Humber (England)

Humber Bridge suspension bridge viewed from the south east.

River Hull tidal barrier. Situated at the end of the River Hull where it meets the Humber

Railway era map of Hull showing Ferry route and layout of docks

The Humber ( /ˈhʌmbər/) is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal River Ouse and the tidal River Trent. From here to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between the East Riding of Yorkshire on the north bank and North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire on the south bank. Although the Humber is an estuary from the point at which it is formed, many maps show it as the River Humber.^[1]

Below Trent Falls, the Humber passes the junction with the Market Weighton Canal on the north shore, the confluence of the River Ancholme on the south shore; between North Ferriby and South Ferriby and under the Humber Bridge; between Barton-upon-Humber on the south bank and Kingston upon Hull on the North bank (where the River Hull joins), then meets the North Sea between Cleethorpes on the Lincolnshire side and the long and thin (but rapidly changing) headland of Spurn Head to the North.

Ports on the Humber include Kingston upon Hull (better known as simply Hull), Grimsby, Immingham, New Holland and Killingholme. The estuary is navigable here for the largest of deep-sea vessels. Inland connections for smaller craft are extensive but currently only handle one quarter of the goods traffic handled in the Thames.^[2]

History[link]

The Humber is now only an estuary; but when the world sea level was lower during the Ice Ages, the Humber had a long freshwater course across the dry bed of the North Sea.^{[citation needed]}

In the Anglo-Saxon period, the Humber was a major boundary, separating Northumbria from the southern kingdoms. Indeed, the name Northumbria came from Anglo-Saxon Norðhymbre (plural) = "the people north of the Humber".^{[citation needed]} The Humber currently forms the boundary between the East Riding of Yorkshire, to the north and North and North East Lincolnshire, to the south.

From 1974 to 1996 the areas now known as East Riding, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire constituted Humberside. For hundreds of years before that, the Humber lay between Lindsey and The East Riding of Yorkshire. "East Riding" is derived from "East Thriding", and likewise with the other Ridings. "Thriding" is an old word of Norse origin meaning a third part. Since the late 11th century, Lindsey had been one of the Parts of Lincolnshire.

On 23 August 1921, the British airship R38 crashed into the estuary near Hull, killing 44 of the 49 crew on board.^[3]

Crossings[link]

The estuary's only modern crossing is the Humber Bridge, which was once the longest single span suspension bridge in the world. Now it is the fifth longest.

Before the bridge was built a series of paddle steamers operated from the oddly-named Corporation Pier railway station^[4] at the Victoria Pier in Hull to the railway pier in New Holland. Steam ferries started in 1841, and in 1848 were purchased by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway. They, and their successors, ran the ferry until the bridge opened in 1981.^[4] Although the railway to New Holland closed in 1977, passenger and car traffic continued to use the pier until the end of ferry operations.^[5]

The line of the bridge rather mimics an ancient ferry route, from Hessle to Barton upon Humber, which is mentioned in the Domesday Book and in a charter of 1281, and which was recorded as still running into the railway era in 1856.^[6][7]

Defences[link]

Two fortifications were built in the mouth of the river in 1914, the Humber Forts.^[8][9] A coastal battery at Easington, Fort Goodwin or Kilnsea Battery, faced the Bull Sands Fort.^[10]

Fort Paull is further downstream, a Napoleonic-era emplacement replaced in the early 20th century by Stallinborough Battery^[11] opposite Sunk Island.

Crossing on foot[link]

Graham Boanas, a Hull man, is believed to be the first man to succeed in wading across the Humber since ancient Roman times. The feat, in August 2005, was attempted to raise cash and awareness for the medical research charity, DebRA. He started his trek on the north bank at Boothferry; four hours later, he emerged on the South bank at Whitton. He is 6 feet 9 inches (205.74 cm) tall and took advantage of a very low tide.^[12] He replicated this achievement on the television programme Top Gear (Series 10 Episode 6) when he raced James May who drove a Alfa Romeo 159 around the inland part of the estuary without using the Humber Bridge.

