Death in the strike zone: the mysterious fate of James Creighton, baseball’s first star

James Creighton pictured in 1860 Photograph: Public domain The Civil War provides a host of baseball-related mysteries pertaining to pitcher James Creighton. By the time of his death at age 21 in 1862, Creighton had compiled a ledger of accomplishments, starring for one of America’s top teams at the time, the Brooklyn Excelsiors. His grave became a shrine to the player and the sport he dominated.

Then the clouds came in – over the circumstances of his death, over the achievements of his career. He is not in the Hall of Fame, but baseball historian Thomas Gilbert makes a convincing case for his inclusion in a new book , Death in the Strike Zone: The Mystery of America’s First Baseball Hero. “One hundred years ago, his impact was clear,” Gilbert says.

“Until the turn of the 20th century, he was remembered and talked about … When Albert Spalding wrote his book on baseball in 1911, he said: ‘Obviously Creighton was the greatest, fastest pitcher ever. ’” And, possibly, one of the most consequential. Gilbert believes Creighton threw the first curveball, ahead of the man long credited with that milestone – William Arthur “Candy” Cummings.

“There’s a longstanding debate over who threw the first curveball,” Gilbert says. “All candidates did it 10 years after Creighton did. I was doing research into what he was doing, and I firmly believe it was him.