White Sox | 27 | 25 | 0 | 15 | 9 | .625 | 3.56 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 184.2 | 798 | 203 | 73 | 84 | 3 | 57 | 0 | 65 | 1 | 2 | 0 | - |
| 1927 | 39 | White Sox | 18 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 7 | .364 | 4.55 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 110.2 | 488 | 131 | 56 | 64 | 2 | 41 | 1 | 39 | 3 | 5 | 0 | - |
| 1928 | 40 | White Sox | 27 | 27 | 0 | 13 | 9 | .591 | 3.75 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 201.1 | 918 | 223 | 84 | 98 | 11 | 68 | 2 | 43 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1929 | 41 | White Sox | 31 | 31 | 0 | 13 | 13 | .500 | 3.88 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 234.0 | 984 | 241 | 101 | 119 | 10 | 61 | 3 | 68 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 1930 | 42 | White Sox | 29 | 26 | 2 | 8 | 13 | .381 | 4.21 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 169.0 | 742 | 188 | 79 | 101 | 7 | 49 | 1 | 62 | 3 | 5 | 0 | - |
| 1931 | 43 | White Sox | 44 | 19 | 14 | 10 | 14 | .417 | 3.82 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 184.0 | 807 | 210 | 78 | 96 | 11 | 57 | 3 | 49 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - |
| 1932 | 44 | White Sox | 42 | 5 | 28 | 2 | 11 | .154 | 3.74 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 106.0 | 472 | 123 | 44 | 61 | 0 | 38 | 1 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - |
| 1933 | 45 | White Sox | 36 | 2 | 24 | 3 | 4 | .429 | 3.44 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 86.1 | 376 | 92 | 33 | 41 | 2 | 28 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 0 | - |
| Career | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD | ||
| 20 Years | 669 | 483 | 134 | 254 | 213 | .544 | 3.15 | 273 | 29 | 28 | 4,086.2 | 17,360 | 4,106 | 1,430 | 1,813 | 111 | 1,213 | 26 | 1,471 | 52 | 103 | 2 | 0 | ||
Red FaberRed Faber Hitting Stats |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| Year | Age | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| 1914 | 26 | White Sox | 40 | 55 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .145 | .277 | .164 |
| 1915 | 27 | White Sox | 50 | 84 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 20 | 0 | 33 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .131 | .311 | .190 |
| 1916 | 28 | White Sox | 35 | 63 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 34 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .095 | .174 | .095 |
| 1917 | 29 | White Sox | 41 | 69 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 38 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .058 | .177 | .072 |
| 1918 | 30 | White Sox | 11 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .042 | .148 | .042 |
| 1919 | 31 | White Sox | 25 | 54 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .185 | .267 | .185 |
| 1920 | 32 | White Sox | 40 | 104 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 39 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .106 | .244 | .115 |
| 1921 | 33 | White Sox | 43 | 108 | 8 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 0 | 35 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .148 | .270 | .148 |
| 1922 | 34 | White Sox | 43 | 125 | 8 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 42 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .200 | .248 | .216 |
| 1923 | 35 | White Sox | 33 | 69 | 7 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 28 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .217 | .316 | .304 |
| 1924 | 36 | White Sox | 21 | 54 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .148 | .246 | .148 |
| 1925 | 37 | White Sox | 34 | 77 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 24 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .104 | .225 | .117 |
| 1926 | 38 | White Sox | 27 | 60 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 21 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .150 | .250 | .183 |
| 1927 | 39 | White Sox | 18 | 37 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .270 | .308 | .351 |
| 1928 | 40 | White Sox | 27 | 70 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 31 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .114 | .162 | .186 |
| 1929 | 41 | White Sox | 31 | 78 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .128 | .209 | .192 |
| 1930 | 42 | White Sox | 29 | 49 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 21 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .041 | .190 | .041 |
| 1931 | 43 | White Sox | 44 | 53 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 26 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .075 | .183 | .094 |
