View source for Don Newcombe

{{Short description|American baseball player (1926–2019)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Don Newcombe
|image=Don Newcombe 1955.png
|caption=Newcombe in 1955
|position=[[Pitcher]]
|bats=Left
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{Birth date|1926|06|14}}
|birth_place=[[Madison, New Jersey]], U.S.
|death_date={{Death date and age|2019|02|19|1926|06|14}}
|death_place=[[Los Angeles]], California, U.S.
|debutleague = NgL
|debutdate= 
|debutyear=1944
|debutteam=Newark Eagles
|debut2league = MLB
|debut2date=May 20
|debut2year=1949
|debut2team=Brooklyn Dodgers
|debut3league = NPB
|debut3date=June 23
|debut3year=1962
|debut3team=Chunichi Dragons
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=October 1
|finalyear=1960
|finalteam=Cleveland Indians
|final3league = NPB
|final3date=October 9
|final3year=1962
|final3team=Chunichi Dragons
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Win–loss record (pitching)|Win–loss record]]
|stat1value=153–96
|stat2label=[[Earned run average]]
|stat2value=3.57
|stat3label=[[Strikeout]]s
|stat3value=1,185
|stat2league = NPB
|stat21label  = [[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat21value  = .262
|stat22label  = [[Home runs]]
|stat22value  = 12
|stat23label  = [[Runs batted in]]
|stat23value  = 43
|teams=
* [[Newark Eagles]] ({{by|1944}}–{{by|1945}})
* [[Brooklyn Dodgers|Brooklyn]] / [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] ({{mlby|1949}}–{{mlby|1951}}, {{mlby|1954}}–{{mlby|1958}})
* [[Cincinnati Reds|Cincinnati Redlegs / Reds]] ({{mlby|1958}}–{{mlby|1960}})
* [[Cleveland Guardians|Cleveland Indians]] ({{mlby|1960}})
* [[Chunichi Dragons]] ({{mlby|1962}})
|highlights=
* 4× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1949 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1949]]–[[1951 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1951]], [[1955 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1955]])
* [[World Series champion]] ({{wsy|1955}})
* [[NL MVP]] (1956)
* [[Cy Young Award]] (1956)
* [[NL Rookie of the Year]] (1949)
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders|MLB wins leader]] (1956)
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders|MLB strikeout leader]] (1951)
}}
'''Donald Newcombe''' (June 14, 1926 – February 19, 2019), nicknamed "'''Newk'''", was an American professional [[baseball]] [[pitcher]] who played ten non-consecutive seasons in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB). He began his career in the [[Negro National League (1933–1948)|Negro National League]] and ended it in [[Nippon Professional Baseball]] (NPB).

Newcombe was the first pitcher to win the [[Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year]], [[MLB Most Valuable Player award|Most Valuable Player]], and [[Cy Young Award]]s during his career. This distinction would not be achieved again until 2011, when [[Detroit Tigers]] pitcher [[Justin Verlander]], who was Rookie of the Year in 2006, won the Cy Young and MVP awards. In 1949, he became the first black pitcher to start a [[World Series]] game. In 1951, Newcombe was the first black pitcher to [[Win–loss record (pitching)|win]] 20 games in one season.<ref>''Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures'', 2008 Edition, p.198, [[David Nemec]] and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, {{ISBN|978-0-451-22363-0}}</ref> In 1956, the inaugural year of the Cy Young Award, he became the first pitcher to win the National League MVP and the Cy Young in the same season.<ref>''Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures'', 2008 Edition, p.152, [[David Nemec]] and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, {{ISBN|978-0-451-22363-0}}</ref>

Newcombe was an excellent hitting pitcher who compiled a career [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] of .271 with 15 [[home run]]s and was used as a [[pinch hitter]], a rarity for pitchers.

==Early life==
Newcombe was born in [[Madison, New Jersey]], on June 14, 1926, and was raised in [[Elizabeth, New Jersey|Elizabeth]].<ref>Young, A. S. Doc. [https://books.google.com/books?id=Q-YDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA54&lpg=PA54 "Don Newcombe: Baseball great wins fight against alcoholism"], ''[[Ebony (magazine)|Ebony]]'', April 1976, pp. 54-62. Accessed March 12, 2011.</ref> He had three brothers and a sister. His father worked as a [[chauffeur]].<ref name=sabr/>

Newcombe attended Jefferson High School in Elizabeth. The school did not have a baseball team, so Newcombe played [[semi-professional]] baseball while attending high school.<ref name=sabr/>

