Special Editor
DongA.com, Song Chi-Hoon

With a decade of experience as a sports journalist and 30 years as a devoted baseball fan, Song Chi-Hoon brings deeper insights into the fascinating hidden stories of Major League Baseball.

※ This content is part of a special collaboration with MLB Park and features unique items from the Eland Museum.

On September 21, 2003, a historic record was set at Turner Field, the home of the Atlanta Braves.

The man of the hour was Greg Maddux. His legendary scouting report encapsulates what made him special in just one sentence.

"I really believe that this boy would possibly be the number 1 player taken in the country... He throws 86-89 consistently with very good movement."

Maddux was renowned for his artistic level of control and efficiency on the mound. His goal was not to strike out batters but to induce ground balls* and weak contact**, minimizing pitch count and maximizing efficiency.

* Ground balls: Batted balls that hit the ground before reaching the outfield.

** Weak contact: Batted balls that are hit softly, making them easier for fielders to handle.

Maddux despised issuing walks and avoided pitching around hitters. He even considered the minimum three pitches needed for a strikeout to be wasteful, relying heavily on modified fastballs* and off-speed pitches** to induce weak contact.

*Modified fastballs: Fastballs thrown with a grip that alters their trajectory, making them harder for batters to hit. Examples include cut fastballs and split-finger fastballs.

**Off-speed pitches: Pitches thrown significantly slower than a pitcher's fastball to disrupt the batter's timing.

Throughout his 5,008 innings, Maddux's efficient pitching allowed him to avoid major injuries and consistently rack up innings. For instance, in 1997, he completed a game with just 78 pitches, allowing only 5 hits and 1 run over 9 innings.

Maddux recorded 3,371 strikeouts while issuing only 999 walks, 177 of which were intentional. Considering the MLB average for intentional walks is about 7%, Maddux's intentional walk rate was nearly 17%. Excluding intentional walks, he allowed just 1.48 walks per 9 innings.

He also excelled defensively, winning a record 18 Gold Gloves for pitchers. From his third year in 1988, Maddux recorded at least 15 wins for 15 consecutive seasons until 2002. Before him, the only pitcher to achieve this was Cy Young.

If Maddux won on this day, he would surpass Cy Young's* record, becoming the first pitcher in MLB history to achieve 16 consecutive 15-win seasons.

*The Cy Young Award: Named after the legendary pitcher Cy Young, who recorded over 20 wins each year from 1891 to 1914 and totaled 511 wins over his 22-year career. The award has been given to the best pitchers in each league since 1957.

The 2003 season started rough for Maddux. He didn't secure his 14th win until September 6. In his next two starts, he struggled, losing on September 11 and getting a no-decision on September 16 despite a strong performance.

On his third attempt for his 15th win, September 21, Maddux pitched a scoreless game until the third inning when Juan Pierre's hit struck his ankle. Despite the injury, Maddux taped his ankle and retired the next six batters, leaving the game with the win intact.

With help from the offense and bullpen, Atlanta won 8-0, and Maddux secured his 15th win of the season. This made him the first pitcher in MLB history to record 15 wins in 16 consecutive seasons.

After achieving this milestone, Maddux credited his teammates in a post-game interview.

"Sometimes, you're pretty fortunate on the mound. It worked out. Probably the most special thing was seeing the other 24 guys on the team really busting it for me. To see your teammates go out of their way, that's pretty special."

Regarding his ankle injury, Maddux downplayed its severity.

"It was kind of hard to keep my weight on it. It was a little uncomfortable. With a foot, you can go on. I don't know how much it swelled up, but I know it hurt."

In 2004, Maddux recorded 16 wins, extending his streak to 17 years before it ended with 13 wins in 2005. However, he achieved one last 15-win season in 2006.

Over his 23-season career, Maddux recorded 18 seasons with at least 15 wins and 18 seasons with over 200 innings pitched. Considering he played during an era plagued by steroid use, his accomplishments are even more impressive.

With a career record of 355-227, a 3.16 ERA, 5,008 1/3 innings pitched, 3,371 strikeouts, 999 walks, and a 1.14 WHIP, Maddux was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014 with 97.2% of the vote. This percentage ranked him eighth at the time and third among pitchers, behind only Tom Seaver and Nolan Ryan.

In 2013, many writers submitted blank ballots to protest steroid-era players, affecting all candidates' vote totals, including Maddux. Despite having the credentials for unanimous induction, he missed 16 votes.

Despite his stellar credentials, several factors, including backlash against steroid-era players and conservative voting practices, prevented a unanimous induction. Some writers refused to vote for any players from the steroid era, and others adhered to a tradition of not voting for players in their first year of eligibility. Although pitchers like Maddux, who achieved great success without the aid of steroids, should arguably be more highly regarded, the overall sentiment against the era's players impacted his vote total.

However, Maddux remains one of the greatest pitchers in MLB history.

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