Michael Francis Welch (July 4, 1859 - July 30, 1941), also known as Mickey Welch, was a 19th century Major League Baseball starting pitcher. He was the third big league pitcher to accumulate 300 career victories (after Pud Galvin and Tim Keefe).

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Welch made his major league debut in 1880, winning 34 games and losing 30. Welch started fewer games the following two seasons, winning 21 in 1881 and 14 in 1882, but resumed a heavy workload in 1883 when he moved to the New York Gothams (renamed the Giants in 1885). His two finest individual seasons came in 1884, when he went 39-21 with 345 strikeouts and a 2.50 ERA, and 1885, when he went 44-11 with 258 strikeouts and a 1.66 ERA.

Welch's career slowed down after the Giants won the National League pennant in 1888 and 1889. He retired after one start in the 1892 season having compiled 307 victories, 210 losses, 1850 strikeouts and a career 2.71 ERA.

Welch holds the record for most consecutive batters struck out to begin a game, with 9, set August 28, 1884. He is also credited with being the first pinch hitter in the league's history, doing so on August 10, 1889.

Welch was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973.

External links

• Mickey Welch's career statistics at Baseball-Reference.com (http://www.baseball-reference.com/w/welchmi01.shtml)
• Baseball Hall of Fame Biography (http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/hofer_bios/welch_mickey.htm)