==Career==
After playing briefly with the [[Newark Eagles]] in the [[Negro National League (1933–1948)|Negro National League]] in 1944 and 1945, Newcombe signed with the Dodgers. With catcher [[Roy Campanella]], Newcombe played for the first racially integrated baseball team based in the United States in the 20th century, the 1946 [[Nashua Dodgers]] of the [[New England League]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127884015 |title=Holman Stadium Hosted First Interracial Team |publisher=NPR |date=June 16, 2010 |access-date=February 19, 2019}}</ref> He continued to play for Nashua in 1947 before being promoted to the [[Montreal Royals]] of the [[Triple-A (baseball)|Triple-A]] [[International League]] in 1948.<ref name=sabr/>

Newcombe debuted for Brooklyn on May 20, 1949, becoming the third African American pitcher in the major leagues, after [[Dan Bankhead]] and [[Satchel Paige]].<ref name="sabr">{{cite web |last=Bergtold |first=Russell |date= |title=Don Newcombe |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/Don-Newcombe/ |access-date=February 19, 2019 |website=[[Society for American Baseball Research]]}}</ref> [[Effa Manley]], business manager for the Eagles, agreed to let the Dodgers' [[Branch Rickey]] sign Newcombe to a contract. Manley was not compensated for the release of Newcombe.<ref name="Cooperstown_Simons">{{cite book|title=The Cooperstown Symposium on Baseball and American Culture, 2000|editor=Alvin L. Hall|isbn=978-0786411207|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc.|location=Jefferson, North Carolina|last=Simons|first=William M.|date=October 2, 2015|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OT2oXO8-5KwC&q=larry+dobby+effa+manley+bill+veeck+contract&pg=PA288}}</ref>{{rp|p.288}} He immediately helped the Dodgers to the league pennant as he earned seventeen [[win (baseball statistics)|victories]], led the league in [[shutouts in baseball|shutout]]s, and pitched 32 consecutive scoreless innings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/dodgersnow/la-sp-dn-20-greatest-dodgers-kirk-gibson-20150511-story.html|title=The 20 greatest Dodgers of all time, No. 17: Don Newcombe|first=Houston|last=Mitchell|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=May 14, 2015 |access-date=February 19, 2019}}</ref> He was also among the first four black players to be named to an [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] team, along with teammates [[Jackie Robinson]] and [[Roy Campanella]] and the Indians' [[Larry Doby]]. Newcombe was named Rookie of the Year by both ''[[The Sporting News]]'' and the [[Baseball Writers' Association of America]].<ref name=sabr/> In 1950, he won 19 games, and 20 the following season, also leading the league in [[strikeout]]s in 1951.<ref name="Swaine2009">{{cite book|author=Rick Swaine|title=The Integration of Major League Baseball: A Team by Team History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e7Eznt0V6QEC&pg=PA238|date=June 8, 2009|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-5334-4|pages=238–}}</ref> In the memorable playoff game between the Dodgers and the Giants at the end of the 1951 season, Newcombe was relieved by [[Ralph Branca]] in the bottom of the ninth inning when [[Clyde Sukeforth]] instructed manager [[Chuck Dressen]] to bring in Branca. Branca then surrendered the walk-off home run to [[Bobby Thomson]] to give the Giants the pennant.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/23/sports/baseball/ralph-branca-who-gave-up-shot-heard-round-the-world-dies-at-90.html |title=Ralph Branca, Who Gave Up 'Shot Heard Round the World,' Dies at 90 - The New York Times |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=November 23, 2016 |access-date=February 19, 2019 |last1=Goldstein |first1=Richard }}</ref>

After two years of mandatory military duty during the [[Korean War]], Newcombe suffered a disappointing season in 1954, going 9–8 with a 4.55 [[earned run average]], but returned to form the next year by finishing second in the NL in both wins and [[earned run average]], with marks of 20–5 and 3.20, as the Dodgers won their first [[World Series]] in franchise history. He had an even greater 1956 season, with marks of 27–7, 139 strikeouts, and a 3.06 ERA, five shutouts and 18 [[complete game]]s, leading the league in winning percentage for the second year in a row. He was named the [[National League (baseball)|National League]]'s [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]], and was awarded the first-ever Cy Young Award, then given to the best pitcher in the combined major leagues. He was the only player to win MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards until [[Justin Verlander]] accomplished the feat in 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Don Newcombe Awards |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/awards.php?p=newcodo01 |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=Baseball Almanac}}</ref> Newcombe had a difficult time in the [[1956 World Series]].<ref name="sabr" /> He was the losing pitcher in Game 7. Berra, who hit three home runs off of him in the series, hit two of them in Game 7. The Yankees and [[Johnny Kucks]] won 9–0.<ref name=sabr/>