Etymology[link]

This river's name is recorded in Anglo-Saxon times as Humbre (Anglo-Saxon ) and Humbri (Vulgar Latin dative) / Umbri (Classical Latin dative) . The Latin name Abus (probably from Latin verb Abdo which means to cover with shadows) has the meaning of black/dark river . The successive name Humbre/Humbri/Umbri could continue to have the same meaning; in fact, the Latin verb umbro means, once again, to cover with shadows with the sense of black/dark river.^[13] Another hypothesis is: since its name recurs in the name of the "Humber Brook" near "Humber Court" in Herefordshire or Worcestershire, the word humbr- may have been a word that meant "river", or something similar, in an aboriginal language that had been spoken in England before the Celts migrated there (compare Tardebigge). An element *ambri- 'channel, river' is reconstructible for proto-Celtic and the Ancient Celtic prefix *su- 'good' routinely developed into Welsh *hy-.

The Humber features regularly in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 12th-century fictional chronicle Historia Regum Britanniae. According to Geoffrey, the Humber, invariably referred to by the Latin word for river, was named after "Humber the Hun" who drowned there while trying to invade in the earliest days of Britain's settlement.

The Humber was once known as the Abus, for example in Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene.

See also[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Humber estuary

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Humber.

• Rivers of the United Kingdom
• North Wall (Humberside)
• Humber, the name of one of the sea areas of the British Shipping Forecast.

Navigable tributaries and connections[link]

• River Hull
• River Trent
• River Ouse, Yorkshire
• Aire and Calder Navigation

References[link]

External links[link]

• [1] Private web site about the Steam era ferries
• [2] Associated British Ports, Humber group. Includes daily details of major shipping movements
• [3] Extensive private web site about history of river trading in Humber and tributaries.

Coordinates: 53°35′N 0°0′E / 53.583°N 0°E / 53.583; 0

Philip Humber
Chicago White Sox – No. 41
Pitcher
Born: (1982-12-21) December 21, 1982 (age 29) Nacogdoches, Texas
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 24, 2006 for the New York Mets
Career statistics (through May 28, 2012)
Win-loss record	12–12
Earned run average	4.41
Strikeouts	193
Teams
New York Mets (2006–2007) Minnesota Twins (2008–2009) Kansas City Royals (2010) Chicago White Sox (2011–present)
Career highlights and awards
1× AL Player of the Week Pitched a perfect game on April 21, 2012 against the Seattle Mariners.

Philip Gregory Humber ( /ˈʌmbər/; born December 21, 1982 in Nacogdoches, Texas) is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox. He has pitched for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Royals, and White Sox. Although he debuted in the major leagues in 2006 and worked mostly as a starter in the minors, he did not become a regular Major League starter until 2011. He bats and throws right-handed.

Humber earned three Texas Little League state championships. He then went on to star for the high school baseball team at Carthage High School in Carthage, Texas. Humber led his high school baseball team to the state championship game in his senior season as state Player of the Year. He then attended Rice University, where he played college baseball for the Rice Owls baseball team. Humber was the winning pitcher in the clinching game of the 2003 College World Series. He has also represented the United States at the World University Baseball Championship.

The Mets selected Humber with the third overall selection in the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft out of Rice. He underwent Tommy John surgery while pitching in minor league baseball, before making his MLB debut with the Mets. It took him several years to regain his velocity after the surgery. After being traded to the Twins for Johan Santana, Humber struggled to establish himself. He spent a year with the Royals organization and was briefly a member of the Oakland Athletics organization, before being claimed on waivers by the White Sox in 2011, getting an opportunity to pitch in the White Sox' starting rotation. On April 21, 2012, Humber pitched the 21st perfect game in MLB history, defeating the Seattle Mariners.

Early life[link]

Born in Nacogdoches, Texas, Humber was raised in Carthage, Texas. When Humber was 11 years old, he visited the Chicago White Sox during spring training in Florida as the guest of Robert Ellis, a family friend of the Humbers, who then was a minor league baseball pitcher for the White Sox.^[1] Carthage was a Texas anomaly with its baseball athletes being the most admired role models rather than football players.^[2] As of 2004, the Panola County Dixie League teams had won 15 state championships in the preceding 20 years and Humber played for three state champions.^[2] Humber was raised with a batting cage in his backyard in an area with an abundance of baseball fields.^[2]

Amateur career[link]

