Last Updated: October 20th, 2026 by Matthew Brown
In baseball, an ace is one of its most anticipated players. The anticipation comes from rarity. Fans have to wait for days in order to see their favorite team's best pitcher.
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Yes, the number of days between starts has grown from the very early days of baseball, when pitchers basically pitched every game, but the quality of starting pitchers seemed to peak in the 1970s.
Let's take a look at the best from that decade and talk about what made them all-timers.
11. Jim “Catfish” Hunter: The Perfect Gentleman
Catfish Hunter's stretch of dominance took place in the 1970s. He had five straight 20-win seasons and five straight All-Star selections. He won an ERA title in his 1974 Cy Young season while also leading MLB in wins that season as well as the next.
The A's don't become the rare three-peat dynasty without him, which led to his induction into the Hall of Fame.
| Catfish Hunter — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 224 |
| L | 166 |
| ERA | 3.26 |
| G | 500 |
| IP | 3449.1 |
| SO | 2012 |
| WHIP | 1.13 |
| SV | 1 |
| Cy Young | 1 |
| All-Star selections | 8 |
| World Series titles | 5 |
10. Nolan Ryan: The Strikeout King
With the way that many fans talk about this legend, it's hard to believe that Nolan Ryan had to have his ascent to stardom take place over a few years in this decade. By the end of the 1972 season, I think everyone could see that he was a bona fide ace.
He struck out an incredible 2,678 batters in this decade alone. He isn't the Strikeout King for nothing.
| Nolan Ryan Jr. — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 324 |
| L | 292 |
| ERA | 3.19 |
| G | 807 |
| IP | 5386.0 |
| SO | 5714 |
| WHIP | 1.25 |
| SV | 3 |
| All-Star selections | 8 |
| World Series titles | 1 |
9. Luis Tiant: El Tiante’s Unique Style
Consistency usually separates the great from the good. Luis Tiant wasn't exactly the most consistent performer ever, but he had some of the most unstoppable seasons a pitcher has ever had.
His MLB-leading 1.91 ERA in 1972 is still talked about in Boston today, as he became a star for the Red Sox. His eccentric pitching style mixed with his great performances made him as memorable as any in baseball.
| Luis Tiant — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 229 |
| L | 172 |
| ERA | 3.30 |
| G | 573 |
| IP | 3486.1 |
| SO | 2416 |
| WHIP | 1.20 |
| SV | 15 |
| All-Star selections | 3 |
8. Don Sutton: The Model of Consistency
One of the better pitchers in history to never win a Cy Young Award, Don Sutton was racking up wins for the Dodgers in the 1970s. 166 of his 324 career wins came in this decade as he was able to maintain a very good 3.07 ERA.
He earned four All-Star selections and had a year when he led the MLB with nine complete-game shutouts.
| Don Sutton — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 324 |
| L | 256 |
| ERA | 3.26 |
| G | 774 |
| IP | 5282.1 |
| SO | 3574 |
| WHIP | 1.14 |
| SV | 5 |
| All-Star selections | 4 |
7. Bert Blyleven: Master of the Curve
Bert Blyleven started his 22-year career back in 1970 at just 19 years old. By the time he retired at 41, he had accumulated 3,701 strikeouts and guaranteed his induction into the Hall of Fame. He probably had his greatest season in 1973 when he led all of baseball with nine complete-game shutouts on his way to 20 wins and a league-leading 9.7 WAR.
| Bert Blyleven — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 287 |
| L | 250 |
| ERA | 3.31 |
| G | 692 |
| IP | 4970.0 |
| SO | 3701 |
| WHIP | 1.20 |
| SV | 0 |
| All-Star selections | 2 |
| World Series titles | 2 |
6. Fergie Jenkins: Canada’s Pitching Pride
The great Ferguson Jenkins was another notable workhorse in the 1970s. He led baseball in complete games three times in this decade, which included his best season in 1972.
