Carl Hubbell (1947)


Date of Birth: 6/22/1903
Date of Death: 11/21/1988
Birthplace: Carthage, Missouri

Carl Hubbell started playing professional baseball in 1924, when he signed with a team in the Western League/Association. He played with them until his contract was purchased by the Detroit Tigers in 1926. He never played with the Tigers and from 1926-1927, he played minor league baseball with the International League, the American Association, and the Independent Iowa League. In April, 1928, his contract was purchased by the Texas League and he played with them until the contract was sold to the New York Giants in July, 1928.

New York Giants

Hubbell pitched 124.0 innings in 14 games with the Giants in 1928, and he ended the season with a 10-6 record and a 2.83 ERA. The next season, his first full season as part of the Giants starting rotation, Hubbell had an 18-11 record with a 3.69 ERA in 39 games. He pitched the only no hitter of his career in 1929. Defensively, he led all NL pitchers in assists with 76 and in putouts with 16.

Hubbell had a 3.87 ERA in 37 games in 1930. He had 17 wins and 12 losses and 117 strikeouts to 58 walks in 241.2 innings. His ERA improved to 2.65 in 1931, when he had 14 wins and 12 losses in 248.0 innings in 36 games. His ERA improved again in 1932 to 2.50. That season, he had 18 wins and 11 losses and 137 strikeouts to 40 walks in 284.0 innings in 40 games. He led all NL pitchers in assists with 83.

In 1933, Hubbell won his first NL MVP award, the Sporting News MVP award, and the Associated Press Athlete of the Year award. He led the NL in wins, ERA, and innings pitched. That season he had 23 wins to 12 losses and a career low ERA of 1.66 in 308.2 innings in 45 games. Defensively, he led all MLB pitchers in assists with 94 and in putouts with 23.

Hubbell led the NL in ERA again in 1934. He also led the league in complete games pitched with 25. He finished the season with 21 wins and 12 losses, 118 strikeouts to 37 walks, and a 2.30 ERA. He had career highs that year in innings pitched (313.0) and games played (49). The next year, he had 23 wins and 12 losses and a 3.27 ERA in 302.2 innings in 42 games.

Hubbell won his second NL MVP award and his second Sporting News MVP award in 1936. He again led the league in wins and ERA. He ended the season with a career high 26 wins to 6 losses, 123 strikeouts to 57 walks, and a 2.31 ERA in 304.0 innings in 42 games.

Hubbell led the NL in wins and strikeouts for the last time in his career in 1937. That season he had a 22-8 record with a career high 159 strikeouts to 55 walks and a 3.20 ERA in 261.2 innings in 39 games.

In 1938, Hubbell pitched in just 24 games. He finished the season with 13 wins and 10 losses, 104 strikeouts to 33 walks, and a 3.07 ERA in 179.0 innings. He pitched even fewer innings in 29 games in 1939. That year, he had 11 wins and 9 losses and a 2.75 ERA in 154.0 innings.

From 1940 through 1942, Hubbell struggled, never finishing with an ERA over 3.50, and with only 11 wins each season. He had a 3.65 ERA in 1940, 3.57 in 1941, and 3.95 in 1942. In 1943, his last season in the major leagues, he played in just 12 games and he ended the season with a 4.91 ERA.

Awards and MLB Records

  • NL MVP (2 times)
  • Sporting News MVP (2 times)
  • Associated Press Athlete of the Year
  • Led the NL in ERA (3 times)
  • Led the NL in wins (3 times)

Career Statistics

Statistics for Hubbell in 16 seasons (1928-1943) in the major leagues include:

  • 5 seasons with over 20 wins, with a high of 26 in 1936
  • 4 seasons with 150 or more strikeouts, with a high of 159 in 1937
  • 7 seasons with an ERA under 3.00, with a low of 1.66 in 1933

Career pitching statistics for Hubbell include:

  • 535 games played
  • 3,590.1 innings pitched
  • 253-154 win-loss record
  • 1,677 strikeouts to 725 walks
  • 2.98 ERA

Postseason statistics for Hubbell include:

  • 3 postseasons
  • 6 games played
  • 50.0 innings pitched
  • 4-2 win-loss record
  • 32 strikeouts to 12 walks
  • 1.80 ERA

Post Playing Career

After leaving major league baseball as a pitcher, Hubbell spent many years (1943-1979) as the Giants' Director of Player Development. He left that position in 1979 and the following year he became a scout for the Giants until 1988.

Hubbell was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1947 on the third ballot with 87.0% of the vote.

Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Carl Hubbell
ESPN - Carl Hubbell
Baseball Reference - Carl Hubbell

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