Following the Dodgers' move to Los Angeles, Newcombe got off to an 0–6 start in 1958 before being traded to the [[Cincinnati Reds]] for [[Steve Bilko]], [[Johnny Klippstein]], and two [[players to be named later]] during the season.<ref name=sabr/> He posted a record of 24–21 with Cincinnati until his contract was sold to Cleveland in mid-1960. He finished with a 2–3 mark in Cleveland before being released to end his major league career. Newcombe acknowledged that alcoholism played a significant role in the decline of his career.<ref>{{cite news|last=Scannell |first=Nancy |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1977/05/22/newcombes-biggest-victory-was-over-the-bottle/b4b9934c-4e4a-4d58-96fe-8dd188da73ab/ |title=Newcombe's Biggest Victory Was Over the Bottle |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=May 22, 1977 |access-date=February 19, 2019}}</ref>

On May 28, 1962, Newcombe signed with the [[Chunichi Dragons]] of [[Nippon Professional Baseball]]'s [[Central League]]. Newcombe played one season in Japan, splitting time as an outfielder and a first baseman, only pitching in one game. In 81 games, he hit .262 with 12 home runs and 43 [[runs batted in]] (RBIs).<ref>[https://www.baseball-reference.com/japan/player.cgi?id=newcom001don "Don Newcombe,"] Baseball-Reference.com. Accessed March 15, 2015.</ref>

In his ten-year major league career, Newcombe registered a record of 149–90, with 1,129 strikeouts and a 3.56 ERA, 136 complete games and 24 shutouts in 2,154{{frac|2|3}} [[innings pitched]]. In addition to his pitching abilities, Newcombe was a dangerous hitter, hitting seven home runs in the 1955 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BRO/1955.shtml |title=1955 Brooklyn Dodgers Statistics |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=February 19, 2019}}</ref> He [[batting average (baseball)|batted]] .271 (ninth-best average in history among pitchers), with 15 [[home run]]s, 108 RBIs, 238 [[hit (baseball)|hits]], 33 [[double (baseball)|doubles]], three [[triple (baseball)|triples]], 94 [[Run (baseball)|runs scored]] and 87 [[walk (baseball)|walk]]s.<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=February 19, 2019 |title=Don Newcombe, star pitcher linked to Dodgers' Brooklyn past, dies at 92 |url=http://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/news/don-newcombe-obit-obituary-mlb-brooklyn-dodgers-los-angeles/97xt7u5k0eu314bnmdqyzdf9y |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190405105559/http://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/news/don-newcombe-obit-obituary-mlb-brooklyn-dodgers-los-angeles/97xt7u5k0eu314bnmdqyzdf9y |archive-date=April 5, 2019 |access-date=February 19, 2019 |publisher=Sporting News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Don Newcombe Career Stats |url=https://retrosheet.org/boxesetc/N/Pnewcd101.htm |accessdate=July 1, 2024 |website=[[Retrosheet]]}}</ref>

A historic marker was installed in Nashua, NH by the [https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/2023/05/30/nashua-nh-holman-stadium-black-heritage-trail-baseball-dodgers/70268044007/ Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire] to celebrate the achievements of Newcombe and Roy Campanella in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Casey |first=Michael |title=Nashua's Holman Stadium honored for historic role in racially integrating baseball |url=https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/2023/05/30/nashua-nh-holman-stadium-black-heritage-trail-baseball-dodgers/70268044007/ |access-date=2024-03-01 |website=Portsmouth Herald |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Life after retirement==
[[File:Don Newcombe 2009.jpg|thumb|200px|Newcombe in 2009]]
Newcombe rejoined the Dodger organization in the late 1970s and served as the team's director of community affairs. In March 2009, he was named special adviser to the chairman of the team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/content/printer_friendly/la/y2009/m03/d23/c4055002.jsp|title=Don Newcombe named Special Advisor to the Chairman|work=MLB.com|date=March 23, 2009|access-date=February 19, 2019}}</ref>

