George Washington Keefe (January 7, 1867 in Washington, D.C. – August 24, 1935 in Washington, D.C.) was a left-handed professional baseball starting pitcher who played for the Washington Nationals, Buffalo Bisons and Washington Statesmen from 1886 to 1891.
Keefe made his major league debut on July 30, 1886 at the age of 19. The sixth youngest player in the league, he went 0-3 with a 5.17 ERA in four games in his first big league season.
In 1887, Keefe appeared in only one game. Despite allowing 16 hits, four walks and 20 runs (only eight of which were earned), Keefe managed to complete (and lose) his only game of the season. He was also the sixth youngest player in 1887.
Keefe went 6-7 with a 2.84 ERA in 13 starts in 1888. In 1889, he went 8-18 with a 5.13 ERA, finishing fifth in the league in walks allowed (143) and seventh in losses. On May 1, 1889, Keefe set the National League record for most walks in an inning, when he walked seven batters in the fifth inning. The record was subsequently tied by Bob Ewing and Tony Mullane, and Dolly Gray walked eight batters in an inning in 1909. Gray was an American League pitcher, however.
Following the 1889 season, Keefe went to play for the Buffalo Bisons of the Players' League. He went 6-16 that year, posting a 6.52 ERA. He was ninth in the league in home runs allowed (11), 10th in the league in losses and 10th in the league in earned runs allowed (142). In 196 innings, he walked 138 batters and struck out only 55.
Keefe played his final season in 1891 for the Washington Statesmen of the American Association. With them, he went 0-3 with a 2.68 ERA in five games (four starts). His one save was third in the league. He played his final big league game on April 28.
Overall, Keefe went 20-48 in 78 games, 71 of which he started. He completed 68 games, shutting out one of them. In 6161⁄3 innings, Keefe posted a 5.05 ERA, 360 walks and 213 strikeouts. In 250 career at-bats, Keefe hit .172.
According to the Similarity Scores at Baseball-Reference.com, Keefe is most statistically similar to Mike Morrison.
Following his death, Keefe was buried in Cedar Hills Cemetery in Suitland, Maryland.
By Dean Hanley
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