Andy Cooper
Cooper epitomizes the dual-threat player that thrived in the Negro Leagues, though his bat tells a different story than his arm. While he managed just a .185 average over nearly two decades as a position player, his pitching numbers reveal why he earned Hall of Fame recognition in 2006.
That 125 career ERA+ spanning 1,548 innings represents genuinely elite pitching, with his 1937 campaign standing as a masterpiece. At age 40, Cooper posted a 2.65 ERA that was 64 percent better than league average, proving his longevity wasn't just about accumulating innings.
The 114-64 record across 286 games shows remarkable consistency for a pitcher navigating the challenging schedules and travel conditions of Negro League baseball. Cooper's 659 strikeouts came in an era when power pitching was less emphasized, making his ability to miss bats even more valuable.
Career · Hitting
18 seasons| Year | Team | G | AB | HR | RBI | AVG | OPS | OPS+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | DS | 10 | 15 | 0 | 0 | .067 | .192 | 28 |
| 1921 | DS | 23 | 42 | 0 | 3 | .262 | — | — |
| 1922 | DS | 20 | 47 | 1 | 3 | .170 | — | — |
| 1923 | DS | 36 | 64 | 0 | 5 | .109 | — | — |
| 1924 | DS | 34 | 62 | 0 | 1 | .177 | — | — |
| 1925 | DS | 32 | 54 | 1 | 5 | .241 | — | — |
| 1926 | DS | 37 | 65 | 0 | 3 | .154 | — | — |
| 1927 | DS | 14 | 29 | 0 | 2 | .207 | — | — |
| 1928 | KCM | 23 | 49 | 0 | 6 | .265 | — | — |
| 1929 | KCM | 22 | 42 | 1 | 6 | .262 | — | — |
| 1930 | DS | 19 | 41 | 0 | 0 | .098 | — | — |
| 1933 | KCM | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | .250 | — | — |
| 1934 | KCM | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | .667 | — | — |
| 1935 | KCM | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — |
| 1936 | KCM | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — |
| 1937 | KCM | 12 | 21 | 0 | 0 | .095 | — | — |
| 1938 | KCM | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | .167 | — | — |
| 1939 | KCM | 4 | 9 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .667 | 91 |
| Career | 300 | 568 | 3 | 35 | .185 | — | — | |
Career · Pitching
18 seasons| Year | Team | G | IP | W | L | ERA | ERA+ | SO | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | DS | 9 | 42.3 | 1 | 2 | 3.61 | 96 | 13 | 1.205 |
| 1921 | DS | 19 | 102.3 | 4 | 8 | 4.40 | 91 | 33 | 1.358 |
| 1922 | DS | 20 | 129.3 | 9 | 4 | 4.38 | 95 | 61 | 1.198 |
| 1923 | DS | 36 | 183.3 | 15 | 7 | 3.49 | 115 | 68 | 1.156 |
| 1924 | DS | 31 | 151.0 | 12 | 7 | 3.70 | 112 | 81 | 1.179 |
| 1925 | DS | 30 | 146.7 | 12 | 2 | 2.88 | 158 | 49 | 1.077 |
| 1926 | DS | 37 | 182.0 | 13 | 9 | 4.15 | 99 | 70 | 1.269 |
| 1927 | DS | 12 | 78.3 | 4 | 4 | 4.71 | 87 | 27 | 1.468 |
| 1928 | KCM | 22 | 130.3 | 12 | 7 | 3.87 | 107 | 53 | 1.120 |
| 1929 | KCM | 23 | 130.7 | 11 | 3 | 2.96 | 155 | 48 | 1.247 |
| 1930 | DS | 19 | 122.7 | 9 | 6 | 3.52 | 136 | 52 | 1.182 |
| 1933 | KCM | 3 | 16.3 | 2 | 1 | 2.20 | 175 | 9 | 1.163 |
| 1934 | KCM | 3 | 11.0 | 0 | 2 | 3.27 | 131 | 8 | 1.182 |
| 1935 | KCM | 3 | 11.7 | 1 | 0 | 5.40 | 81 | 5 | 1.457 |
| 1936 | KCM | 2 | 13.0 | 2 | 0 | 0.00 | — | 11 | 0.846 |
| 1937 | KCM | 10 | 57.7 | 3 | 2 | 2.65 | 164 | 40 | 0.919 |
| 1938 | KCM | 3 | 17.7 | 2 | 0 | 3.57 | 122 | 9 | 1.019 |
| 1939 | KCM | 4 | 21.7 | 2 | 0 | 2.08 | 206 | 22 | 1.015 |
| Career | 286 | 1548.0 | 114 | 64 | — | — | 659 | — | |
Matchups, projections, comps — grounded in Lahman, Retrosheet, and Statcast.