| 1932 | 44 | White Sox | 42 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .222 | .462 | .278 |
| 1933 | 45 | White Sox | 36 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Career | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG | ||
| 20 Years | 670 | 1,269 | 98 | 170 | 21 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 70 | 169 | 0 | 479 | 104 | 0 | 8 | 14 | .134 | .240 | .161 | ||
Red FaberRed Faber Fielding Stats |
||||||||||||||||
| Team | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
| 1914 White Sox | P | 40 | 19 | 544 | 67 | 1.7 | 65 | 7 | 58 | 2 | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .970 | 3.23 |
| 1915 White Sox | P | 50 | 32 | 899 | 100 | 2.0 | 92 | 7 | 85 | 8 | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .920 | 2.76 |
| 1916 White Sox | P | 35 | 25 | 616 | 79 | 2.3 | 74 | 3 | 71 | 5 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .937 | 3.24 |
| 1917 White Sox | P | 41 | 29 | 744 | 105 | 2.6 | 97 | 13 | 84 | 8 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .924 | 3.52 |
| 1918 White Sox | P | 11 | 9 | 242 | 31 | 2.8 | 30 | 1 | 29 | 1 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .968 | 3.35 |
| 1919 White Sox | P | 25 | 20 | 487 | 59 | 2.4 | 54 | 6 | 48 | 5 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .915 | 2.99 |
| 1920 White Sox | P | 40 | 39 | 957 | 103 | 2.6 | 93 | 15 | 78 | 10 | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .903 | 2.62 |
| 1921 White Sox | P | 43 | 39 | 992 | 105 | 2.4 | 100 | 10 | 90 | 5 | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .952 | 2.72 |
| 1922 White Sox | P | 43 | 38 | 1,056 | 102 | 2.4 | 98 | 4 | 94 | 4 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .961 | 2.51 |
| 1923 White Sox | P | 32 | 31 | 697 | 82 | 2.6 | 78 | 8 | 70 | 4 | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .951 | 3.02 |
| 1924 White Sox | P | 21 | 20 | 484 | 36 | 1.7 | 35 | 4 | 31 | 1 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .972 | 1.95 |
| 1925 White Sox | P | 34 | 32 | 714 | 84 | 2.5 | 80 | 13 | 67 | 4 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .952 | 3.03 |
| 1926 White Sox | P | 27 | 25 | 554 | 36 | 1.3 | 34 | 1 | 33 | 2 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .944 | 1.66 |
| 1927 White Sox | P | 18 | 15 | 332 | 42 | 2.3 | 42 | 5 | 37 | 0 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 3.42 |
| 1928 White Sox | P | 27 | 27 | 604 | 64 | 2.4 | 63 | 11 | 52 | 1 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .984 | 2.82 |
| 1929 White Sox | P | 31 | 31 | 702 | 70 | 2.3 | 68 | 7 | 61 | 2 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .971 | 2.62 |
| 1930 White Sox | P | 29 | 26 | 507 | 51 | 1.8 | 50 | 3 | 47 | 1 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .980 | 2.66 |
| 1931 White Sox | P | 44 | 19 | 552 | 42 | 1.0 | 39 | 6 | 33 | 3 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .929 | 1.91 |
| 1932 White Sox | P | 42 | 5 | 318 | 25 | 0.6 | 24 | 3 | 21 | 1 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .960 | 2.04 |
| 1933 White Sox | P | 36 | 2 | 259 | 26 | 0.7 | 22 | 3 | 19 | 4 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .846 | 2.29 |
| Career | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
| P Totals | 669 | 483 | 12,260 | 1,309 | 2.0 | 1,238 | 130 | 1,108 | 71 | 35 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .946 | 2.73 | |
| 20 Years | 669 | 483 | 12,260 | 1,309 | 2.0 | 1,238 | 130 | 1,108 | 71 | 35 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .946 | 2.73 | |
Red FaberRed Faber Miscellaneous Stats |
||||||||||||
| Baserunning Statistics | Other Positions | Common Hitting Ratios | Common Pitching Ratios | |||||||||
| Team | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
| 1914 White Sox | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 3.4 | 55.0 | 1.38 | 4.37 | 3.18 |
| 1915 White Sox | 4 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.5 | 14.0 | 1.84 | 5.47 | 2.97 |
| 1916 White Sox | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 1.9 | 31.5 | 1.43 | 3.81 | 2.67 |
| 1917 White Sox | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 1.8 | 34.5 | 0.99 | 3.05 | 3.08 |
| 1918 White Sox | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 1.13 | 2.90 | 2.57 |
| 1919 White Sox | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.7 | 13.5 | 1.00 | 2.49 | 2.49 |
| 1920 White Sox | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.7 | 104.0 | 1.23 | 3.05 | 2.48 |
| 1921 White Sox | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 3.1 | 27.0 | 1.43 | 3.37 | 2.37 |
| 1922 White Sox | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 3.0 | 25.0 | 1.78 | 3.78 | 2.12 |
