Suds Sutherland

Who was Suds Sutherland?

Harvey Scott "Suds" Sutherland was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Detroit Tigers in 1921. Born in Beaverton, Oregon, Sutherland started playing in the Pacific Coast League. In 1919, he pitched an 11–0 no-hitter against the San Francisco Seals. In 1921, he got his shot at the major leagues with the Detroit Tigers. Sutherland came to the Tigers during the Spring of 1921, just as Ty Cobb was taking over as the manager for the Tigers. The Tigers team of 1921 was a hard-hitting team, but they were in dire need of pitching. Sutherland seized the opportunity, and in the first two months of his rookie season, Sutherland compiled a 6–2 record in 8 starts. On top of his fine pitching, Sutherland compiled a .407 batting average in 29 at bats in the first two months of the season. Sutherland's pitching career came to an abrupt end on June 12, 1921, as Sutherland found himself in the middle of the Babe Ruth-Ty Cobb feud. In the fifth inning of a game against the Yankees, Babe Ruth reportedly hit a 3–0 pitch off Sutherland into the upper deck. Cobb ran in from center field and took his anger out on the rookie pitcher.