George Cunningham

Who was George Cunningham?

George Harold Cunningham was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played 5 years with the Detroit Tigers from 1916 to 1919 and 1921. Born in Sturgeon Lake, Minnesota, Cunningham pitched in 123 games for the Tigers, including 36 as a starter. Over his 4 years with the Tigers, he compiled a record of 16–25 in 477 innings with an earned run average of 3.13. He pitched in 44 games in 1917, which was the 10th highest among American League pitchers that year. He also finished 24 games in 1917, which was the 2nd most among American League pitchers. Cunningham was a respectable batter for a pitcher, with a career on-base percentage of .337, 36 walks, 10 extra base hits, 13 RBIs. When Cunningham complained to manager Hughie Jennings about the injury-depleted Tiger outfield of 1918, Jennings had Cunningham play right field for three weeks. His only appearance in the 1921 season was as an outfielder, not as a pitcher. Cunningham died in 1972 at age 77 in Chattanooga, Tennessee.