Books and articles about Ewell Blackwell

A 6'6" stringbean with a wicked sidearm delivery, Blackwell was virtually unhittable for righthanded batters as the ball seemed to explode at them from third base. As a Reds rookie in 1946 he had only a 9-13 record but a NL-leading six shutouts, and he started a record streak of six straight All-Star Game pitching appearances (later tied by Early Wynn). In 1947 he was dubbed The Whip, as he led the NL in wins (22-8), complete games (23), and strikeouts (193) for the fifth-place Reds. His 16 consecutive wins set a NL mark for righthanders. He came very close to tying teammate Johnny Vander Meer's 1939 feat of back-to-back no-hitters. On the night of June 18, he no-hit the Braves; in his next outing he held the Dodgers hitless into the ninth before Eddie Stanky's one-out, broken-bat single.

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Arm miseries the next couple of years took the snap out of "The Whip." In 1950 (when he won the All-Star Game) and '51, he came back partway with 17 and 16 wins, but his arm problems returned. He was 3-12 in 1952 when the Reds traded him to the Yankees on August 28. "I wish it could have been earlier in my career," he said later. "There was no great difference between the two leagues, but I'd have to say it was easier pitching in Yankee Stadium." Down the stretch for New York he pitched 16 innings while surrendering just one run and won his only decision. He started the fifth game of the WS and surrendered four runs in five innings (no decision). The next season, he had two wins before his arm problems led to his retirement in mid-season (he had a two-game comeback with the A's in 1955). (RTM)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 10, 1947: At Cincinnati, Ewell Blackwell whips the Cubs, 5–1, to start a 16-game winning streak. He won't lose until July 25. » May 14, 1947: The Reds Ewell Blackwell whips the Dodgers, 2–0, handing Brooklyn its first shutout of the year. Jackie Robinson collects two of the Dodgers' six hits to run his hitting streak to 11 games. » May 18, 1947: Ewell Blackwell outpitches Mort Cooper to give the Reds a 2–1 win over the Braves. Red Barrett then outpitches Johnny Vander Meer, 3–1, to give the Braves a split for the day. Only a game and a half separate the first-place Braves from the 5th-place Pirates. » June 18, 1947: Ewell Blackwell of the Cincinnati Reds no-hits the Boston Braves at Crosley Field 6-0. Rookie Frankie Baumholtz, who played in the NBA the previous winter, collects with four hits. » June 22, 1947: Ewell Blackwell just misses pitching back-to-back no-hitters when Eddie Stanky of the Brooklyn Dodgers singles with one out in the ninth inning. Blackwell then gets Al Gionfriddo before Jackie Robinson bangs out a second single. Blackwell wins 4-0, his ninth straight win to improve to 11-2. Stanky's hit ends Blackwell's hitless-inning skein at 19. » July 30, 1947: The New York Giants edge the Cincinnati Reds 6-5 in 10 innings, ending Ewell Blackwell's winning streak at 16 games. All games are complete games and five are shutouts. » August 8, 1947: At Wrigley Field, Bill Nicholson breaks up a pitching duel between Johnny Schmitz and Ewell Blackwell with an 11th inning solo homer. The Cubs whip the Reds, 2–1. Nicholson also scores the Cubs first run, an unearned tally. Chicago helps Schmitz out with a 7th inning triple play when Len Merullo snags a liner, steps on 2B, and fires to Eddie Waitkus. » July 8, 1948: The Reds Ewell Blackwell strikes out 13 Cubs at Wrigley Field, as Cincinnati wins, 4–0. » July 1, 1950: The Reds Ewell Blackwell has to go ten innings but finally beats the Cubs, 5–3, striking out 14 and allowing just two hits. One of the hits is Andy Pafko's 3-run home run in the 9th. » September 2, 1950: Phil Cavarretta leads off the ninth with a single, the Cubs lone hit against the Reds Ewell Blackwell. The Whip strikes out 10 in winning, 5–1. » September 12, 1950: Ewell Blackwell gives up just one hit, a run-scoring double in the fourth to Gene Hermanski, but the Dodgers whip the Reds ace, 2–1. Carl Erskine allows three hits, including a double by Blackwell and a home run by Ted Kluszewski. Hermanski and Snider drive in the two runs for Brooklyn. » May 15, 1951: At Crosley Field, Braves P Vern Bickford pitches a 2-hitter, but Ewell Blackwell bests him by allowing one hit, as the Reds win, 1–0. Connie Ryan's 6th inning hit is the 1st off Bickford, and Johnny Pramesa's homer in the 7th is the other. The only Boston hit is a 5th inning double by Bob Elliott. The Reds tie the National League record (set in 1911) for nine innings by going to bat just 24 times. » August 22, 1951: At the Polo Grounds, the Giants win their 11th straight, again coming from behind to top the Reds, 4–3. Irvin homers in the 2nd off Ewell Blackwell, but it is Whitey Lockman's double in the 8th that wins it for reliever Sheldon Jones. » August 26, 1951: Rookie hurler Niles Jordan of the Phillies blanks the Reds 2–0 in his first ML start. Jordan gives up three hits, the same number allowed by loser Willard Ramsdell. The Reds win the opener, 4–2, as Ewell Blackwell bests Robin Roberts. » May 21, 1952: After leadoff batter Billy Cox grounds out against Ewell Blackwell, the Whip loses his snap. The Dodgers then score 15 runs in the first inning as a record 19 consecutive batters reach 1B. Captain Pee Wee Reese walks twice in reaching base safely three times. Andy Pafko is thrown out trying to steal 3B, and Duke Snider mercifully strikes out to end the barrage against the Reds. The Dodgers score 15 runs on 15 RBIs in the frame, and coast at home, 19–1. Winning pitcher Chris Van Cuyk has the most hits with four—two in the first inning off Bud Byerly and Frank Smith, while Bobby Morgan has a pair of two-run homers and Snider another two-run homer. The Reds lone run is a homer by reserve catcher Dixie Howell. » September 2, 1952: Yankee hurlers Tom Gorman and Ewell Blackwell shut the Red Sox out 5-0 and 4­0 in a doubleheader. » May 16, 1953: At Yankee Stadium, White Sox lefty pitcher Tommy Byrne pinch-hits for slugger Vern Stephens and hits a grand slam off Yankees reliever Ewell Blackwell to climax a 5-run 9th inning and give Chicago the 5–3 win. Stephens has 10 career grand slams: Byrne now has two. » March 30, 1955: The Yanks sell P Ewell Blackwell and Tom Gorman, plus reserve IF Dick Kryhoski, to the Kansas City Athletics, now in the AL, for $50,000. » September 12, 1961: At Milwaukee, the Reds Joey Jay beats his old team, 1–0, for his 20th victory of the year. He's the Reds 1st 20-game winner since Ewell Blackwell in 1947.