In baseball, a complete game (denoted by CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a closer.[1] A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played - pitchers who throw an entire official game that is shortened by rain will still be credited with a complete game, while starting pitchers who are relieved in extra innings after throwing nine or more innings will not be credited with a complete game. A starting pitcher who is replaced by a pinch hitter in the final half inning of a game will still be credited with a complete game.
Cy Young is the all-time leader in complete games with 749 and the only player to complete more than 700 games. Pud Galvin is second all-time with 646 career complete games and the only other player to complete more than 600 games. No active pitcher has yet to even reach 30 career complete games.[2]
Rank | Rank amongst leaders in career complete games. A blank field indicates a tie. | |
Player | Name of the player. | |
CG | Total career complete games. | |
Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame. |
Rank | Player | CG | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Cy Young * | 749 | |
2 | Pud Galvin * | 646 | |
3 | Tim Keefe * | 554 | |
4 | Kid Nichols * | 532 | |
5 | Walter Johnson * | 531 | |
6 | Bobby Mathews | 525 | |
Mickey Welch * | 525 | ||
8 | Charles Radbourn * | 488 | |
9 | John Clarkson * | 485 | |
10 | Tony Mullane | 468 | |
11 | Jim McCormick | 466 | |
12 | Gus Weyhing | 449 | |
13 | Grover Cleveland Alexander * | 436 | |
14 | Christy Mathewson * | 435 | |
15 | Jack Powell | 422 | |
16 | Eddie Plank * | 410 | |
17 | Will White | 394 | |
18 | Amos Rusie * | 393 | |
19 | Vic Willis * | 388 | |
20 | Tommy Bond | 386 | |
21 | Warren Spahn * | 382 | |
22 | Jim Whitney | 377 | |
23 | Adonis Terry | 367 | |
24 | Ted Lyons * | 356 | |
25 | George Mullin | 353 | |
26 | Charlie Buffinton | 351 | |
27 | Chick Fraser | 342 | |
28 | Clark Griffith * | 337 | |
29 | Red Ruffing * | 335 | |
30 | Silver King | 328 | |
31 | Al Orth | 324 | |
32 | Bill Hutchison | 321 | |
33 | Burleigh Grimes * | 314 | |
Joe McGinnity * | 314 | ||
35 | Red Donahue | 312 | |
Guy Hecker | 312 | ||
37 | Bill Dinneen | 306 | |
38 | Robin Roberts * | 305 | |
39 | Gaylord Perry * | 303 | |
40 | 302 | ||
41 | Ted Breitenstein | 301 | |
42 | Bob Caruthers | 298 | |
Lefty Grove * | 298 | ||
44 | Pink Hawley | 297 | |
Ed Morris | 297 | ||
46 | Mark Baldwin | 295 | |
47 | Brickyard Kennedy | 294 | |
48 | Eppa Rixey * | 290 | |
49 | Bill Donovan | 289 | |
Early Wynn * | 289 |
Rank | Player | CG | |
---|---|---|---|
51 | Bert Cunningham | 287 | |
52 | Wilbur Cooper | 279 | |
Bob Feller * | 279 | ||
Sadie McMahon | 279 | ||
Al Spalding * | 279 | ||
Jack Taylor | 279 | ||
57 | Jack Stivetts | 278 | |
58 | Pretzels Getzien | 277 | |
59 | Red Faber * | 273 | |
60 | Mordecai Brown * | 271 | |
Frank Dwyer | 271 | ||
62 | Jouett Meekin | 270 | |
63 | Fergie Jenkins * | 267 | |
64 | Ice Box Chamberlain | 264 | |
Matt Kilroy | 264 | ||
Jesse Tannehill | 264 | ||
67 | Doc White | 262 | |
68 | Rube Waddell * | 261 | |
69 | Jack Chesbro * | 260 | |
Red Ehret | 260 | ||
Carl Hubbell * | 260 | ||
72 | Larry Corcoran | 256 | |
73 | Chief Bender * | 255 | |
Bob Gibson * | 255 | ||
75 | Steve Carlton * | 254 | |
76 | Frank Killen | 253 | |
Win Mercer | 253 | ||
78 | Paul Derringer | 251 | |
79 | Sad Sam Jones | 250 | |
Ed Walsh * | 250 | ||
81 | Eddie Cicotte | 249 | |
Herb Pennock * | 249 | ||
Stump Weidman | 249 | ||
84 | Bobo Newsom | 246 | |
85 | Hooks Dauss | 245 | |
Phil Niekro * | 245 | ||
John Montgomery Ward * | 245 | ||
88 | Harry Howell | 244 | |
Juan Marichal * | 244 | ||
90 | Jack Quinn | 243 | |
91 | Bert Blyleven * | 242 | |
Deacon Phillippe | 242 | ||
Bucky Walters | 242 | ||
94 | Sam Leever | 241 | |
95 | Kid Gleason | 240 | |
96 | Addie Joss * | 234 | |
97 | Candy Cummings * | 233 | |
98 | Harry Staley | 232 | |
George Uhle | 232 | ||
100 | Carl Mays | 231 | |
Tom Seaver * | 231 |
. Paul Dickson (writer) . The new Dickson baseball dictionary . 130 . 1999 . . 978-0-15-600580-7. August 27, 2011.