Black Aces
Encyclopedia
- "Black Aces" may also refer to the fighter squadron VFA-41 Black Aces
The Black Aces is a book written by former Major League
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher James "Mudcat" Grant
Mudcat Grant
James Timothy "Mudcat" Grant is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Cleveland Indians , Minnesota Twins , Los Angeles Dodgers , Montreal Expos , St. Louis Cardinals , Oakland Athletics and Pittsburgh Pirates...
about the only African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
s who have won at least 20 Major League Baseball games in a single season. Some black pitchers from Latin America, notably Luis Tiant
Luis Tiant
Luis Clemente Tiant Vega , born November 23, 1940 in Marianao, Cuba, , is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians , Minnesota Twins , Boston Red Sox , New York Yankees , Pittsburgh Pirates and California Angels...
, have expressed disappointment that they are not included in this group. Notable on this list is Ferguson Jenkins
Ferguson Jenkins
Ferguson Arthur "Fergie" Jenkins, CM, is a Canadian former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He was a three-time All-Star and the 1971 NL Cy Young Award winner. In 1991, Jenkins was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. During a 19-year career, he pitched for four different teams,...
, who is actually a Black Canadian
Black Canadian
'Black Canadians is a designation used for people of Black African descent, who are citizens or permanent residents of Canada. The term specifically refers to Canadians with Sub-Saharan African ancestry. The majority of Black Canadians are of Caribbean origin...
.
Pitchers described by Mudcat Grant as Black Aces
- Vida BlueVida BlueVida Rochelle Blue Jr. is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 17-year career, he pitched for the Oakland Athletics , San Francisco Giants , and Kansas City Royals He won the American League Cy Young award and Most Valuable Player Award in 1971...
– three 20-win seasons: 1971 (24–8), 1973 (20–9), and 1975 (22–11) - Al Downing – one 20-win season: 1971 (20–9)
- Bob GibsonBob GibsonRobert "Bob" Gibson is a retired American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "Hoot" and "Gibby", he was a right-handed pitcher who played his entire 17-year Major League Baseball career with St. Louis Cardinals...
– five 20-win seasons: 1965 (20–12), 1966 (21–12), 1968 (22–9), 1969 (20–13), 1970 (23–7) - Dwight GoodenDwight GoodenDwight Eugene Gooden , nicknamed "Doc Gooden" or "Dr. K", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared pitchers in the National League in the middle and late 1980s.-Career:...
– one 20-win season: 1985 (24–4) - Mudcat GrantMudcat GrantJames Timothy "Mudcat" Grant is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Cleveland Indians , Minnesota Twins , Los Angeles Dodgers , Montreal Expos , St. Louis Cardinals , Oakland Athletics and Pittsburgh Pirates...
– one 20-win season: 1965 (21–7) - Ferguson JenkinsFerguson JenkinsFerguson Arthur "Fergie" Jenkins, CM, is a Canadian former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He was a three-time All-Star and the 1971 NL Cy Young Award winner. In 1991, Jenkins was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. During a 19-year career, he pitched for four different teams,...
– seven 20-win seasons: 1967 (20–13), 1968 (20–15), 1969 (21–15), 1970 (22–16), 1971 (24–13), 1972 (20–12), 1974 (25–12) - Sam JonesSam Jones (baseball)Samuel Jones , known during his career as "Toothpick Sam" Jones or "Sad Sam" Jones, was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played from to ....
(deceased) – one 20-win season: 1959 (21–15) - Don NewcombeDon NewcombeDonald Newcombe , nicknamed "Newk", is an American former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher who played for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers , Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians .Until 2011 when Detroit Tigers Pitcher Justin Verlander did it, Newcombe was the only baseball...
– three 20-win seasons: 1951 (20–9), 1955 (20–5), 1956 (27–7) - Mike NorrisMike Norris (baseball player)Michael Kelvin Norris is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher who played with the Oakland Athletics ....
– one 20-win season: 1980 (22–9) - J.R. RichardJ.R. RichardJames Rodney Richard is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career, from 1971 to 1980, with the Houston Astros....
– one 20-win season: 1976 (20–15) - CC Sabathia – one 20-win season: 2010 (21-7)
- Dave StewartDave Stewart (baseball player)David Keith Stewart is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball during the late 1980s and early 1990s. A 20-game winner for 4 consecutive years, he was known for his post-season performance and for staring down batters when pitching to them...
– four 20-win seasons: 1987 (20–13), 1988 (21–12), 1989 (21–9), 1990 (22–11) - Earl Wilson (deceased) – one 20-win season: 1967 (22–11)
- Dontrelle WillisDontrelle WillisDontrelle Wayne Willis , nicknamed "The D-Train", is an American professional baseball pitcher. Willis is notable for his success during his first few years in the league and for his unconventional pitching style, which includes a high leg kick and exaggerated twisting away from the batter...
– one 20-win season: 2005 (22–10)
, Willis and Sabathia are the only members of the Black Aces who are still active players in the Major Leagues.