7. Amos Rusie

Amos Rusie debuted at the Major League level with the Indianapolis Hoosiers in 1889, and you could say he was the original "Wild Thing."  Rusie was prone to wildness, and although there were no radar guns back then, it was generally believed that he was among one of the fastest throwing Pitchers in the sport.

The Hoosiers folded after Rusie’s rookie year, and most of the team, including Rusie, was given to the New York Giants to bolster the flagship of the National League.  Rusie walked many batters, giving more free passes each year from 1890 to 1894, but he countered that by fanning more batters than anyone else in the same period.  Rusie led the NL in Strikeouts five times, and he did not allow many hits either, as he was also a four-time leader in H/9.

Rusie’s wildness was one reason baseball moved the mound ten feet back to 60, the current length.  It didn't stop Rusie from beaning Hughie Jennings in 1897 in the head so hard that the latter was comatose for days, but you were never not entertained by a Rusie start.

Rusie made Giants history, becoming the first player for their team to throw a no-hitter (1891) and the first to win the Pitcher's Triple Crown in 1894 (36 W, 2.78 ERA, 208 SO).  After his 1894 juggernaut of a year, Rusie had an average campaign but was still the team's top star.  Rusie thumbed his nose at Andrew Freedman, the Giants owner, which was that century's version of extending the middle finger.  Freedman fined him $200, a number that was nearly a tenth of his salary, and he sat out the entire 1896 Season in protest.  Fearing a lawsuit, the other owners intervened, paying off Rusie, and the flamethrower returned to win his second ERA Title.  

Rusie’s arm trouble and off-field problems kept him out of the 1899 and 1900 Seasons, but the Giants were able to trade him to Cincinnati straight up for a young Christy Mathewson, which would be the first great heist of the century.  Rusie played in only three Games for the Reds before retiring, while Mathewson became one of the greatest hurlers ever.  Despite that lopsided transaction, Rusie was outstanding in his day, winning 234 Games against 163 Losses with 1,835 Strikeouts and a 2.89 ERA.

Rusie was also a competent batter and fielder, batting .253 with 410 Hits with the Giants, which doesn’t hurt this rank.  

He entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977 via the Veterans Committee.