Ewell Blackwell
| Birthdate | 10/23/1922 |
| Death Date | 10/29/1996 |
| Debut Year | 1942 |
| Year of Induction | |
| Teams | Athletics, Reds, Yankees |
| Position | Pitcher |
An All Star every season from 1946-51, Ewell Blackwell pitched a no-hitter on 6/18/47; in his next start his no-hitter was broken up in the 9th.
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Ewell Blackwell was one of the most feared pitchers of his day
Ewell Blackwell was one of the most feared pitchers of his day
Ewell Blackwell broke into the big leagues at age 19 in 1942. In January of ’43, he was drafted into the US Army for World War II. A cook in the armed forces, Blackwell served in General Patton’s Third Army . When Germany surrendered in May, 1945, Blackwell cooked up a celebratory feast.
Blackwell was an All Star his first year back in the Majors in ’46. This began a streak of six straight Mid Summer Classics in which Blackwell pitched.
His best season came in 1947 when he led the National League with 22 wins. That season he reeled off 16 straight victories and paced the NL in strikeouts and complete games. He finished second in MVP voting to Boston Braves third baseman Bob Elliott.
Nicknamed “The Whip” because of his unorthodox sidearm delivery, Blackwell was tough to hit in ’47. He pitched a no-hitter against Elliott’s Braves on June 18. In his next start he held the Brooklyn Dodgers without a hit until one out in the ninth. He settled for a two-hit shutout, falling just two outs short of matching teammate Johnny Vander Meer‘s feat of consecutive no-hitters.
Blackwell became the first National Leaguer to pitch in six straight All Star games in 1951. It was also his last season with a double-digit win total. Blackwell’s pitching mechanics soon caused arm troubles. From 1952 until he retired after the ’55 season, Blackwell went 6-13 with a 4.64 ERA.
The Cincinnati hurler gained induction into the Reds Hall of Fame in 1960.
In the collection is this index card signed by Blackwell who lists his career highlights, adding, “Pitching no-hitter, winning 16 straight games, & pitching in 6 consecutive all star games.”
Ewell Blackwell's first big league manager was Hall of Famer Bill McKechnie
Ewell Blackwell's first big league manager was Hall of Famer Bill McKechnie
When Ewell Blackwell broke in the Reds in 1942, their skipper was Hall of Famer Bill McKecknie. According to SABR, when the Cincinnati manager first saw Blackwell pitch he told GM Warren Giles, “Boss, you’ve got a natural.”
Though Blackwell only pitched for McKechnie in 1942 and ’46, he felt highly of the field general. In the letter above, Blackwell writes about McKecknie, “Bill McKecknie was one of the greatest managers in all of baseball. He knew the game frontward + backward.” Blackwell adds his signature to the bottom of the note.
