Ed Killian

Who was Ed Killian?

Edwin Henry Killian, nicknamed "Twilight Ed," was a Major League Baseball pitcher primarily of the Detroit Tigers.

Twice a 20-game winner, Killian's career ERA of 2.38 is tied for 24th best in Major League history, ahead of such legendary pitchers as Cy Young and Grover Cleveland Alexander.

Born in Racine, Wisconsin, Killian did not start his first game in the majors until he was age 26. He came up late in the 1903 season and was 3–4 for the Cleveland Naps.

In January 1904, Killian was traded by the Naps with Jesse Stovall to the Detroit Tigers for Billy Lush. Killian pitched the rest of his major league career with the Tigers. In 1904, Killian had 32 complete games and a 2.44 ERA in 331 innings, but without support from the 7th place Tigers, Killian had the dubious distinction of losing 20 games in his first full season.

As proof that his 1904 win-loss record was not indicative of his talents, Killian battled Cy Young in one of the most remarkable pitching duels in history on May 11, 1904. Young and Killian each pitched 14 scoreless innings, before the Red Sox scored a run in the 15th inning, winning 1–0.