Humber attended Carthage High School in Carthage, Texas.^[3] The Carthage Bulldogs had won the state title in 1990 and been one of the final four teams in the state tournament in 1994.^[2] Humber was promoted from junior varsity midway through his sophomore season. He compiled a 4–0 record with a 1.09 ERA.^[2] He went 7–2 as a junior, and posted a 13–1 record with a 0.90 ERA and 146 strikeouts as a senior. He also had a .371 batting average with 6 home runs.^[2] Humber struck out six and walked only one in a three-hit shutout in the Texas University Interscholastic League Class 4A semifinals against Cedar Park High School in 2001, his senior season.^[4] Although Carthage lost the state championship to Western Hills High School in baseball that year,^[5] Humber was named Texas High School Class 4A Player of the Year by the Texas Sports Writers Association.^[6][7] According to former Major League Baseball prospect and East Texas native Alan Move: "Back in high school, he (Humber) threw harder than everyone else and changed speeds pretty well and that's all you need in high school."^[2]

Humber was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 29th round of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft.^[8] As the 875th pick overall,^[9] he described himself as "more of a draft-and-follow" prospect.^[8] The Yankees made Humber an offer in an attempt to lure him away from his college scholarship, but he did not sign, choosing instead to attend Rice University in order to play college baseball for the Rice Owls baseball team, competing in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I.^[8]

Medal record
Men's baseball
Competitor for the  United States
World University Baseball Championship
Silver	2002 Messina	National team

At Rice, Humber was coached by Wayne Graham.^[10] Humber was a dominant pitcher during his three college seasons for the Rice Owls, stepping into the nationally-ranked Owls' starting rotation as a freshman. Humber finished his freshman season in 2002 with an 11–1 win–loss record, a 2.78 earned run average and a (WAC)-leading 130 strikeouts in 110 ²⁄₃ innings, earning National Freshman Player of the Year honors from Collegiate Baseball and All-America honors from several publications—Collegiate Baseball (Second Team), Baseball America (Second Team) and Baseball Weekly (Third Team).^[7][11] Humber's strikeout total was the most for an Owl freshman since 1976.^[2] However, his first home appearance at Reckling Park was in the annual Rice Alumni game in February 2002. After retiring his first two batters in relief, Humber faced a pair of Major League Baseball players. Jose Cruz, Jr. bounced the baseball off of the wall in center field and then Lance Berkman hit the ball over the scoreboard.^[12] That season, Rice would reach the 2002 College World Series, but lost its first two games and was eliminated. Nonetheless, Humber earned an invitation to the USA Baseball's national team trials.^[13] He was the scheduled starter in the second game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on June 17,^[14] but the team could not hold a 3–2 lead in the bottom of the ninth.^[13] He then competed for the United States national baseball team at the 2002 World University Baseball Championship, which was held in Messina, Sicily. On August 7, he earned a victory for the United States in a game against the South Korean team.^[15] The United States won the silver medal in the tournament.^[16]

Entering his sophomore season, he was expected to be a key part of the starting pitching rotation.^[17] The 2003 season saw the development of Rice's "Big Three" rotation, featuring Humber and sophomore classmates Wade Townsend and Jeff Niemann.^[18] Humber developed a curveball that season,^[7] to augment his arsenal that included a fastball, changeup and split-finger fastball.^[7] The trio entered the 2003 College World Series with gaudy numbers — Niemann (16–0, 1.63 ERA) and Townsend (10–1, 1.90 ERA) complementing Humber — and with Humber scheduled for the third game, if necessary.^[19] Humber finished with a 11–3 win–loss record with a 3.30 ERA,^[11] as Rice won its first national championship in any team sport, not just baseball.^[20] He pitched a complete game four-hit in the decisive third game of the series, a 14–2 win over the Stanford Cardinal.^[11][21] The game established a College World Series record for largest title game margin of victory.^[22] During the season, Rice established a school record 30-game winning streak.^[23] That season, Humber achieved his 17th consecutive win in WAC play. He was recognized as a Third Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball and was a First Team All-Western Athletic Conference honoree.^[11] Upon his becoming the College World Series hero, June 26, 2003 was declared 'Philip Humber Day' in his hometown of Carthage, Texas in his honor.^[11] Following the season, all three pitchers competed in collegiate summer baseball in the Cape Cod Baseball League;^[24] Humber pitched for the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox.^[25] Baseball America rated Humber as the seventh-best prospect in the Cape Cod League.^[26]