| 1923 White Sox | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 1 | n/a | 69.0 | 2.5 | 13.8 | 1.47 | 3.53 | 2.40 |
| 1924 White Sox | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 3.6 | 54.0 | 0.81 | 2.62 | 3.24 |
| 1925 White Sox | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 3.2 | 19.3 | 1.20 | 2.68 | 2.23 |
| 1926 White Sox | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.9 | 6.0 | 1.14 | 3.17 | 2.78 |
| 1927 White Sox | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 4.6 | 9.3 | 0.95 | 3.17 | 3.33 |
| 1928 White Sox | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 70.0 | 2.3 | 7.0 | 0.63 | 1.92 | 3.04 |
| 1929 White Sox | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 78.0 | 3.3 | 15.6 | 1.11 | 2.62 | 2.35 |
| 1930 White Sox | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.3 | 24.5 | 1.27 | 3.30 | 2.61 |
| 1931 White Sox | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.0 | 17.7 | 0.86 | 2.40 | 2.79 |
| 1932 White Sox | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.6 | 18.0 | 0.68 | 2.21 | 3.23 |
| 1933 White Sox | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.64 | 1.88 | 2.92 |
| Career | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
| 20 Years | 7 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 1 | n/a | 423.0 | 2.6 | 18.1 | 1.21 | 3.24 | 2.67 |
Red FaberRed Faber Miscellaneous Items of Interest |
||||
| Team | Roster | Uniform Numbers | Salary | All-Star | World Series |
| 1914 Chicago White Sox | n/a | $1,200.00 | n/a | - |
| 1915 Chicago White Sox | n/a | $1,500.00 | n/a | - |
| 1916 Chicago White Sox | n/a | $2,500.00 | n/a | - |
| 1917 Chicago White Sox | n/a | $2,200.00 | n/a | Stats |
| 1918 Chicago White Sox | n/a | $3,000.00 | n/a | - |
| 1919 Chicago White Sox | n/a | $2,500.00 | n/a | - |
| 1920 Chicago White Sox | n/a | $4,000.00 | n/a | - |
| 1921 Chicago White Sox | n/a | $5,500.00 | n/a | - |
| 1922 Chicago White Sox | n/a | $5,500.00 | n/a | - |
| 1923 Chicago White Sox | n/a | $10,000.00 | n/a | - |
| 1924 Chicago White Sox | n/a | $10,000.00 | n/a | - |
| 1925 Chicago White Sox | n/a | $10,000.00 | n/a | - |
| 1926 Chicago White Sox | n/a | $10,000.00 | n/a | - |
| 1927 Chicago White Sox | n/a | $10,000.00 | n/a | - |
| 1928 Chicago White Sox | n/a | $7,500.00 | n/a | - |
| 1929 Chicago White Sox | n/a | $10,000.00 | n/a | - |
| 1930 Chicago White Sox | n/a | $10,000.00 | n/a | - |
| 1931 Chicago White Sox | 18 | $10,000.00 | n/a | - |
| 1932 Chicago White Sox | 19 | $10,000.00 | n/a | - |
| 1933 Chicago White Sox | 18 | $7,000.00 | - | - |
| Red Faber Stats by Baseball Almanac | ||||

Red Faber won back-to-back earned run average (ERA) titles in the American League, finishing the 1921 season with a 2.48 ERA (#1 / Top 25) and the 1922 season with a 2.80 ERA (#1 / Top 25). Not one Chicago White Sox pitcher before, or since, has ever won consecutive ERA championships.
Red Faber was the first pitcher in baseball history to with two 3-pitch innings during the same game! On May 12, 1915, Faber threw exactly three pitches in the third inning, recorded all three outs, then threw exactly three pitches in the fifth inning, and recorded all three outs again!
Red Faber was only the second American League pitcher to post the best earned run average in the junior circuit in consecutive seasons, joining Walter Johnson (1912-1913 & 1918-1919). Since Faber, Lefty Grove, Hal Newhouser, Ron Guidry, Roger Clemens and Pedro Martinez have matched the pitching feat. [Year by Year Leaders for Earned Run Average]

Red Faber | National Baseball Hall of Fame Plaque | Class of 1964 (HOF)
When Red Faber retired in 1933, he was the last legal spitballer in the American League. In 1920, Major League Baseball outlawed the spitball and other substance abuse type pitches, but grandfathered in seventeen established pitchers. Faber was one of those seventeen, truly unique, legal spitballers.
Red Faber spent his entire career with the Chicago White Sox giving him all-time team specific records for, most games pitched, most bases on balls and most hit batsmen. Faber ranks second with the Pale Hose in most games won, most games lost, most games started, most complete games, most innings pitched, most hits allowed, most runs allowed, most earned runs allowed, and most batters faced — behind Ted Lyons in every one of those pitching stats.

1920 Chicago White Sox | Four Twenty-Win Pitcher Image CollageBaseball Almanac Research Library
The 1920 Chicago White Sox were the first team in Major League history to have four 20 game winners: Red Faber (23-13), Lefty Williams (22-14), Eddie Cicotte (21-10), and Dickie Kerr (21-9).