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Lawrence J. Corcoran (August 10, 1859 – October 14, 1891) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was born in Brooklyn, New York.[1]

Larry Corcoran
Pitcher
Born: (1859-08-10)August 10, 1859 Brooklyn, New York
Died: October 14, 1891(1891-10-14) (aged 32) Newark, New Jersey
Batted: Left Threw: Switch
MLB debut
May 1, 1880, for the Chicago White Stockings
Last MLB appearance
May 20, 1887, for the Indianapolis Hoosiers
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	177–89
Earned run average	2.36
Strikeout	1,103
Teams
Chicago White Stockings (1880–1885) New York Giants (1885–1886) Washington Senators (1886) Indianapolis Hoosiers (1887)
Career highlights and awards
NL wins leader (1881) NL ERA leader (1882) NL strikeout leader (1880) Pitched three no-hitters (1880, 1882, 1884)

Corcoran debuted in the 1880 season, where he won 43 games and led the Chicago team to the National League championship. Cap Anson alternated him with pitcher Fred Goldsmith, giving Chicago the first true pitching "rotation" in professional baseball.

In 1882, Corcoran became the first pitcher to throw two no-hitters in a career. Two seasons later, he became the first pitcher to throw three no-hitters, setting a record that would stand until 1965, when Sandy Koufax threw his fourth no-hitter. He is also famous for being one of baseball's very few switch-pitchers, and is one of only two players in MLB history whose batting-throwing combination was "bats left, throws both," the other being Pat Venditte. A natural righty, Corcoran pitched four innings alternating throwing arms on June 16, 1884, due to the inflammation of his right index finger.[2] He is credited with creating the first method of signaling pitches to his catcher,[2] which consisted of moving a wad of chewing tobacco in his mouth to indicate what pitch would be thrown.[2]

White Stockings catcher Silver Flint, who caught bare-handed, credited Corcoran with being the toughest pitcher to catch and being responsible for several of his misshapen fingers.[3]

Corcoran's arm was dead by 1885, and by 1887 he was out of the league.

Corcoran, afflicted with Bright's disease, died in Newark, New Jersey at the age of 32.[1] He was interred in the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in East Orange.[1]

His brother, Mike, pitched in one major league game in 1884.[4]

See also

• List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders
• List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders
• List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders
• List of Major League Baseball no-hitters

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
• TheDeadballEra.com – obituary
• Larry Corcoran at Find a Grave

Preceded by John Montgomery Ward Guy Hecker Frank Mountain	No-hitter pitcher August 19, 1880 September 20, 1882 June 27, 1884	Succeeded by Pud Galvin Charles Radbourn Pud Galvin

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