Carl Hubbell
Encyclopedia
Carl Owen Hubbell was an American baseball
player. He was a member of the New York Giants
in the National League
from 1928 to 1943, and remained on the Giants' payroll for the rest of his life, long after their move to San Francisco.
Twice voted the National League's Most Valuable Player, Hubbell was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947. From 1936 to 1937 Hubbell set the major league record of consecutive wins by a pitcher with 24. He is perhaps best remembered for his performance in the 1934 All-Star
game, when he struck out in succession five of the game's great hitters. Hubbell's primary pitch was the screwball
.
and raised in Meeker, Oklahoma. He was originally signed by the Detroit Tigers
and was invited to spring training in 1926. However, pitching coach George McBride
and player-manager Ty Cobb
weren't impressed with him. Additionally, they were concerned about his reliance on a screwball. Hubbell was sent to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the International League
before the start of the season. He went 7–7 on a championship team. In 1927 he was invited to spring training again with Detroit, but McBride and Cobb still weren't impressed and sent him two steps down the minor-league ladder, to the Decatur Commodores
of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League
. Despite going 14–7, the Tigers didn't invite him back for 1928, and he was sent to the Beaumont Exporters
of the Texas League
.
Hubbell was so fed up by this time that he told Beaumont manager Claude Robinson that unless he was sold to another organization by the end of the season, he'd retire and go into the oil business. Years later, he said that being unloaded by the Tigers was the best thing that ever happened to him.
attending the Democratic National Convention
, and decided to take in a game between Hubbell's Exporters and the Houston Buffs. He hadn't planned on doing any scouting, but was impressed by Hubbell. Kinsella called Giants manager John McGraw
and mentioned that he'd found out he'd been released by Detroit in part because of Cobb's concerns about the screwball. McGraw replied that Christy Mathewson
had a screwball—or a fadeaway, as it was called in his time—and it didn't seem to affect his arm. Kinsella followed Hubbell for a month and was still impressed.
Hubbell would go 10–6 in his first major league season, and would pitch his entire career for the Giants. With a slow delivery of his devastating screwball, Hubbell recorded five consecutive 20-win seasons for the Giants (1933–37), and helped his team to three NL pennants and the 1933 World Series
title. In the 1933 Series
, he won two complete game victories, including an 11-inning 2–1 triumph in Game Four (the run was unearned). In six career Series starts, he was 4–2 with 32 strikeout
s and a low 1.79 earned run average
. Hubbell finished his career with a 253–154 record, 1678 strikeouts, 724 walks
, 36 shutouts and a 2.97 ERA, in 3590 innings pitched
.
Hubbell was released at the end of the 1943 season after going 4–4; it was the only time he didn't record double-digit wins. However, Giants owner Horace Stoneham
immediately appointed him as director of player development, a post he held for 35 years. During that time, he lived in Haworth, New Jersey
. The last ten years of his life were spent as a Giants scout. At the time of his death, he was the last New York Giant still active in some capacity in baseball.
He won 24 consecutive games between 1936 (16) & 1937 (8), the longest such streak ever recorded in either the National league or American League. He was twice named National League MVP
(1933, 1936) (1st unanimous MVP pick in 1936). He led the league in wins 3 times in 1933 (23), 1936 (26), and 1937 (22). He led the league in ERA three times in 1933 (1.66), 1934 (2.30), and 1936 (2.31). He led the league in innings pitched in 1933 (308). He led the league in strikeouts in 1937 (159). He led the league in strikeouts per 9 innings pitched in 1938 (5.23). He led the league in shutouts in 1933 (10). He led the league in saves in 1934 (eight, retroactively credited). He compiled a streak of 46 1/3 scoreless innings and four shutouts in 1933. He pitched a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates (11–0, May 8, 1929). He pitched an 18-inning shutout against the St. Louis Cardinals (1–0, July 2, 1933).
In its 1936 World Series
cover story about Lou Gehrig and Carl Hubbell, Time magazine depicted the Fall Classic that year between crosstown rivals Giants and Yankees
as "a personal struggle between Hubbell and Gehrig", calling Hubbell "...currently baseball's No. 1 Pitcher and among the half dozen ablest in the game's annals." Time said that while he was growing up on his family's Missouri farm, he "practiced for hours...throwing stones at a barn door until he could unfailingly hit knotholes no bigger than a dime".
