Maybe MLB’s only Austro-Hungary/Irish player

Joannes Pajkos (Jack Quinn) was born July 1, 1883, in Stefurov, Austria-Hungary. Or maybe in a coal-mining town in Pennsylvania in 1883 or 1884 or 1885. He never said.

Known: Quinn pitched his first MLB game on April 15, 1909. He was 25 years old. Or maybe 24 or 23.

Known: Quinn’s last MLB game was on July 7, 1933. He was 50 years old. Maybe. Whatever his age, Quinn maintained a serene attitude about baseball.

“Nothing bothers me,” he told a reporter, “Why should it? The undertaker will get us all soon enough. There’s no need to meet him more than halfway.”

http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/cf88d73c

Quinn’s last really good year was in 1931, when he was 48 years old. He pitched in 39 games with the Brooklyn Robins, starting eight games. He did not complete any games that year, but he did finish 29. He posted a 5-4 won-lost record, had an ERA of 2.66 and (by today’s statistics) saved 15 games.

“A lot of pitchers worry themselves out of the game. They cut their span of successful work by whole seasons. … Pitching, with me, is a serious profession. I realize its importance and I like to pitch. … Doing his best is no more than a pitcher is paid for. Bearing down in the pinches is what he is supposed to do.” (sabr.org)

In his 23-year MLB career, Quinn won 247 games and lost 218 for a .531 percentage. He started in 444 games, completed 243, and pitched 28 shutouts. His lifetime ERA was 3.29.

Stats http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=quinnja01

“I get tired after a hard ball game just as other pitchers do, but I don’t get sick and hang around half the night unable to eat my supper. And I don’t lie awake till morning wondering what might have happened if I’d pitched a little inside instead of outside to a certain batter. Overdoing a thing is half doing it.” (sabr.org)

Quinn played for the Highlanders, Braves, White Sox, Yankees, Red Sox, Athletics, Terrapins, Robins, Dodgers and Reds. He pitched in three World Series -- 1921 with the Yankees and then with the Athletics in 1929 and 1930.

Quinn was said to be Greek, Irish, Polish, Russian, Welch, Slovak, French and even American Indian.

He died April 17, 1946, in Pottsville, Penn.

“There’s only one right way to pitch a ball game. Do your best and let it go at that. Fussing and stewing and fretting is like throwing grit into the machinery.” (sabr.org)