For Valentine's Day

By Mike Whiteman February 14, 2026 Happy Valentine's Day everyone! On Valentine's Day I'm reminded again how I'm blessed to be married to a wonderful woman (for almost 33 years) who not only tolerates my baseball obsession, but enables it. From when she surprised me with 1996 ALCS tickets in Baltimore, to multiple Cooperstown trips, to the countless games she's attended with me, she has always been supportive. By the time you're reading this, I'll likely be enjoying my annual Valentine's gift - a baseball preview magazine and a 5th Avenue candy bar. In that spirit of the day, I thought this to be a good time to introduce you to a player whose raw gifts certainly made many a manager's heart flutter - lefthanded pitcher Slim Love. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lovesl01.shtml

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/Slim-Love/ A quick Google search indicates that the average American male stood about five feet, seven inches in 1913. Slim Love was six feet, seven inches, the tallest player of the Deadball Era. He must have intrigued his managers with the combination of height, a plus fastball, and an "active" curve; his ability drawing comparisons to Hall of Fame lefty Rube Waddell. He was referred in newspapers of the day as "lanky", "awkward", and a "sidewinder", which at his height had to give batters moments of pause. Unfortunately, he seemed to have had problems pulling it all together. There was even chatter that his height prevented him from fielding bunts effectively, which would have been a big deal in the Deadball era. Love first came upon the scene in 1913, when he had the "cup of coffee" with the Washington Nationals (Senators). He didn't stick, and found himself in Los Angeles, pitching in the Pacific Coast League where he won 33 games with a 2.10 ERA over the 1914 and 1915 seasons. He was drafted by the Yankees off the Washington roster at the end of 1915. Love pitched only sparingly for the club in 1916 (48 innings pitched) but improved to a 6-5, 2.35 line as a swingman in 1917. The big story of 1918 was that after a long stretch of mediocrity the Yankees were finally contending, tied for first place in the American League in early July . Love, now entrenched in the starting rotation, was in the middle of it and after a complete game win over Cleveland July 13th he was 10-4, 2.54. Folks were noticing too. From the May 16, 1918 The Sporting News: "Love's sudden rise to fame in the biggest surprise of the local season. The lanky southpaw looks like a really great pitcher. He has been inspired by the Yankee little manager (Miller Huggins) and now wants to pitch three games a week. Love has everything - speed, a quick curve ball, a floater, and above all nerve and control. He has steadily improved, and Hug is working him regularly."

High praise! It didn't last. Love was 3-8, 4.24 from July 14th through the end of the season. He ended up leading the AL with 116 walks. The Yankees themselves were 17-29 in the home stretch and finished fourth in the AL. The loss during the season of players like Wally Pipp, Ping Bodie and pitchers Ray Caldwell and Hank Thormahlen to World War I military or alternate service didn't help things out down the stretch. For the season, Love was 13-12, 3.07 (91 ERA+) in 229 innings over the WWI - shortened (123 games) schedule. He led the American League pitchers in walks, and was among leaders in batters hit by pitch and strikeouts.

Love's limp to the finish in 1918 seemed to create doubt in New York, and after the season he was dealt to Boston in a huge deal for the Yankees - receiving star left fielder Duffy Lewis, lefty hurler Dutch Leonard, and righty Ernie Shore. About a month later, Love was traded again, this time to Detroit, where he was again a reasonably successful swingman for 1919, then his MLB career ended after one appearance in April 1920.

He wasn't done pitching though, and played minor league ball for the next ten years. All in all he won 155 minor league games. Love was 28-21, 3.04 (95 ERA+ - this was Deadball era) for his career at the Major League level, primarily with the Yankees. The name Slim Love won't be ranked among the great Yankee hurlers, but for a half a season he sure looked good. Enjoy your day with your sweethearts.