Newcombe was inducted into the [[Baseball Reliquary]]'s [[Baseball Reliquary#Shrine of the Eternals|Shrine of the Eternals]] in 2016<ref name="BRSOTE Inductees">[http://www.baseballreliquary.org/awards/shrine-of-the-eternals/shrine-of-the-eternals-electees "Shrine of the Eternals – Inductees"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919092503/http://www.baseballreliquary.org/awards/shrine-of-the-eternals/shrine-of-the-eternals-electees|date=September 19, 2020}}. [[Baseball Reliquary]]. Retrieved 2019-08-14.</ref> and into the initial class of "Legends of Dodger Baseball" in 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-maury-wills-named-to-legends-of-dodger-baseball|title=Maury Wills named to 'Legends of Dodger Baseball'|work=MLB.com|date=April 13, 2022|accessdate=April 17, 2022}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Newcombe was married three times. His first wife was Freddie Green, whom he married in 1945 and divorced in 1960. They had 3 children, Evit, Gregory (died in 1998), and Robin (died in 2015). Evit resides in Florida. A week after his divorce from Green, he married Billie Roberts, a marriage which lasted until they divorced in 1994. Newcombe's third wife, Karen Kroner, survived him.<ref name=sabr/><ref>{{cite news|last=Marino |first=David |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/don-newcombe-pitching-star-who-later-led-programs-to-treat-substance-abuse-dies-at-92/2019/02/19/3c7e774e-3479-11e9-a400-e481bf264fdc_story.html?noredirect=on |title=Don Newcombe, pitching star who later led programs to treat substance abuse, dies at 92 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=February 19, 2019}}</ref>

Newcombe dealt with alcoholism in the 1950s and 1960s, describing himself as "a stupefied, wife-abusing, child-frightening, falling-down drunk". His alcoholism became so severe that, in 1965, he pawned his World Series ring in order to afford alcohol. He quit drinking in 1966, when his wife threatened to leave him.<ref name=sabr/> In his personal and professional life, he helped numerous other people including military personnel and Dodgers teammate [[Maury Wills]] in their own battles against [[substance abuse]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-01-31-sp-1151-story.html|title=For Wills, Basepaths Led to His Own Private Hell : Baseball: After battling drugs and depression, the former Dodger shortstop finally feels part of a team--and important as an individual|first=Maryann|last=Hudson|work=Los Angeles Times|date=January 31, 1990|access-date=February 19, 2019}}</ref>

At a fundraising event for Senator [[Barbara Boxer]], President [[Barack Obama]] referred to Newcombe (who was attending the event) as "someone who helped... America become what it is.<ref>{{citation | last=Obama | first=Barack | author-link=Barack Obama | title=Remarks by the President at fundraising event for Senator Boxer and the DNC | date=April 19, 2010 | url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-fundraising-event-senator-boxer-and-dnc | access-date=September 12, 2017}}</ref> 
<blockquote>
I would not be here if it were not for [[Jackie Robinson|Jackie]] and it were not for Don Newcombe.
:- Barack Obama, April 19, 2010.</blockquote>

Newcombe died on the morning of February 19, 2019, at the age of 92, following a long illness. He is interred at the [[Los Angeles National Cemetery]] in Los Angeles.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Perry |first1=Dayn |date=February 19, 2019 |title=Don Newcombe, former Dodgers great and inaugural Cy Young Award winner, dead at 92 |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/don-newcombe-former-dodgers-great-and-inaugural-cy-young-award-winner-dead-at-92/ |access-date=February 19, 2019 |website=CBS Sports}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Black Aces]], African-American pitchers with a 20-win MLB season
* [[List of first black Major League Baseball players]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball all-time leaders in home runs by pitchers]]
* [[List of Negro league baseball players who played in Major League Baseball]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{baseballstats|mlb=119733|espn=25741|br=n/newcodo01|fangraphs=1009529|brm=newcom001don|retro=N/Pnewcd101}} or [https://www.seamheads.com/NegroLgs/player.php?playerID=newco01don Seamheads]
*{{SABR Baseball Biography Project|a79b94f3}}
*{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070421173550/http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/news/2007/election/vc/newcombe.htm |date=April 21, 2007 |title=2007 Baseball Hall of Fame candidate profile}}

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{{succession box|before=[[Joe Hatten]]<br>[[Carl Erskine]]|title=[[Brooklyn Dodgers]] [[Opening Day]]<br>[[Starting pitcher]]|years=1950<br>1956–1957|after=[[Carl Erskine]]<br>[[Don Drysdale]]}}
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