Ray Collins

Who was Ray Collins?

Ray Williston Collins was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Boston Red Sox. A native of Colchester, Vermont, Collins batted and threw left-handed. He debuted on July 19, 1909, and played his final game on October 7, 1915.

In a seven-season career, Collins posted an 84–62 record with 511 strikeouts and a 2.51 ERA in 1336 innings, including 19 shutouts and 90 complete games.

A graduate of the University of Vermont, Collins was a good-hitting pitcher and an outstanding fielder, but the key to his success was his remarkable control. He consistently ranked among the American League leaders in fewest walks allowed per nine innings, finishing third in the league in 1912, second in 1913 and fourth in 1914. He also averaged 16 wins from 1910 to 1914, including a combined 39 wins in 1913–14, and was a member of the 1912 Red Sox world champion team.

Collins became a regular in Boston rotation in 1910. In his first full season, he pitched a one-hitter against the Chicago White Sox and compiled a 13–11 record, making him the second-winningest pitcher on the Red Sox behind Eddie Cicotte. He was 3–6 at one point in 1911, but turned his season around, finishing at 11–12 with a 2.40 ERA.