Ewell Blackwell

Ewell Blackwell (October 23, 1922 in Fresno, California - October 29, 1996 in Hendersonville, North Carolina) was a right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. Nicknamed "The Whip" for his sidearm, snap-delivery, Blackwell played for the Cincinnati Reds for most of his career (1942, 1946-1952).

He is considered to have been one of the greatest pitchers of his era, and starred in a six-year streak in the All-Star Game from 1946 through 1951. He also played with the New York Yankees (1952-1953) and finished his career with the Kansas City Athletics (1954).

On June 18, 1947, Blackwell pitched a 6-0 no-hitter against the Boston Braves. In his next start, June 22, against the Brooklyn Dodgers, he took a no-hitter into the ninth inning, trying to tie the achievement by his veteran Reds teammate Johnny Vander Meer from nine years earlier, of throwing consecutive no-hitters. However, the no-hit attempt was broken up Eddie Stanky. The Reds won the game 4-0, but not before Blackwell, in frustration, issued a stream of racial slurs at Jackie Robinson.^[1] Robinson batted after Stanky and was in the middle of his first major league season.

In a 10-season career, Blackwell posted an 82-78 record with 839 strikeouts and a 3.30 ERA in 1321 innings pitched. In 1960, he was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame. During a 2007 Mets broadcast, Blackwell was referred to as the best right-handed pitcher ever by Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner. Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully also reports that batters were genuinely afraid to face him.

Blackwell's best year was 1947 when he recorded 22 wins against 7 losses, including 16 consecutive complete game victories for a weak-hitting team. At a slender 6 ft 6 inches, he was one of the first of the very tall pitchers, and a fearsome sight to hitters of that era. His bizarre sidearm delivery, described by a leading sports pundit as "looking like a man falling out of a tree," put unusual strain on his arm, abbreviating his success and, ultimately, his career.

See also

• List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions
• List of Major League Baseball wins champions
• List of Major League Baseball no-hitters

References

1. ^ Miller, Patrick. Sport and the Color Line: Black Athletes and Race Relations in Twentieth Century America, 2003. p 176.

External links

• Baseball Reference page
• Baseball Library page
• Ewell Blackwell at Find a Grave.com

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