In his junior season of 2004, Humber compiled a 13–4 win–loss record and 2.27 ERA. He struck out 154 batters and issued only 37 walks in 115 innings.^[27] He also set the Rice single-game record for strikeouts when he fanned 17 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors hitters March 20, 2004.^[28] Rice entered the 64-team NCAA Baseball tournament as one of the eight national seeds.^[29] In the first game of the regional round of the tournament, Rice was upset by the Texas Southern Tigers.^[30] Humber entered the next game against the Texas A&M Aggies with the bases loaded and surrendered a first-pitch grand slam to Justin Ruggiano.^[31] For the season, Humber totaled 154 strikeouts in 115 innings pitched.^[32]

Humber finished his three-year career with a 35–8 win–loss record and 2.80 ERA, striking out 422 in 354 innings pitched.,^[27] Humber's totals rank him with the third most wins in Rice baseball history and second most strikeouts.^[33] Among his honors for the season were selection to the 2004 Louisville Slugger All-America team by Collegiate Baseball and the 2004 USA TODAY/Sports Weekly All-America team. During the inaugural year for the Roger Clemens Award, which designates the top college pitcher, he was one of 10 named semifinalists. He was also among the 10 finalists for the Dick Howser Trophy in 2004, in recognition of his performance as one of college baseball's top players.^[11]

Following the early exit in the Houston Regional due to the upset by the Aggies, Humber looked forward to the Major League Baseball Draft. Humber, Niemann, and Townsend were all selected in the first eight picks of the 2004 MLB Draft — the first time three teammates had ever gone so early in the same draft.^[34] Only twice had three teammates been taken in the first round, most recently when Steve Hosey, Tom Goodwin and Eddie Zosky were selected in the first round of the 1989 Major League Baseball Draft of the Fresno State Bulldogs.^[35] Teammate David Aardsma, a relief pitcher, was also selected in the first round.^[36]

Professional career[link]

New York Mets[link]

The New York Mets chose Humber out of Rice University with their first-round draft pick in the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft, the third overall selection.^[37] The Mets chose Humber over Jered Weaver and Stephen Drew, who also received consideration, as they considered Humber to be the "safe" selection.^[38] They also scouted Justin Verlander, who the Detroit Tigers had chosen with the second overall pick.^[39] It was reported that the Mets preferred Verlander, and would have chosen him if the Tigers had selected Drew.^[40]

On January 11, 2005, Humber and the Mets agreed to a five-year contract, ending a long holdout the day before the Mets began their two-day minicamp in Port St. Lucie, Florida.^[32] Humber and the Mets were motivated to complete a deal due to a change in federal tax law that made signing bonuses subject to Federal Insurance Contributions Act and Social Security taxes.^[27] There is some discrepancy about the value of the contract. According to MLB.com, Humber received a combined $3.7 million signing bonus and contract from the Mets.^[32] The Houston Chronicle reported the contract to be a $4.2 million deal with a $3.0 million signing bonus and that Humber would fly to minicamp.^[33] Six months later, Lee Jenkins of The New York Times also reported the signing bonus to be $3 million, but he claimed the contract was for $5 million in total.^[41] John Manuel of Baseball America reported the contract was worth a maximum of $5.116, with $4.2 million guaranteed.^[27]

Humber pitching for the New York Mets in 2007 spring training

Baseball America rated Humber as the 50th best prospect in baseball heading into the 2005 season.^[42] Humber entered spring training in 2005 with the Mets.^[43] There, he clashed with Mets' pitching coach Rick Peterson, who wanted Humber to alter his mechanics and adopt a long toss program.^[39] The Mets front office supported Humber, telling him to pitch how he felt comfortable.^[44]

After the brief stint in spring training, the Mets assigned Humber to start his professional career with the St. Lucie Mets of the Class-A Advanced Florida State League, where, in fourteen starts, he posted a 2–6 win–loss record and a 4.99 ERA. Humber was then promoted to the Class-AA Binghamton Mets of the Eastern League.^[45] In one start, Humber gave up three earned runs in four innings.^[46] Humber left the game early due to elbow pain caused by bone spurs, which required Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ligament in his elbow.^[47][48] The surgery was performed by Dr. James Andrews of the American Sports Medicine Institute.^[24] Coincidentally, his Rice pitching teammates, Townsend (Tommy John surgery) and Niemann (arthroscopic shoulder surgery), also endured major surgeries that year.^[24] Rice coach Graham, who also coached MLB starters such as Roger Clemens and Andy Pettite in college, shied away from any blame, noting that all three missed out on fall league play by holding out.^[24] In spite of his arm surgery, Humber was named the 20th best prospect in the Florida State League by Baseball America.^[49] Baseball America ranked him as the fifth-best prospect in the Mets organization following the season.^[50]

