Perce Leigh "Pat" Malone (September 25, 1902 – May 13, 1943) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from for the Chicago Cubs (1928–1934) and New York Yankees (1935–1937).

Initially signed by the New York Giants in 1922, his hard-drinking lifestyle brought him in conflict with manager John McGraw, who sold his contract to the minor league Minneapolis Millers after 1924 spring training.

The 1931 season saw him clash with new Cubs manager Rogers Hornsby; Malone became involved in further trouble in September when he beat up two reporters and was fined $500.

In 1932, Malone had a 15–17 record and 3.38 earned run average (ERA), but was relegated to the bullpen for the World Series against the Yankees when the Cubs selected three other starters.

Relieving Charlie Root after the starter gave up Babe Ruth's called shot, Malone pitched 2+2⁄3 scoreless innings in his only appearance of the series; the Cubs were defeated in four straight games.

He enjoyed a 14–7 record and a 3.53 ERA in 1934 but again lost his rotation spot in September, which he claimed was due to the Cubs not wanting him to gain bonuses for winning 15 or more games.

"I caught the ball and let loose with a peg to first base with such speed that George Quinn, the manager, immediately decided a fellow with an arm like that ought to be a pitcher", Malone later remembered.

[4] Dick Kinsella, a scout for the New York Giants, recommended him to the major league team, who purchased Malone's rights before the 1922 season.

[1] Malone attended spring training for the Giants in 1922 but made a disfavorable impression on manager John McGraw, who rebuked him for his heavy drinking and rowdy behavior.

[1] Malone posted a 9–21 record and a 5.64 ERA, ranking among the league leaders with 21 losses (tied with three other pitchers behind Eric Erickson's 25), 120 walks (fourth, behind Dan Tipple's 170, Joe Giard's 153, and Ferdie Schupp's 142), and 151 earned runs allowed (first).

[1] In 52 games for the team, he had a 28–13 record and a 2.84 ERA, finishing second in the league in wins (behind Herb Hall's 29) and innings pitched (349, one shy of Al Pallas's 350).

He had a 20–18 record and a 3.98 ERA for the ballclub, ranking among the league leaders with 20 wins (tied with Paul Zahniser for fifth), 319 innings pitched (fourth behind Tom Sheehan's 331, Jimmy Zinn's 330, and Roy Meeker's 323), and 53 games (second only to Leo Moon's 55).

[1] The Cubs considered using Malone as a starter to begin 1928, but control issues in spring training caused him to open the season in the bullpen.

He made his major league debut on April 12, relieving Percy Jones with one out in the seventh inning in a game against the Cincinnati Reds.

[1][8] Getting a start against the Giants on May 12, he "pitched for Chicago in a masterly manner" according to The New York Times, allowing just six hits and two runs in a complete game, 4–2 victory.

[8] He "proved to be the Cubs’ most successful and consistent pitcher, especially during the pennant race in the last two months of the 1928 season" according to Gregory H. Wolf of the Society for American Baseball Research.

[1] On September 19, he displayed "a rare exhibition of pitching skill" according to sportswriter John Drebinger, allowing just six hits in a 5–0 victory over the Giants, his fifth shutout and 22nd win of the year.

Malone first hit Bing Miller with a pitch to load the bases, then gave up a double to Jimmie Dykes that scored the winning runs in Philadelphia's 10–8 triumph.

After striking out Walter French to start the inning, however, he gave up a single to Max Bishop, followed by a two-run home run by Mule Haas which tied the game.

[15] In early May, he was arrested for disorderly conduct in a café on Chicago's South Side, though he paid the bill for the damages upon his release from jail.

[22] During his time with the Cubs, Malone had become best friends with star hitter Hack Wilson, who shared the pitcher's love of heavy drinking.

[24] Though he won only five games under Grimm, the Cubs continued to play well and finished the season as NL champions for the second time in Malone's duration with the team.

[20] Malone was late reporting to 1934 spring training as he sought more money, causing Edward Burns of the Chicago Daily Tribune to call him "hard to handle” and “frivolous in nature".

[1][29] The Cubs never explained why they stopped using Malone, but the pitcher claimed the team was ensuring he would not receive contractual bonuses that he would have become eligible with each win starting with his 15th.

[1] During his time with the Cubs, Malone (along with Bush and Root) formed part of what Wolf called "the NL’s most successful and durable pitching trio from 1928 to 1934".

[34] Though his weight had ballooned from 200 to 230 pounds, Malone fixed one source of bad health, replacing his rotten teeth, which had been giving him headaches.

[4] The Orioles sold his contract to the Oakland Oaks of the Class AA Pacific Coast League after the season, but Malone retired on February 20, 1939.

[1] In a 10-season major league career, Malone posted a 134–92 record with 1,024 strikeouts and a 3.74 ERA in 357 appearances, including 220 starts, 115 complete games, 15 shutouts, 26 saves, and 1,915 innings pitched.

[20] He is one of four pitchers in the modern era to hit at least one home run in his first five major league seasons, along with Claude Hendrix, Dontrelle Willis, and Travis Wood.

[2] Standing at 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) and 200 pounds (91 kg), Malone's build and hard fastball caused people to compare him to Vance.