Ice Box Chamberlain

Who was Ice Box Chamberlain?

Elton P. "Ice Box" Chamberlain was a professional baseball pitcher. He pitched all or part of 10 seasons in Major League Baseball between 1886 and 1896. Born in Buffalo, New York, the right-hander stood 5 ft 9 in and weighed 168 lbs.

In several seasons, Chamberlain finished in his league's top ten in a number of pitching categories, including wins, earned run average, strikeouts, and shutouts. His two best seasons were 1888 and 1889. His 1888 St. Louis Browns team won the American Association pennant with a 92–43 record. Chamberlain went 2–3 in that year's "World Series" against the New York Giants.

An ambidextrous pitcher, Chamberlain alternated arms for four innings of a game on June 16, 1884 while he was in the minor leagues. On May 9, 1888, he had a large lead against the Kansas City Cowboys and pitched the last two innings left-handed, giving up no runs that way.

On May 30, 1894 Chamberlain was the pitcher when Bobby Lowe became the first major league player to hit four home runs in one game.

Chamberlain died at the age of 61. He was interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland.