Silver King is quite the name, isn't it?  This was the name of the man whose birth certificate stated, Charles Frederick Koenig, but doesn't this name sound more fun?

King debuted in 1886, playing a handful of games with the Kansas City Cowboys, but it was the three seasons that followed that put him on the map.  These years were spent with the American Association's St. Louis Browns, where he won at least 32 Games each year.  Known for his lack of windup and sidearm delivery, King had a monster season in 1888, where he led the league in Wins (45), ERA (1.63), Innings Pitched (584.2), FIP (2.38), WHIP (0.874), and SO/BB (3.39).  The Browns won two AA Pennants while King was there.

Like many players in 1890, King joined the Players’ League, where, with the Chicago Pirates, he won the ERA Title (2.69) and led the league in H/9 (8.2).  The league folded after that, and he went to the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League, but he was beginning to suffer from arm fatigue and wasn't the same.  He continued for a few years after, but he was done by 1897.

He retired with a 203-152 record.

Silver King was a lot more than one of the many Mexican luchadores who were signed by WCW in the late 1990s, but he was so much more than that.

Before the man who fooled us with his stocky physique appeared on the American scene, he was a successful tag team and singles wrestler in his native Mexico.  Along with his partner, El Texano, Silver King won the main tag titles in that country, and as a solo he ascended to the CMLL World Heavyweight Title. 

Silver King would then crack the U.S. scene with WCW, and while he was not used in a high spot, he was entertaining and did appear on five pay per views.  He returned to Mexico and would win more titles there and in Japan.

Sadly, he died in the ring in a match against Juventud Guerrera in England He suffered a heart attack and the untrained ringside attendants, including the referee were not equipped to handle the situation.  He was only 51 Years Old.

The 19th-century American Association was a highly experimental and turbulent era of professional baseball, and few players took full advantage of its unique opportunities like Charles Frederick Koenig. Known by the theatrical nickname "Silver King," this strong right-hander had an unconventional pitching style that baffled hitters of his time. He threw the ball with a sweeping sidearm motion, skipping the windup, creating a fast, deceptive delivery that helped him dominate the league. Although he only played three summers with the St. Louis Browns, his intense pitching style and peak performance are remembered as some of the most remarkable in early baseball history.

King’s 1987 campaign in St. Louis laid a strong foundation, as he endured 44 starts to amass an impressive 34–10 record, leading Chris von der Ahe's team to a league pennant. Yet, no standard baseball metrics could have prepared the sport for the extraordinary personal performance he was about to deliver the next summer.

The 1888 campaign is one of the most dominant single-season performances ever, showcasing extraordinary endurance. King appeared on the mound 66 times, with 64 complete games, significantly impacting league competitiveness. He led the American Association in nearly every key pitching category, posting a 45–20 record and a low 1.63 ERA over 584.2 innings. His advanced metrics were equally impressive: a 2.38 FIP, a 0.874 WHIP, and a 3.39 strikeout-to-walk ratio, exemplifying incredible efficiency.

He maintained that elite performance peak during the 1889 season, posting a high-volume effort of 33–18 with a 3.14 ERA over 453 innings. Realizing his strongest bargaining position, King moved to the new Players' League in 1890, achieving another impressive 30-win season with the Chicago Pirates before continuing his major-league career with teams in Pittsburgh, New York, and Cincinnati.

King completed his brief but breathtaking three-year St. Louis residency, compiling an astonishing 112–48 record and finishing 153 of his 157 starts with a sharp 2.26 ERA over 1,418.1 innings.