Hubbell's primary pitch was the screwball
, a pitch that some believe places an unusual amount of stress on a pitcher's arm. Joe DiMaggio said Hubbell was the toughest pitcher he ever faced.
game played at the Polo Grounds
, Hubbell set a record by striking out in succession five batters destined for Cooperstown: Babe Ruth
, Lou Gehrig
, Jimmie Foxx
, Al Simmons
and Joe Cronin
. In 1984, the 50th anniversary of this legendary performance, the National League pitchers Fernando Valenzuela
and Dwight Gooden
combined to fan six batters in a row for a new All-Star Game record (future Hall of Famers Dave Winfield
, Reggie Jackson
, and George Brett
by Valenzuela; Lance Parrish
, Chet Lemon
, and Alvin Davis
by Gooden). Hubbell himself was on hand for the 1984 All-Star Game at San Francisco
's Candlestick Park
to throw out the first pitch, which was a screwball.
in 1988. He died of the same cause and exactly 30 years to the day of the death of fellow teammate and Hall of Famer Mel Ott
. He is interred at Meeker-Newhope Cemetery in Meeker, Oklahoma
.
Hubbell was the subject of the poem "Line-Up for Yesterday
" by Ogden Nash
:
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player. He was a member of the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
from 1928 to 1943, and remained on the Giants' payroll for the rest of his life, long after their move to San Francisco.
Twice voted the National League's Most Valuable Player, Hubbell was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947. From 1936 to 1937 Hubbell set the major league record of consecutive wins by a pitcher with 24. He is perhaps best remembered for his performance in the 1934 All-Star
1934 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1934 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the second playing of the mid-summer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 10 at the Polo Grounds in New York City, the home of the New...
game, when he struck out in succession five of the game's great hitters. Hubbell's primary pitch was the screwball
Screwball
A screwball , is a baseball pitch that is thrown so as to break in the opposite direction of a slider or curveball. Depending on the pitcher's arm angle, the ball may also have a sinking action....
.
Early years
Hubbell was born in Carthage, MissouriCarthage, Missouri
Carthage is a city in Jasper County, Missouri, United States. The population was 14,378 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Jasper County and is nicknamed "America's Maple Leaf City."...
and raised in Meeker, Oklahoma. He was originally signed by the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
and was invited to spring training in 1926. However, pitching coach George McBride
George McBride
George Florian "Pinch" McBride is a former shortstop for the Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, and the Washington Senators from 1901 to 1920. He started off with the short-lived Milwaukee Brewers , but he only had 12 at-bats in three games...
and player-manager Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
weren't impressed with him. Additionally, they were concerned about his reliance on a screwball. Hubbell was sent to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
before the start of the season. He went 7–7 on a championship team. In 1927 he was invited to spring training again with Detroit, but McBride and Cobb still weren't impressed and sent him two steps down the minor-league ladder, to the Decatur Commodores
Decatur Commodores
The Decatur Commodores were a professional minor league baseball team based in Decatur, Illinois. They played, with sporadic interruptions, from 1900 to 1974 in a variety of minor leagues, but spent the majority of their existence in the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League , later joining the...
of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League
Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League
The Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League was a minor league baseball organization that operated for the better part of 60 years, mostly in those three states. It was popularly known as the Three-I League and also sometimes jokingly as the Three-Eye League....
. Despite going 14–7, the Tigers didn't invite him back for 1928, and he was sent to the Beaumont Exporters
Beaumont Exporters
The Beaumont Exporters were a franchise in American minor league baseball that played in the Texas League from 1920-49 and 1953-55. The city of Beaumont, Texas, was also represented in the Texas League from 1912-17 and 1919 as the Oilers, from 1950-52 as the Roughnecks, and from 1983-86 as the...
of the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
.
Hubbell was so fed up by this time that he told Beaumont manager Claude Robinson that unless he was sold to another organization by the end of the season, he'd retire and go into the oil business. Years later, he said that being unloaded by the Tigers was the best thing that ever happened to him.
Career with the Giants
His break came that June, when Giants scout Dick Kinsella happened to be in HoustonHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
attending the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
, and decided to take in a game between Hubbell's Exporters and the Houston Buffs. He hadn't planned on doing any scouting, but was impressed by Hubbell. Kinsella called Giants manager John McGraw
John McGraw
John McGraw may refer to:* John McGraw , , New York lumber tycoon, and one of the founding trustees of Cornell University* John McGraw , , Governor of Washington state from 1893–1897...
and mentioned that he'd found out he'd been released by Detroit in part because of Cobb's concerns about the screwball. McGraw replied that Christy Mathewson
Christy Mathewson
Christopher "Christy" Mathewson , nicknamed "Big Six", "The Christian Gentleman", or "Matty", was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire career in what is known as the dead-ball era...
had a screwball—or a fadeaway, as it was called in his time—and it didn't seem to affect his arm. Kinsella followed Hubbell for a month and was still impressed.
