of which were starts. He had a 129–157 record, a 3.73 ERA, 881 strikeouts, 881 walks, and 2,471 hits allowed in innings pitched. Garver threw 153 complete games, 18 of which were shutouts. As a hitter, Garver had a career .218 batting average (180-for-827) with 87 runs scored, seven home runs, 72 RBI, and 76 walks. Pitching style Garver never threw as hard as most MLB pitchers. His primary pitch was a sinking fastball. During the 1947 season, he figured out how to throw a slider while playing catch with another player before a game. By putting pressure on his next-to-index finger, he could make the ball change directions as it came to the plate. "That pitch took me to the big leagues, and it kept me there," he credited its importance. He actually had two different types of sliders. Against left-handers, he threw one in the manner of a forward pass in football. "It would break back in and hit you on the fist of the bat," he said. The other one he threw with a three-quarters delivery. "I could make the ball drop out and down," he said of this pitch, which was more effective against right-handers. Garver was most effective when he could keep the ball lower in the strike zone, and at the edges of the plate. He hoped that hitters would make early contact with his pitches, which would prevent them from figuring out all the different ways he could throw the ball. He would try to add to his array of pitches during spring training, using the time for experimentation. After his injury in 1952, Garver continued to pitch by changing speeds on the ball and throwing from different angels: overhand, underhand, and sidearm. He seldom threw a traditional spitball, recalling Harmon Killebrew hitting a home run off of him in one of the only instances he ever threw it. However, he would apply a small amount of baby oil to his cap, touching the hat in that spot to get a better grip on his sinking fastball late in a game. There were several strategies Garver used to relieve mental pressure in difficult situations. At crucial points in a ballgame, he would tell himself the game was just getting started to relax himself. He would also look around the stadium, finding a far off sign to focus on, in order to not concentrate