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91. Don Newcombe

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91. Don Newcombe
  1. General
  2. Awards
  3. Career Stats
  • Born: June 14, 1926 in Madison, NJ USA
  • Weight: 220 lbs.
  • Height: 6'4"
  • Bats: L
  • Throws: R
  • Debut: May 20, 1949
  • Final Game: October 01, 1960
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1949
  • Rookie of the Year - 1949
  • TSN All-Star - 1955
  • Cy Young Award - 1956
  • Most Valuable Player - 1956
  • TSN All-Star - 1956
  • TSN Pitcher of the Year - 1956
  • Cy Young - 1956
  • MVP - 1949
  • MVP - 1950
  • MVP - 1951
  • MVP - 1955
  • MVP - 1956
  • Rookie of the Year - 1949
 
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Don Newcombe was more than a great Pitcher, as he was a trailblazer in terms of African Americans in baseball.

After a brief time with Newark in the Negro Leagues, he was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers.  After a few seasons in their minor league system, Newcombe was called up for the 1949 season, making him the third black pitcher to be in the Majors.  Newcombe proved his worth instantly, winning the Rookie of the Year with a 17-8 record and an All-Star Game trip.  Newcombe was again an All-Star in 1950 and 1951 with a 19-11 and 20-9 season, respectively, but he would be forced to leave the game temporarily.

Newcombe was drafted to the U.S. Military, and he went to Korea for two years.  He came back and had a mediocre 1954, but he came back with a vengeance.  Newcombe went 20-5 in 1955, and he helped the Dodgers win their only World Series in Brooklyn.  The following year, he went 27-7, leading the NL in Wins and WHIP (0.989), and he won both the Cy Young and MVP, making him the first player to do that in the same season.

That 1956 season was why he made it on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for 15 years.  He never had anything close to an All-Star season again, and he played until 1960, finishing up with stints in Cincinnati and Cleveland.  He retired with a 149-90 record.

The Bullet Points

  • Country of Origin: Madison, New Jersey, U.S.A.
  • Eligible In: Sunday, 01 January 1967
  • Position: Pitcher
  • Games Played: 360
  • Notable Statistics: 153 Wins
    96 Losses
    3.57 ERA
    305 Games Started
    145 Complete Games
    24 Shutouts
    37 Games Finishes
    7 Saves
    2,251.2 Innings Pitched
    1,187 Strikeouts
    3.65 FIP
    1.207 WHIP
    2.24 SO/BB
    38.7 bWAR

    5 Playoff Games
    0 Wins
    4 Losses
    8.59 ERA
    5 Games Started
    1 Complete Game
    22 Innings Pitched
    129 Strikeouts
    6.53 FIP
    1.682 WHIP
    2.38 SO/BB

    99 Runs Scored
    246 Hits
    34 Doubles
    3 Triples
    15 Home Runs
    109 Runs Batted In
    2 Stolen Bases
    .268/.336/.361 Slash Line

    5 Playoff Games
    0 Runs Scored
    0 Hits
    0 Doubles
    0 Triples
    0 Home Runs
    0 Stolen Bases
    .000/.000/.000 Slash Line

    8 Playoff Plate Appearances 
  • Played For: Brooklyn Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers
  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    World Series Rings (1) (Brooklyn Dodgers 1956) 
    MVP (1) (NL) (1956)
    Cy Young Award (1) (NL) (1956)
    The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year (1) (1956)
    All-Star (4) (1949, 1950, 1951 & 1954)
    Rookie of the Year (NL (1949)
    Most Wins (1) (NL) (1956)
    Lowest WHIP (2) (NL) (1955 & 1956)
    Lowest BB/9 (3) (NL) (1955, 1957 & 1959)
    Highest SO/9 (1) (NL) (1949)
    Most Strikeouts (1) (NL) (1951)
    Most Shutouts (1) (NL) (1949)
    Highest SO/BB (1) (NL) (1955) 
    Highest Win Probability Added (1) (NL) (1956)
    Most Putouts by a Pitcher (1) (NL) (1956)
    Highest Fielding Percentage by a Pitcher (2) (NL) (1949 & 1958)


  • Other Points of Note:

    Top Ten MVP Finishes: Won the 1956 NL MVP
    (NL: 1949, 8th) & (NL: 1955, 7th)
    4 Top Ten Finishes (bWAR for Pitchers)
    4 Top Ten Finishes (ERA)
    5 Top Ten Finishes (Wins)
    7 Top Ten Finishes (WHIP)
    4 Top Ten Finishes (H/9)
    6 Top Ten Finishes (BB/9)
    3 Top Ten Finishes (SO/9)
    5 Top Ten Finishes (Innings Pitched)
    5 Top Ten Finishes (Strikeouts)
    6 Top Ten Finishes (Games Started)
    7 Top Ten Finishes (Complete Games)                 
    5 Top Ten Finishes (Shutouts) 
    8 Top Ten Finishes (SO/BB)
    6 Top Ten Finishes (ERA+)
    6 Top Ten Finishes (FIP)
    4 Top Ten Finishes (Win Probability Added)
    1 Top Ten Finishes (Championship Win Probability Added)

  • Notable All Time Rankings: 28. Championship Win Probability Added:  52.9
  • Vote Percentage Received for the Hall of Fame:

    1966: 2.3%
    1967: 6.2%
    1967: Run Off 0.7%
    1968: 3.2%
    1969: 0.9%
    1970: 1.7%
    1971: 2.2%
    1972: 1.8%
    1973: 2.9%
    1974: 1.9%
    1975: 3.0%
    1976: 5.4%
    1977: 11.2%
    1978: 12.7%
    1979: 12.0%
    1980: 15.3%

    Veterans:
    2003: 13.6%
    2005: 10.0%
    2007: 20.7%

  • Should be Inducted As A: Brooklyn Dodger

Should Don Newcombe be in the Hall of Fame?

Definitely put him in! - 100%
Maybe, but others deserve it first. - 0%
Probably not, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. - 0%
No opinion. - 0%
No way! - 0%
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