On March 8, he was assigned to the Mets minor league camp.^[51] After rehabilitating from surgery, Humber resumed pitching with St. Lucie in 2006, posting a 2.37 ERA in seven starts. He compiled a 3–1 win–loss record.^[47] On July 31, 2006, a year after his surgery, Humber was once again promoted to Binghamton,^[47] where he was 2–2 with a 2.88 ERA. He was an early September call-up when the Major League rosters expanded on September 1.^[52] However, Humber did not make his Major League Baseball debut until September 24, 2006.^[53] He made two appearances for the Mets as a relief pitcher, pitching two innings.^[54] However, Humber was unable to obtain his pre-surgery velocity.^[39] That fall, he began play in the Arizona Fall League but his participation was discontinued when he endured shoulder tendinitis.^[55]

Before the 2007 season, Baseball America rated Humber as the fourth best prospect in the Mets organization.^[56] That year, the Mets had nine pitchers competing for five spots in the starting rotation in spring training camp.^[57] Tom Glavine, Orlando Hernández, John Maine and Óliver Pérez were the favorites for the spots in the rotation. Veterans Aaron Sele, Chan Ho Park and Jorge Sosa were also invited to camp so that the team could be patient with former first round draft choices Humber and Mike Pelfrey, who were considered the most promising pitchers in camp.^[58] Rated the 73rd best prospect in baseball by Baseball America prior to the 2007 season,^[42] Humber competed for a spot on the Mets roster in spring training. However, Humber was optioned to the minor leagues during spring training in 2007.^[59] Assigned to the New Orleans Zephyrs of the Class-AAA Pacific Coast League, Humber had a 11–9 win–loss record and 4.27 ERA in 139 innings pitched. He allowed 129 hits and walked 44 while striking out 120 batters in 25 starts.^[60] For the season, Humber finished tied for fourth in the PCL in wins and the tenth-best ERA.^[61] He had started the season by earning the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the week for the week ending April 22.^[62] That week he allowed 2 earned runs in 13 innings of work over two starts, earning a win on April 16 against the Nashville Sounds with six innings of work and suffering a blown save after seven innings against the Albuquerque Isotopes on April 21.^[63][64] He flirted with a no-hitter with the Zephyrs on August 22 when he entered the ninth inning without giving a hit to the Iowa Cubs.^[61][65] In his subsequent start, he allowed only an unearned run on two hits over five innings against the Oklahoma Redhawks,^[66] but he was removed from the game when a batted ball hit him in the shoulder.^[67]

Humber was promoted to the Mets, again as a September call-up, on September 2.^[54] Though the Mets considered inserting him into the starting rotation immediately,^[68] they chose to start Pelfrey.^[61] Humber made two relief appearances for the Mets, on September 5 and 11.^[69] The Mets, having lost eight of their previous 12 games and seen their lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East division race decrease from seven games to two, removed Mike Pelfrey from the final rotation to give an extra day of rest to pitchers Pedro Martinez, Oliver Perez, and John Maine, and gave Humber his first Major League start on September 26, 2007, against the Washington Nationals, choosing him over Dave Williams.^[70] Although the Mets raced out to a 6–2 lead, Humber allowed five runs in four-plus innings, receiving a no decision in a game the Mets eventually lost, 9–6. The decision to start Humber was seen as emblematic of the Mets' desperation. As George Vecsey wrote in The New York Times, "How did it come to this? How did the entire Mets' season come to depend so much on a young pitcher, Philip Humber, who had never started in the major leagues until last night?"^[71] He concluded his three Mets appearances in the 2007 season with a 7.71 ERA.^[72]

Minnesota Twins[link]

Following the 2007 season, the Mets began to discuss trading Humber to the Minnesota Twins in a package of prospects to acquire two-time Cy Young Award-winning pitcher Johan Santana. Santana, who was eligible to become a free agent after the 2008 season, had rejected a proposed four-year, $80 million contract extension from the Twins. Assuming that he was unlikely to resign with Minnesota, the Twins began to shop him to other MLB teams.^[73]

Humber during his tenure with the Minnesota Twins in 2008.

