View source for Sam Leever

{{Short description|American baseball player (1871–1953)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Sam Leever
|image=Sleever.jpg
|position=[[Pitcher]]
|birth_date={{birth date|1871|12|23}}
|birth_place=[[Goshen, Ohio]], U.S.
|death_date={{death date and age|1953|5|19|1871|12|23}}
|death_place=Goshen, Ohio, U.S.
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=May 26
|debutyear=1898
|debutteam=Pittsburgh Pirates
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=September 26
|finalyear=1910
|finalteam=Pittsburgh Pirates
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Win–loss record (pitching)|Win–loss record]]
|stat1value=194–100
|stat2label=[[Earned run average]]
|stat2value=2.47
|stat3label=[[Strikeout]]s
|stat3value=847
|teams=
*[[Pittsburgh Pirates]] (1898–1910)
|highlights=
*[[World Series]] champion (1909)
*[[List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders|NL ERA leader]] (1903)
}}

'''Samuel Leever''' (December 23, 1871 – May 19, 1953), nicknamed "'''the Goshen Schoolmaster'''", was an American right-handed [[pitcher]] in [[Major League Baseball]]. He spent his entire career with the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]].

==Early life==
Sam Leever was born in [[Goshen, Ohio]], the fourth child of Edward Leever, a farmer, and Ameredith Andelia ([[née]] Watson) Leever.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2541&h=499874&queryId=cce608d29f2e4a87df015947953cc699&usePUB=true&_phsrc=YsW1&_phstart=successSource&requr=2550866976735232&ur=0&gsfn=&gsln=&h=499874 |title=Register |url-access=subscription |website=www.ancestry.com}}</ref> He graduated from [[Goshen High School (Ohio)|Goshen High School]], and then became a teacher there for several years.<ref name="ancestry1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/tree/111912515/person/290093052869/media/8ba04cc7-37a4-490b-a8ec-c5cf1f7d4c6b?_phsrc=YsW11&_phstart=successSource|title=Ancestry - Sign In|website=[[Ancestry.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clermontsun.com/2019/11/21/goshen-schools-board-member-resigns-board-also-discusses-sam-leever-credentialing-and-graduation/|title = Goshen Schools board member resigns; Board also discusses Sam Leever, credentialing, and graduation|date = November 21, 2019}}</ref>

==Professional baseball career==
Leever's first year in the Major Leagues was 1898 at age 26, making his debut on May 26 against the [[History of the Washington Senators (1901–1960)|Washington Senators]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/1898/05/26/|title=Major League Scores, Standings, Box Scores for Thursday, May 26, 1898|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> Of that debut, the ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' wrote, "The interest of the 1,300 spectators was largely centered in the work of Leever, who had his first chance in a championship game. Leever is a big, strong fellow, who has plenty of speed and some good curves to help out in a pinch ... He is not afraid to put the ball over the plate."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/85460474 |title=27 May 1898, Page 6 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette at |publisher=Newspapers.com |date= |accessdate=February 6, 2022}}</ref> That year he pitched in 5 games for the Pirates. However, the following year he led the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] in games pitched with 51 and in innings pitched with 379 as he posted a record of 21–23. In 1901 and 1905 he led the league in winning percentage (14–5 and 20–5, respectively), as well as in 1903, when he had his best season, going 25–7 with a league-leading 2.06 [[earned run average]] (ERA).<ref name="baseball-reference1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/leevesa01.shtml|title=Sam Leever Stats|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>

In 1903 Leever also led the Pirates to their third consecutive National League pennant. However he injured his shoulder late in the season and was ineffective in the first-ever [[1903 World Series|World Series]], losing both of his starts as the Pirates were defeated by [[Boston Red Sox|Boston]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1903_WS.shtml|title = 1903 World Series - Boston Americans over Pittsburgh Pirates (5-3)}}</ref>

Leever later went 8–1 for the 1909 Pirates, when they won their first World Series title. His lifetime ERA was 2.47, and he had a 194–100 record, 847 [[strikeout]]s, 39 shutouts, 241 complete games, 587 [[base on balls|walks]], and only 29 [[home run]]s allowed in 2,660.2 innings.

As a hitter, Leever posted a .184 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] (183-for-993) with 90 [[run (baseball)|runs]], 17 [[double (baseball)|doubles]], 14 [[triple (baseball)|triples]], 2 [[home run]]s, 78 [[runs batted in]], and 49 bases on balls.<ref name="baseball-reference1"/>

==Personal life==
Sam Leever married Margaret Leever in 1903 when he was 32 and she was 18. They had no children.<ref>https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6224/images/4638896_00994?usePUB=true&_phsrc=YsW4&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=74394533 {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=March 2022}}</ref> He died in 1953 at age 81 in [[Batavia, Ohio]] near his hometown of Goshen.<ref name="ancestry1"/> His wife Margaret died in 1959. They are buried in Goshen Cemetery.

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|Baseball|Ohio}}
*[[List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball career ERA leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball career WHIP leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{Baseballstats|br=l/leevesa01|brm=leever001sam}}
*{{Find a Grave}}

{{1901 Pittsburgh Pirates}}
{{1902 Pittsburgh Pirates}}
{{1909 Pittsburgh Pirates}}
{{Pittsburgh Pirates Opening Day starting pitchers}}
{{NL ERA champions}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leever, Sam}}
[[Category:1871 births]]
[[Category:1953 deaths]]
[[Category:19th-century baseball players]]
[[Category:19th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball pitchers]]
[[Category:National League ERA champions]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Pirates players]]
[[Category:Minor league baseball managers]]
[[Category:Minneapolis Millers (baseball) players]]
[[Category:Richmond Giants players]]
[[Category:Richmond Bluebirds players]]
[[Category:Kansas City Packers players]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:Covington Blue Sox players]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Clermont County, Ohio]]
[[Category:Baseball coaches from Ohio]]