Expert: Brian Flaspohler - 11/9/2008

Question
QUESTION: When did we start requiring that starting pitchers go 5 innings for a win?  And what have been the different iterations of this rule before now?

ANSWER: Alec,

That rule was added to the major league scoring rulebook in 1950.  Before that there was no rule determining who got the win.

The rule was slightly tweaked in 1951 and 1955, but it has basically been as it is today since that time.

Hope this helps!

Brian

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Brian,

Thanks.  When you say there was "no rule" do you mean that there was simply no minimum inning requirement, or that there was nothing to guide the determination other than scorekeepers' judgment?

Answer
Alec,

There really was nothing in the rules to guide the determination.  Remember that before about 1930, almost the only time a pitcher was substituted for was when they were getting hit hard.  If a pitcher was taken out, they almost always got the loss and the pitcher who started for the other team, they almost always got the win.

In the 30s and 40s, substitutions for pitchers became more common.  It took baseball 10-15 years to decide that some written justification was needed to help the scorekeeper determine who should be the winner.

Hope this helps!

Brian