Hubbell would go 10–6 in his first major league season, and would pitch his entire career for the Giants. With a slow delivery of his devastating screwball, Hubbell recorded five consecutive 20-win seasons for the Giants (1933–37), and helped his team to three NL pennants and the 1933 World Series
1933 World Series
The 1933 World Series featured the New York Giants and the Washington Senators, with the Giants winning in five games for their first championship since , and their fourth overall....
title. In the 1933 Series
1933 World Series
The 1933 World Series featured the New York Giants and the Washington Senators, with the Giants winning in five games for their first championship since , and their fourth overall....
, he won two complete game victories, including an 11-inning 2–1 triumph in Game Four (the run was unearned). In six career Series starts, he was 4–2 with 32 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s and a low 1.79 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
. Hubbell finished his career with a 253–154 record, 1678 strikeouts, 724 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
, 36 shutouts and a 2.97 ERA, in 3590 innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
.
Hubbell was released at the end of the 1943 season after going 4–4; it was the only time he didn't record double-digit wins. However, Giants owner Horace Stoneham
Horace Stoneham
Horace C. Stoneham was the principal owner of Major League Baseball's New York/San Francisco Giants from the death of his father, Charles Stoneham, in 1936 until 1976. During his ownership, the team won National League pennants in 1936, 1937, 1951, 1954 and 1962, a division title in 1971, and a...
immediately appointed him as director of player development, a post he held for 35 years. During that time, he lived in Haworth, New Jersey
Haworth, New Jersey
Haworth is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 3,382.Haworth was formed by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 24, 1904, from portions of both Dumont and Harrington Townships.-Geography:Haworth is...
. The last ten years of his life were spent as a Giants scout. At the time of his death, he was the last New York Giant still active in some capacity in baseball.
He won 24 consecutive games between 1936 (16) & 1937 (8), the longest such streak ever recorded in either the National league or American League. He was twice named National League MVP
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
(1933, 1936) (1st unanimous MVP pick in 1936). He led the league in wins 3 times in 1933 (23), 1936 (26), and 1937 (22). He led the league in ERA three times in 1933 (1.66), 1934 (2.30), and 1936 (2.31). He led the league in innings pitched in 1933 (308). He led the league in strikeouts in 1937 (159). He led the league in strikeouts per 9 innings pitched in 1938 (5.23). He led the league in shutouts in 1933 (10). He led the league in saves in 1934 (eight, retroactively credited). He compiled a streak of 46 1/3 scoreless innings and four shutouts in 1933. He pitched a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates (11–0, May 8, 1929). He pitched an 18-inning shutout against the St. Louis Cardinals (1–0, July 2, 1933).
In its 1936 World Series
1936 World Series
The 1936 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the New York Giants, with the Yankees winning in six games to earn their fifth championship....
cover story about Lou Gehrig and Carl Hubbell, Time magazine depicted the Fall Classic that year between crosstown rivals Giants and Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
as "a personal struggle between Hubbell and Gehrig", calling Hubbell "...currently baseball's No. 1 Pitcher and among the half dozen ablest in the game's annals." Time said that while he was growing up on his family's Missouri farm, he "practiced for hours...throwing stones at a barn door until he could unfailingly hit knotholes no bigger than a dime".
Hubbell's primary pitch was the screwball
Screwball
A screwball , is a baseball pitch that is thrown so as to break in the opposite direction of a slider or curveball. Depending on the pitcher's arm angle, the ball may also have a sinking action....
, a pitch that some believe places an unusual amount of stress on a pitcher's arm. Joe DiMaggio said Hubbell was the toughest pitcher he ever faced.
All-Star game moments
In the 1934 All-StarMajor League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
game played at the Polo Grounds
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...
, Hubbell set a record by striking out in succession five batters destined for Cooperstown: Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
, Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig , nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees . Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams...
, Jimmie Foxx
Jimmie Foxx
James Emory "Jimmie" Foxx , nicknamed "Double X" and "The Beast", was a right-handed American Major League Baseball first baseman and noted power hitter....
, Al Simmons
Al Simmons
Aloysius Harry Simmons , born Aloisius Szymanski in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was an American baseball player. He played for two decades in the major leagues as an outfielder, and had his best years as a member of Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics during the 1930's...
and Joe Cronin
Joe Cronin
Joseph Edward Cronin was a Major League Baseball shortstop and manager.During a 20-year playing career, he played from 1926–45 for three different teams, primarily for the Boston Red Sox. Cronin was a major league manager from 1933–47...
