Greg Maddux Gets His 300th Win August 7, 2004

On this day in Baseball History August 7, 2004, Greg Maddux of the Chicago Cubs becomes the 22nd player to reach the 300-win plateau with a 8-4 victory against the San Francisco Giants at SBC Park. Though it wasn't a Maddux-like performance, he still was able to win by giving up four runs, seven hits and three walks over five-plus innings while striking out three.

Here is the list of the other 21 300-game winners at the time Ryan joined the club (in the order in which they reached the plateau):

1. 1888 Pud Calvin
2. 1890 Tim Keefe
3. 1890 Mickey Welch
4. 1891 Charles Radbourne
5. 1892 John Clarkson
6. 1900 Kid Nichols
7. 1901 Cy Young
8. 1912 Christy Mathewson
9. 1915 Ed Plank
10. 1920 Walter Johnson
11. 1924 Grover Alexander
12. 1941 Lefty Grove
13. 1961 Warren Spahn
14. 1963 Early Wynne
15. 1982 Gaylord Perry
16. 1983 Steve Carlton
17. 1985 Tom Seaver
18. 1985 Phil Niekro
19. 1986 Don Sutton
20. 1990 Nolan Ryan
21. 2003 Roger Clemens

Maddux would go on to win a total of 355 games which places him at number eight on the all-time wins list. Here are the other seven pitchers that are ahead of Maddux on this list:

1. Cy Young 511 wins RHP
2. Walter Johnson 417 wins RHP
3. Pete Alexander 373 wins RHP
4. Christy Mathewson 373 wins RHP
5. Pud Galvin 365 wins RHP
6. Warren Spahn 363 wins LHP
7. Kid Nichols 361 wins RHP
8. Greg Maddux 355 wins RHP

Maddux won four consecutive National League Cy Young Awards (1992-1995), placed in the top five of NL Cy Young Voting nine times. He would make seven All-Star appearances and win a staggering eighteen Gold Gloves.

Maddux would retire in 2008 after 23-seasons and was inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer after having received 97.2% of the vote (555/571 ballots).

Bobby Cox, Tony LaRussa, Tom Glavine, Frank Thomas, Greg Maddux and Joe Torre

The Professor was one of the best we've ever seen play the game, doing so not through power and sheer force but through finesse and calculated pitching. Thanks for the memories.

Until Then Keep Playing Ball,
Baseball Sisco
#baseballsisco
#baseballsiscokidstyle

For Further Reading:
- Click Here to access Greg Maddux's career statistics from Baseball Reference.com
- Click Here to access the boxscore for Greg Maddux's 300th win on August 7, 2004 from Baseball Reference.com
- Click Here to access the article Maddux welcomed into the 300 club by Carrie Muskat from MLB.com dated August 7, 2004