On February 2, 2008, the Mets traded Humber, along with outfielder Carlos Gómez and pitchers Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra, to the Twins for Santana.^[60] At the time Baseball America ranked Guerra, Gomez, Mulvey and Humber the second, third, fourth and seventh best prospects in the Mets organization, respectively.^[74]

During spring training, the Twins assigned Humber to Santana's former place in the Twins' clubhouse.^[75] While trying to earn a spot in the rotation, Humber compiled 11 consecutive scoreless innings in the Grapefruit League.^[76] By late March, Humber had a spring training ERA of 1.29.^[77]

Humber spent most of the 2008 season assigned to the Twins' Class-AAA affiliate, the Rochester Red Wings of the International League. He started off slow with a 0–5 win–loss record and a 5.83 ERA in his first nine starts.^[78] With Rochester, Humber eventually compiled a 10–8 win–loss record with a 4.56 ERA in 31 games. He finished with a 6–1 win–loss record and a 2.67 ERA in the second half.^[79] His 4–1 win–loss record with a 2.74 ERA in August earned him the Minor League Pitcher of the Month Award.^[80] The Twins promoted Humber in August 2008, and he appeared in five games for the Twins, all in relief.^[81] Humber pitched 11 ²⁄₃ innings, and posted a 4.63 ERA and six strikeouts for the Twins.^[82] Following the 2008 season, Humber was out of options.^[83]

Humber made the Twins' Opening Day roster in 2009 as a long reliever.^[84][85] Humber struggled at the start of the 2009 season, pitching to a 12.46 ERA over 4 ¹⁄₃ innings, while giving up 11 hits and walking four batters. The Twins designated Humber for assignment on April 17, 2009 to make room on their roster for Juan Morillo, who the Twins had claimed off waivers from the Colorado Rockies.^[81] Humber cleared waivers and the Twins assigned him to Rochester.^[85] The Twins recalled Humber in August 2009 due to an injury to Francisco Liriano,^[86] but outrighted him to the minor leagues ten days later.^[87] Humber was granted free agency after the 2009 season.^[88]

Kansas City Royals[link]

On December 15, 2009, Humber signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals, receiving an invitation to spring training.^[89] After he pitched to a 11.74 ERA in four spring training games, the Royals reassigned Humber to their minor league camp on March 22.^[90]

Humber was assigned to start the year with the Omaha Royals of the Class-AAA Pacific Coast League. On June 10, 2010, while pitching in a game for Omaha, Humber was hit in the face on a line drive by Luis Cruz. After lying on the mound for a few minutes, he was able to get up and walk on his own to the dugout. He was then transported to a local hospital, where he received eighteen stitches.^[92] He earned the second Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week Award of his career for play during the week ending August 1.^[62] He won the award based on having posted a complete game 4-hit 7-strikeout shutout against the Nashville Sounds on July 30.^[93][94]

However, Humber began to regain the velocity he had lost following Tommy John surgery in 2005.^[39] Humber was called up by the Kansas City Royals on August 5, 2010, when Kansas City designated José Guillén for assignment.^[95] On August 25, Humber pitched three relief innings for the Royals against the Detroit Tigers and earned his first MLB win. He finished the 2010 season with a 2–1 win–loss record and 4.15 ERA in eight games for the Royals, including one game started.^[96] He also appeared in 21 games, 20 of them starts, for the Omaha Royals, pitching to a 5–6 win–loss record and 4.47 ERA. The Royals designated Humber for assignment in December 2010, in order to make room on the roster for newly signed Jeff Francoeur.^[97]

Chicago White Sox[link]

In December 2010, the Royals waived Humber, and he was claimed by the Oakland Athletics, who had extra room on their 40-man roster at the time of the waiver claim.^[96] However, the team subsequently filled its 40-man roster and designated Humber for assignment later that offseason in order to make room on their roster for Guillermo Moscoso, who the Athletics acquired from the Texas Rangers in a trade during January 2011.^[98] The Chicago White Sox claimed Humber off waivers from the Athletics on January 18, 2011.^[99] He signed a contract worth $500,000 for the season.^[44] White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper worked with Humber, as he replaced his cut fastball with a slider and improved his pitching mechanics in the fashion originally recommended by Peterson in 2005.^[1][44]

