Roy "Rhino" Hitt - P
1903-06, 1909-16
Oakland, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vernon/Venice

Roy "Rhino" Hitt was born on June 22, 1887 in Carleton, Nebraska.

The 5'10", 200lb. lefty threw like a charging rhino. He was inducted into the PCL Hall of Fame for his 202 wins in 9 seasons.

Seven of those seasons he won over twenty games.

Hitt began his career in 1903 with Oakland, pitching a scant 15 innings late in the season with a 2.93 ERA.

1904 saw Hitt in two uniforms, with Los Angeles and San Francisco for very brief appearances in a total of 9.3 innings of work with an orbital 8.68 ERA.

San Francisco stuck with Hitt, who made the club in 1905. Their faith was rewarded as Hitt's 25-14 record came off of 42 games and 346 innings pitched. He served up only 69 earned runs and 218 Ks with a smoking 1.79 ERA.

1906 saw Hitt's record with the Seals rise to 31-12 in 403 innings of work with 85 earned runs, 220 Ks and a blistering 1.90 ERA. His 31 wins would be a career high.

Following that great 1906 season, in 1907, at age 20, Hitt was called up to the majors. He played for Cincinnati, where he had a less than spectacular 6-10 season with a .375 win percentage and a 3.40 ERA.

Hitt returned to the PCL in 1909 playing with Vernon. It was a tough year. Vernon did not have the kind of clubs that San Francisco produced. Hitt had little backing him up. He ended the year with a disappointing 15-30 record in 48 games despite a near-career high 194 Ks and a respectable 2.38 ERA.

The following year saw a better ballclub and Hitt return to his old form. He went 26-17 with his second straight year of Ks over the century mark at 105, and an ERA dropping to a career best 1.68.

Hitt stayed with Vernon until 1912. He was traded to Venice in 1913, where he continued to win more than twenty games. By the end of 1914, Rhino had charged his way though five straight 20 game-winning seasons.

In 1915, Hitt was traded back to Vernon. Wear and tear slowed down the hard-throwing hurler. A 15-11 record saw the first season where Hitt threw less than 100 Ks in ten years. His ERA rose to 2.51.

The final season of the Rhino came in 1916, some thirteen years after his brief debut with Oakland. He appeared in only four games before hanging it up.

Over his career, Hitt pitched 3,117.7 innings with over 1,448 Ks, only 908 BBs and 785 earned runs and a 202-146 record.

He was inducted into the Pacific Coast League (PCL) Hall of Fame in 2004 for his achievements on the mound. Why he was unable to turn on that power in the majors with the Reds remains on of the mysteries of a distinguished career.