| Bill Hawke | |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Birth Date: | April 28, 1870 |
| Birth Place: | Elsmere, Delaware, US |
| Death Place: | Wilmington, Delaware, US |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | July 28 |
| Debutteam: | St. Louis Browns |
| Finalleague: | MLB |
| Finaldate: | September 30 |
| Finalteam: | Baltimore Orioles |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Stat1label: | Win/Loss Record |
| Stat2label: | Strikeouts |
| Stat3label: | Earned run average |
| Stat1value: | 32-31 |
| Stat2value: | 193 |
| Stat3value: | 4.98 |
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William Victor Hawke (April 28, 1870 - December 11, 1902) was an American Major League Baseball player who pitched for three seasons, all in the National League, with a career record of 32 wins and 31 losses.[1]
Born in Elsmere, Delaware, Hawke began his major league career with the St. Louis Browns in . He pitched in 14 games that first season, with a 5–5 win–loss record and threw one shutout. Bill split season between the Browns and the Baltimore Orioles. It was for the latter that he pitched a no-hit, 5-0 victory against the Washington Senators on August 16, 1893.[1] It was the first no-hitter at the new distance from the pitcher's mound to home plate. For the 1893 season, the mound was moved from 50 feet to 60 feet 6 inches, the distance that is still used to this day.[2] Hawke finished his career the following season, with a 16-9 record for the National League champion Baltimore Orioles.[3]
On December 11, 1902, he died of carcinoma[4] at the age of 32 in Wilmington, Delaware, and was interred at Wilmington and Brandywine Cemetery in Wilmington.[1]
He was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.[5]