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Hippo Vaughn was one of the Deadball Era’s finest pitchers. For the 7-year period from 1914-1920 the portly left-hander was at his best. During the run he averaged more than 20 victories per season, eclipsing the plateau five times. He won 143 games against 96 losses and pitched to a 2.16 earned run average.

Each year he placed among the league-leaders in many pitching categories. For his 7-season reign Vaughn finished in the Senior Circuit’s top-5 in pitchers’ WAR five times, ERA and wins four times each. In each of the 7 years he was in the top-5 in strikeouts.

Vaughn won a career best 23 in 1917 then followed it up with historic greatness. In 1918 he captured National League’s pitching Triple Crown. In addition to leading the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts, Vaughn also paced the Senior Circuit in starts, innings, shutouts, and WHIP.

That same season Vaughn reached his only World Series. Though his Cubs dropped the 6-game tilt, Vaughn pitched valiantly. As the Game 1 starter for the Cubs, he pitched a complete game but suffered a 1-0 loss to Red Sox lefty Babe Ruth. Vaughn returned to the hill two days later in Game 3. He again went the distance and took the loss, this one a 2-1 decision at the hands of Carl Mays. Three days later he blanked the Red Sox. Vaughn’s Fall Classic statistics include three complete games, one shutout, and a 1.00 ERA.

Now more than a century after his career ended, Vaughn’s 41 career shutouts and 2.49 ERA rank 41st and 42nd all-time, respectively. In addition to that, his Cooperstown qualifications include the Triple Crown, five 20-win campaigns, and four seasons with an ERA in the 1.00s. Despite these lofty accomplishments, Vaughn’s career lacked the longevity that Hall voters prefer.

Shown here is a Cubs payroll check made out to Vaughn on July 31, 1919. Notice the signature of Cubs owner Bill Veeck the father of the Hall of Fame owner of the same name. Vaughn’s signature appears on the reverse of the check in the form of an endorsement.

The day before the check was issued Vaughn hurled 8 strong innings against the Brooklyn Robins. Though he only allowed two earned runs, the Chicago defense surrendered three errors, while the Cubs offense went scoreless. Zack Wheat was the star for Brooklyn, going 3-for-4 with a walk, a triple, two RBI, and two runs scored. The triple was the 104th of Wheat’s career, moving him past fellow Cooperstown man Frank “Home Run” Baker.

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On May 2nd, 1917 Hippo Vaughn pitched in one of baseball’s most memorable games. Squaring off against Cincinnati’s Fred Toney, Vaughn held the Reds hitless through the first nine innings. The 6’2″ 195-pound Toney matched his feat, holding Vaughn’s Cubs hitless through their first 27 outs.

In the 10th Vaughn retired Gus Getz for the first out of the inning. Reds shortstop Larry Kopf then laced a clean single to to right field to end the no-hit bid. After Greasy Neale flew out, Hal Chase reached on an error by Chicago centerfielder Cy Williams to extend the inning. Kopf made his way to third on the play.

After Chase stole second, Jim Thorpe of Olympic and football fame hit a slow roller down the third base line. Vaughn swiftly went after it. Knowing gold medal pentathlete and decathlete Thorpe would beat any throw to first, Vaughn scooped the ball with his glove to catcher Art Wilson. Kopf slid under the tag to score. With that, Vaughn tough-luck loss in Major League Baseball’s only “double no-hitter”.

Shown here is the back of the Cubs payroll check endorsed by Vaughn. Here he signs “J.L. Vaughn” using initials for James Leslie.

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James “Hippo” Vaughn earned the National League pitching Triple Crown in 1918. That year he won 22 games, had 148 strikeouts, and a 1.74 ERA to lead the Senior Circuit.

The only pitcher in all of baseball to better Hippo in the three categories was Walter Johnson of the American League. In doing so, The Big Train earned the Junior Circuit honor.

It marked the second time in big league history that pitchers in both leagues wore the crown.

The first time came in 1905 when Christy Mathewson and Rube Waddell did it in the NL and AL, respectively. After Vaughn and Johnson matched the duo in 1918, it has happened only once since.

That came in 1924 when Brooklyn’s Dazzy Vance topped both circuits in wins (28), ERA (2.16), and strikeouts (262). The Big Train took home his third career Triple Crown with an AL-leading 23 victories, 2.72 ERA and 158 strikeouts.

Shown here is a handwritten letter from Johnson to Hall of Fame executive Ford Frick thanking him for a lifetime pass. The origination of the passes was Frick’s idea. Players with 10-19 years received solid silver passes. Three-hundred-and-eighty-six retired men received the silver variety.

Players with 20 or more years of service were given a solid gold pass. With 21 years to his credit, Johnson was one of just 17 players initially awarded one.

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In his first dozen big league seasons from 1908-1920 Hippo Vaughn went 175-126 with a 2.34 ERA. During his seven-year run from 1914-1920 he averaged more than 20 wins per season. Then in 1921 everything changed.

After winning two of his first three decisions, Vaughn was flat-out awful. Over his next 13 outings batters hit .367 off of him as he went 1-10 with a 5.97 ERA.

Things came to a head on July 9. Vaughn allowed six earned runs while recording just ten outs. Cubs skipper Johnny Evers mercifully gave him the hook.

Vaughn went AWOL, leaving the Chicago brass with no way to reach him. Evers declared to the media that the pitcher would be suspended upon his return. The media in the Windy City blamed Evers for the ordeal.

Rather than come back to the Cubs, Vaughn signed a three-year deal with Wisconsin’s Beloit Fairies, a local semi-pro club on August 1. The Cubs soon fired Evers, replacing him with Bill Killefer. With Evers gone, Chicago owner Bill Veeck and Killefer decided to reinstate Vaughn pending the approval of baseball commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis.

Serving in his first year as baseball chief, Landis wielded unparalleled power. He declared Vaughn suspended for at least the rest of the season. Just three months past his 33rd birthday, Vaughn never pitched another big league game.

The portly left-hander continued pitching at the semi-pro level until 1937 when he was 49.

In the collection is this letter signed by Evers written to then-National League President Ford Frick. Dated April 1, 1936, the letter thanks Frick for sending the three-time World Champion a lifetime pass to all major league games.

Correspondence between two members of the Hall of Fame are hard to find. Evers, who died in 1947 remains a difficult signature to obtain.