1913-3-24 Press. Attorney attempted to prove that Parnham was unfit to hold a liquor license.
1913-5-28 "Clairton Hotelkeeper is Accused by Wife. Mrs. Parnham asserts Husband Beat Her Up and Sent Her to Woodville."
1913-5-29 Mother "alcoholically insane" - she says she is sane.
""I always loved to pitch when I was a kid," said Parnham. "I suppose I began looking pretty good when I was pitching at Clairton for the Independents which the late Johnny White managed. One day, Attorney John Robb, Sr., took me to the Pirates for a trial. I pitched to George Gibson, now the Pirate manager, in practice and then the club sent me to Huntington in the old Ohio State League. That was in 1913."
"During 1914 and 1915 I was with Raleigh, N. C.," and here he was interrupted by "Mother" Parnham to advise that it was in 1914 that the Parnhams were married.
"After showing pretty well with Raleigh," Parnham continued, "the Philadelphia Athletics bought me in the fall of 1915. I was with the A's until June of 1917, when they sent me to Baltimore. I was with Jack Dunn until late in 1927, when I was sent to Newark, with Walter Johnson managing, and later I was granted my unconditional release upon request."
"While with Baltimore, Parnham was a member of seven pennant- winning teams. He was a staff twirler with "Lefty" Grove, who cultivated control only after lots of practice, "Rube" contends; George Earnshaw, Ogden and Al Thomas, now with Washington.
What about your sensational performances in establishing the world's record of 20 straight wins, he was asked.
"I started by beating Buffalo, July 12, 1923, and ended on Sept. 23 by beating Jersey City, 4-1, in the first game, allowing only six hits, and then blanking them in the second, 3-0, with three hits. I needed to win that second game to set the new mark. I relieved in two games during that stretch in pitching 174 innings. During that season, I won 33 games and lost seven, pitching often without any rest and then again perhaps with only one day's rest. Pitchers don't often do things like that these days," Parnham recalled.
Streak Hurt Arm
In making that record, did it have any effect on Parnham's pitching arm?
"It sure did. I don't think my arm was ever as strong after that because it had not been given sufficient rest," he answered, "although I depended on control and did not rely upon a 'hook' or severe curve."
Shortly after Parnham set the new world's mark, he said "I know 'Muggsy' McGraw offered Jack Dunn $75,000 to purchase me for the Giants, but Dunn refused the offer.
Parnham has never been fortunate enough to hurl a no-hit, no-run game. The closest he ever came was against Newark. Outfielder Carter slammed a ball, which was foul by a foot in left field, Parnham said, but the umpire ruled it fair. "Rube's" longest game was on a Fourth of July when he pitched for Raleigh against Durham, N. C., in a 4-4 tie for 24 innings, the game lasting three hours and 45 minutes.
"Rube" was born in Heidelburg, near Carnegie, and later moved to Monongahela City and then to Shire Oaks. He moved to Clairton in 1901 and lived there until 1930 when he went to McKeesport with his four children, Dorothy. Blance, Florence and Jimmy, Jr., and Mrs. Parnham, formerly Matilda Schneider."
1947-7-27 Joe Langden, 1920s International League ump, calls Rube Parnham the best pitcher he ever saw in 61 years of baseball. Raves over his control.
1913-8-03 PG. At 1b for Clairton.
1913-9-13 PG. Beat Large 8-0 for Clairton in third and deciding game for championship of the Monongahela Valley.
1914-7-18 Pr. Relieved for Clairton in 12-1 loss to "Cohn Col"
1914-5-03 Cincinnati. Beat Ironton 6-4.
1914-5-07 Cincinnati. Pitched well in relief in 7-4 loss.
1914-5-12 Cincinnati. Relieved in 12-4 loss to Lexington.
1914-9-05 Post. Beat Boston 7-2 for Clairton.
1914-9-12 Post. Beat Boston 12-2 for Clairton.
1914-10-10 Monongahela. Tied Monongahela 8-8 for Clairton in nine-inning tie called for darkness. Large crowd. Clairton led 8-4 into the ninth.
"Parnum, a tall, thin weak-looking youth of about nineteen falls, served over a speedy ball, and many times grooved them while the home boys swung hard and hitless. This long lanky lean boy who pitched some fine ball at the first, blew up just as it was predicted he would and had the local team and fans started after him earlier in the game a different story might have been told."