. In 1984, the 50th anniversary of this legendary performance, the National League pitchers Fernando Valenzuela
Fernando Valenzuela
Fernando Valenzuela Anguamea is a Mexican former left-handed pitcher, most notably with the Los Angeles Dodgers.In 1981, the 20-year-old Valenzuela took Los Angeles by storm, winning his first 8 decisions and leading the Dodgers to the World Championship...
and Dwight Gooden
Dwight Gooden
Dwight 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:...
combined to fan six batters in a row for a new All-Star Game record (future Hall of Famers Dave Winfield
Dave Winfield
David Mark Winfield is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently Executive Vice President/Senior Advisor of the San Diego Padres and an analyst for the ESPN program Baseball Tonight...
, Reggie Jackson
Reggie Jackson
Reginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson , nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason with the New York Yankees, is a former American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played from 1967-1987 for four different teams. Jackson currently serves as...
, and George Brett
George Brett (baseball)
George Howard Brett , nicknamed "Mullet", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman, designated hitter, and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Kansas City Royals. Brett's 3,154 career hits are the most by any third baseman in major league history, and 15th...
by Valenzuela; Lance Parrish
Lance Parrish
Lance Michael Parrish, aka "Big Wheel", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Detroit Tigers , Philadelphia Phillies , California Angels , Seattle Mariners , Cleveland Indians , Pittsburgh Pirates , and the Toronto Blue Jays...
, Chet Lemon
Chet Lemon
Chester Earl Lemon is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. A three time All-Star, he was a member of the World Series champion 1984 Detroit Tigers.-Early years:...
, and Alvin Davis
Alvin Davis
Alvin Glenn Davis , nicknamed "Mr. Mariner", is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and designated hitter. Davis played his career primarily for the Seattle Mariners...
by Gooden). Hubbell himself was on hand for the 1984 All-Star Game at San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
's Candlestick Park
Monster Park
Candlestick Park is an outdoor sports and entertainment stadium located in San Francisco, California, in the Bayview Heights area. The stadium was originally built as the home of Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants, who played there from 1960 until moving into Pacific Bell Park in 2000...
to throw out the first pitch, which was a screwball.
Death
Hubbell died due to injuries sustained in an auto accident in Scottsdale, ArizonaScottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
in 1988. He died of the same cause and exactly 30 years to the day of the death of fellow teammate and Hall of Famer Mel Ott
Mel Ott
Melvin Thomas Ott , nicknamed "Master Melvin", was a Major League Baseball right fielder. He played his entire career for the New York Giants . Ott was born in Gretna, Louisiana. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
. He is interred at Meeker-Newhope Cemetery in Meeker, Oklahoma
Meeker, Oklahoma
Meeker is a town in Lincoln County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 978 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Meeker is located at ....
.
Baseball honors
- He was a 9-time All-Star, playing in 1933 to 1938 and then again from 1940 to 1942.
- In 1999, he ranked number 45 on the The Sporting NewsThe Sporting NewsSporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was a nominee for the Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor 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...
All-Century Team. - Hubbell was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 1947Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1947 followed yet another round of reform. The Baseball Writers Association of America continued to vote by mail but the Hall of Fame Committee had revised the procedures for that election and reduced its historical jurisdiction relative to the Old-Timers...
. - He was the first NL player to have his number (11) retired. His number is posted on the facing of the upper deck in the left field corner at AT&T ParkAT&T ParkAT&T Park is a ballpark located in the South Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, California. Located at 24 Willie Mays Plaza, at the corner of Third and King Streets, it has served as the home of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball since 2000....
.
Hubbell was the subject of the poem "Line-Up for Yesterday
Line-Up for Yesterday
Line-Up for Yesterday: An ABC of Baseball Immortals is a poem written by Ogden Nash for the January 1949 issue of SPORT Magazine. In the poem, Nash dedicates each letter of the alphabet to an iconic Major League Baseball player...
" by Ogden Nash
Ogden Nash
Frederic Ogden Nash was an American poet well known for his light verse. At the time of his death in 1971, the New York Times said his "droll verse with its unconventional rhymes made him the country's best-known producer of humorous poetry".-Early life:Nash was born in Rye, New York...
:
See also
- List of MLB individual streaks
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball ERA champions
- List of Major League Baseball saves champions
- List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions
- List of Major League Baseball wins champions
- List of Major League Baseball no-hitters
External links
- carlhubbell.com Official website
- Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Hubbell, Carl
- Carl Hubbell at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...
Accomplishments