Hubbell, Carl O.
Baseball
b. June 22, 1903, Carthage, MO
d. Nov. 22, 1988
"King Carl" learned to throw the screwball in the minor leagues in 1925. But when he went to spring training with the Detroit Tigers in 1926 and 1927, he was told not to use the pitch because it might injure his arm. He never made the Detroit roster.
The NL's New York Giants bought his contract for $30,000 in late July of 1928 and he had a 10-6 record with a 2.83 ERA that season. After four more winning seasons, the left-handed Hubbell became a genuine star in 1933, leading the league with 23 victories, 10 shutouts, 308 innings pitched. and a 1.66 ERA. He was named the league's most valuable player and the Associated Press voted him male athlete of the year.
The Giants won the pennant and Hubbell won two games, 4-2 and 2-1, in their five-game World Series victory over the Washington Senators. His most celebrated performance, though, came in the 1934 All-Star Game, when he struck out Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmy Foxx, Al Simmons, and Joe Cronin in succession.
Hubbell led the league in complete games with 25, in saves with 8, and in ERA with 2.30 in 1934 and had a 23-12 record in 1935. He was named the league's most valuable player for a second time in 1936, when he went 26-6 to lead the league in victories, winning percentage, and ERA at 2.31. He finished the season with 16 consecutive victories and won the first game of the World Series. However, he lost the fourth in a six-game defeat by the New York Yankees.
His last outstanding year was 1937. Hubbell won his first 8 games to make it 24 consecutive regular season victories, a major league record. He ended with a 22-8 record, leading the league again in victories and winning percentage and also winning his only strikeout title with 159.
Arm trouble began to bother him in 1938. He remained with the Giants through 1943 and had only one losing season in that stretch, but never again won more than 13 games. After retiring as a player, Hubbell became director of the team's farm system and later player development director.
In 16 major league seasons, Hubbell had a 253-154 record, with 36 shutouts, 33 saves, and a 2.98 ERA. He struck out 1,677 hitters and walked 725 in 3,590 1/3 innings.