Humber debuted with the White Sox in their third game in relief. He made two pitches, both of which were hits that came around to score.^[100] With Jake Peavy injured at the start of the 2011 season, the White Sox gave Humber the opportunity to pitch in their starting rotation.^[8] On April 9, 2011, Humber won his first start with the White Sox, pitching 6 ²⁄₃ innings and only allowing one run.^[101] Humber surprised the White Sox with his strong performance.^[1] On April 25, in the sixth start of his career, he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium, but with one out Alex Rodriguez singled up the middle. He finished with seven scoreless innings.^[8][102] He took a no-hitter into the sixth inning against the Washington Nationals on June 26, but ended up earning a 2–1 loss when he surrendered a seventh inning home run to Danny Espinosa.^[103] In early July, when he led the major leagues with 103 ²⁄₃ innings pitched and held an 8–4 record with a 2.69 ERA, he seemed like a probable selection for the 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.^[104] In mid-July, the White Sox switched to a six-man rotation.^[105] By early August, Humber was in a slump.^[106] Humber denies the extra rest affected his pitch command.^[107] He spent time on the disabled list with a facial bruise after Kosuke Fukudome lined a baseball into his face above the right eye on August 18.^[108][109] After he was hit, he was very concerned for his wife: "I thought, 'I've got to get up because she's in the stands,'" Humber said. "As soon as I went in [the clubhouse], I asked one of the guys to call her to make sure she knew I was OK.", adding "My main concern was cheering up my wife."^[110] He appeared in one rehabilitation start for the Charlotte Knights of the Class-AAA International League.^[111][112] Humber pitched seven scoreless innings in his major league return.^[113] Humber completed his first full season as an MLB starting pitcher with a 9–9 win–loss record with a 3.75 ERA in 163 innings.^[114]

As Humber performed better in the first half of the 2011 season (8–5, 3.10 ERA) than in the second half (1–4, 5.01 ERA), which he attributed to general fatigue, Humber decided to add 20 pounds (9.1 kg) during his offseason workouts.^[115] Humber signed a one-year contract in March for $530,000, above the minimum salary for a player with his level of MLB experience.^[116] In the first season in which he did not have to battle for a roster spot in spring training, he made his final spring training start in his home state near Rice at Minute Maid Park in front of many relatives.^[117] Although the 2012 Chicago White Sox' rotation was said to be made up of five number three starters,^[118] Humber began the season as the number five starter.^[119]

In Humber's 30th career start in MLB, he pitched the 21st perfect game in MLB history against the Seattle Mariners on April 21, 2012. It was the third perfect game in White Sox history after perfect games thrown by Charlie Robertson and Mark Buehrle, and the 18th no-hitter in White Sox history. It was Humber's second start of the 2012 season^[121] and first career complete game.^[120]

Humber was named American League Player of the Week for the week ending April 22. Humber went 1–0 with a 0.63 ERA in 14 ¹⁄₃ innings while striking out 16 over two starts that week, including the perfect game.^[122] He received a congratulatory phone call from President Barack Obama, a noted White Sox fan.^[123] Humber appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, where he read the Top Ten List.^[124] Humber's perfect game will be memorialized with a plaque at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.^[125]

Since the perfect game, Humber has struggled. He allowed 20 runs in his next three starts across 13 ¹⁄₃ innings.^[126]

Pitching style[link]

Humber relies on five pitches. He has a four-seam fastball ranging from 89–92 mph, a two-seam fastball (89–92), a slider (mid 80s), a changeup (mid 80s), and a curveball (78–81). He uses heavy doses of his slider against right-handed hitters but prefers to use his changeup and curveball as off-speed pitches against left-handed hitters. Humber favors his curveball in two-strike situations. He uses a conventional "three-quarters" arm slot to deliver his pitches.^[127]

Personal[link]

Humber married his wife, Kristan, in November 2007.^[75] They were introduced by mutual friends in 2005.^[128] At the time of his perfect game, Humber's wife was nine months pregnant with the couple's first child,^[91][123] a son named John Gregory,^[128] who was born on May 1.^[129] Humber comes from a large extended family.^[130]

Humber is a registered member of the Republican Party. He has the Bible verse Colossians 3:23 inscribed in his baseball glove.^[131] He undertook a charitable mission to the Philippines in the 2011–12 offseason with Brett Carroll, where they instructed children about baseball and Christianity.^[132]

Josh Tomlin, an MLB pitcher, is a close friend of Humber. From nearby Tyler, Texas, Tomlin competed against Humber in high school, and the two train together during offseasons.^[133] Humber is currently a Tyler resident.^[125]

See also[link]

	Biography portal
	Baseball portal

• List of Rice University people

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Philip Humber

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Humber archives at Houston Chronicle