Hal Newhouser

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Harold Newhouser (Prince Hal)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 2", Weight 192 lb.

• Debut September 29, 1939
• Final Game May 3, 1955
• Born May 20, 1921 in Detroit, MI USA
• Died November 10, 1998 in Bloomfield Hills, MI USA

Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1992

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[edit] Biographical Information

Hall of Famer Hal Newhouser was a great pitcher during the war years and for a number of years after the war. Late in his career he was a productive reliever for the 1954 Indians who won 111 games. He won two MVP awards and played in the World Series with the 1945 Detroit Tigers and the 1954 Cleveland Indians.

Cousin of Ken Macha.

"Hal had an overhand curve that nobody has got a hit off yet this season. It's the best pitch I've ever seen. ... He threw three of 'em to Joe DiMaggio and Joe couldn't even foul 'em." - Birdie Tebbetts, 1946

Newhouser won more games before his 30th birthday than any other pitcher of the live ball era with 188. He won his 189th game on his 30th birthday but his arm had almost fallen off by that point, and he ended his career with only 207 wins. Here's the complete list of most wins by a liveballer prior to turning 30 (info from retrosheet and b-ref.co) (through 2005):

• 1. Hal Newhouser 188
• 2. Catfish Hunter 184
• 3. Robin Roberts 179
• 4. Bob Feller 177
• 5. Wes Ferrell 175
• 6. Don Drysdale 170
• 7. Waite Hoyt 161
• 8. Mel Harder 159
• 9. Dwight Gooden 157
• 10. Bert Blyleven 156
• 11. Lefty Gomez 153
• 12t. Milt Pappas 152
• 12t. Jim Palmer 152
• 14t. Ken Holtzman 151
• 14t. Greg Maddux 151
• 16. Vida Blue 150

Among others, George Uhle (147), Roger Clemens (146), Tom Seaver (146), and Dave McNally (145) just miss making the list.

There has long been a question if he deserved his election to the Hall of Fame because most of his great years came during World War II. The argument on his behalf points out that many of the pitchers in the above list crashed in their early 30s, that Newhouser had established himself as a quality young arm at an extremely young age before the war, and most of all his defenders point to his 1946 season where he finished second in the MVP vote. In fact, in 1946 he won 20 of his first 22 starts. He earned his 20th victory several games before the Tigers played their 100th game, a pace no pitcher since then has matched, not even Denny McLain. The win came on July 27, 1946 and gave the Tigers a record of 52-39. The rest of the club was only 32-37 at that point.

After his pitching career, Newhouser became vice-president of a bank in Pontiac, MI and scouted for the Baltimore Orioles (1956-1961) and Cleveland Indians (1961-1964). Newhouser signed Dean Chance for the Orioles in 1959.

[edit] Notable Achievements

• 7-time AL All-Star (1942-1948)
• 2-time AL MVP (1944 & 1945)
• AL Pitcher's Triple Crown (1945)
• 2-time AL ERA Leader (1945 & 1946)
• 4-time AL Wins Leader (1944-1946 & 1948)
• AL Innings Pitched Leader (1945)
• 2-time AL Strikeouts Leader (1944 & 1945)
• 2-time AL Complete Games Leader (1945 & 1947)
• AL Shutouts Leader (1945)
• 15 Wins Seasons: 7 (1944-1950)
• 20 Wins Seasons: 4 (1944-1946 & 1948)
• 25 Wins Seasons: 3 (1944-1946)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 7 (1944-1950)
• 300 Innings Pitched Seasons: 2 (1944 & 1945)
• 200 Strikeouts Seasons: 2 (1945 & 1946)
• Won a World Series with the Detroit Tigers in 1945
• Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 1992

AL MVP
1943	1944	1945
Spud Chandler	Hal Newhouser	Hal Newhousr
1944	1945	1946
Hal Newhouser	Hal Newhouser	Ted Williams

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