He won the NL Cy Young Award with his 24 wins and 2.77 ERA in 325 innings pitched. That cemented him as one of the league's very best during one of its best decades.
| Fergie Jenkins — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 284 |
| L | 226 |
| ERA | 3.34 |
| G | 664 |
| IP | 4500.2 |
| SO | 3192 |
| WHIP | 1.14 |
| SV | 7 |
| Cy Young | 1 |
| All-Star selections | 3 |
5. Steve Carlton: The Legendary Lefty
The quintessential southpaw in baseball history was just amazing during the 1970s. It was his prime, and he became an absolute star shortly after the decade began.
His 1972 season is one for the ages. A 1.97 ERA while leading the league with over 346 innings is crazy. He also led all pitchers with 30 complete games, 27 wins, and 12.1 WAR.
Just amazing.
| Steve Carlton — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 329 |
| L | 244 |
| ERA | 3.22 |
| G | 741 |
| IP | 5217.1 |
| SO | 4136 |
| WHIP | 1.25 |
| SV | 2 |
| Cy Young | 4 |
| All-Star selections | 10 |
| Gold Gloves | 1 |
| World Series titles | 2 |
4. Phil Niekro: The Knuckleball King
Maybe the greatest example of how the knuckleball should still be thrown in today's game, Phil Niekro, who won 21 games in 1979 at the age of 40. He still had about eight years left in his illustrious career. When it came to being a workhorse, the Atlanta Braves looked to him to lead their rotation during the 1970s.
He led the league in complete games and innings pitched three years in a row, building an MLB-leading 10.0 WAR in 1978.
| Phil Niekro — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 318 |
| L | 274 |
| ERA | 3.35 |
| G | 864 |
| IP | 5404.1 |
| SO | 3342 |
| WHIP | 1.27 |
| SV | 29 |
| All-Star selections | 5 |
| Gold Gloves | 5 |
3. Gaylord Perry: Master of the Spitball
Having been banned for around half a century, the spitball was still a pitch that could carry someone to a Hall of Fame career. Gaylord Perry was just the guy to carry it.
He had four 20-win seasons in the 1970s as he went from his prime to his 40s, looking as effective as any great starter. He admitted that a big part of his success was the spitball, which he masterfully hid throughout his entire career.
| Gaylord Perry — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 314 |
| L | 265 |
| ERA | 3.11 |
| G | 777 |
| IP | 5350.1 |
| SO | 3534 |
| WHIP | 1.18 |
| SV | 11 |
| Cy Young | 2 |
| All-Star selections | 5 |
2. Jim Palmer: Baltimore’s Elegant Ace
The way Tom Terrific dominated in the National League, Jim Palmer dominated the American League. Palmer and his Baltimore Orioles simply got wins.
He had an incredible eight 20-win seasons in the 1970s. It's almost shocking that he didn't reach 300 career wins, but injuries and multiple seasons where he couldn't start at least 30 times prevented him from getting there. Regardless, he was definitely elite during this decade.
| Jim Palmer — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 268 |
| L | 152 |
| ERA | 2.86 |
| G | 558 |
| IP | 3948.0 |
| SO | 2212 |
| WHIP | 1.18 |
| SV | 4 |
| Cy Young | 3 |
| All-Star selections | 6 |
| Gold Gloves | 4 |
| World Series titles | 3 |
1. Tom Seaver: The Perfect Pitcher
From velocity to command to spin, Tom Seaver was arguably as good as any other in the game at all major facets of pitching. He was fearless and intimidating on the mound.
Being that it was a stretch of time that included his prime, Seaver was absolutely dominant in the '70s. He won three Cy Young Awards while tallying well over half of his great 311 career wins in the decade.
| Tom Seaver — Career | Total |
|---|---|
| W | 311 |
| L | 205 |
| ERA | 2.86 |
| G | 656 |
| IP | 4782.2 |
| SO | 3640 |
| WHIP | 1.12 |
| SV | 1 |
| Cy Young | 3 |
| All-Star selections | 12 |
| World Series titles | 1 |
| Rookie of the Year | 1 |
