Joe Nuxhall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Joe Nuxhall |
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Nuxhall in 1957
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: July 30, 1928 Hamilton, Ohio, U.S. |
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| Died: November 15, 2007 (aged 79) Fairfield, Ohio, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| June 10, 1944, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 2, 1966, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 135–117 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.90 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,372 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Joseph Henry Nuxhall (born July 30, 1928 – died November 15, 2007) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played most of his career for the Cincinnati Reds.
Joe Nuxhall is famous for being the youngest player ever to play in a Major League game. He was only 15 years old when he first pitched for the Reds in 1944! After his playing career, he became a popular radio announcer for the Reds for 40 years. People often called him "The Ol' Left-hander." He won 135 games and had 1,372 strikeouts during his 16 seasons in baseball.
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Becoming a Young Baseball Star
Joe Nuxhall was born and grew up in Hamilton, Ohio. During World War II, many baseball players were away serving in the military. This meant that baseball teams needed new players.
Joe was a tall and strong 14-year-old, standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 190 pounds. He was a left-handed pitcher with a very fast fastball. Scouts were actually watching his father, Orville Nuxhall, who played in a semi-pro league. But his father wasn't interested in playing professionally.
The scouts then noticed young Joe. He signed a contract with the Reds in February 1944. Because the team needed players so badly, Joe joined them on Opening Day with permission from his high school.
His First Big League Game
On June 10, 1944, Joe Nuxhall made history. The Cincinnati Reds were playing the St. Louis Cardinals and were losing badly, 13–0, in the ninth inning. Joe's manager, Bill McKechnie, asked the young pitcher to finish the game.
Joe later said it was "a very scary situation" because he was used to pitching against kids his own age. He got the first batter out, but then he struggled. He walked five batters and gave up two hits and five runs. After that game, he spent the rest of the 1944 season and the next seven years playing in the minor leagues to get more experience.
Joe Nuxhall is still the youngest person to ever play in a Major League Baseball game. There was a story about another player, Fred Chapman, being younger in 1887, but that turned out to be incorrect.
Playing in the Minor Leagues
After his first game with the Reds, Joe played for several minor league teams. This helped him improve his pitching skills. He played for teams like the Birmingham Barons and the Syracuse Chiefs.
Joe even took a break from baseball to finish high school. He played football, basketball, and baseball for Hamilton High School. He was very good at all of them! After high school, he returned to the minor leagues for five more years. He finally came back to the Cincinnati Reds in 1952.
Returning to the Major Leagues
Joe Nuxhall returned to the Reds in 1952 when he was 23 years old. He pitched well and quickly became an important part of the team.
- In 1955, Joe had a great season. He won 17 games and led the league with five shutouts (games where the other team scores no runs). He was chosen to play in the 1955 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
- He was also picked for the All-Star Game in 1956.
- Joe played for the Reds until 1960. He then briefly played for the Kansas City Athletics and the Los Angeles Angels.
- In 1962, Joe returned to the Cincinnati Reds and stayed with them until he retired.
- On June 29, 1963, Joe won his 100th career game.
- In 1965, he broke the Reds' team record for most games pitched by a player, passing Eppa Rixey. Joe's record of 484 games pitched for the Reds stood until 1975.
Joe Nuxhall played his last game on October 2, 1966. He was a good hitter for a pitcher, hitting 15 home runs and getting 78 runs batted in during his career.
A Career in Broadcasting
After retiring as a player on April 1, 1967, Joe Nuxhall immediately became a radio announcer for the Cincinnati Reds. Even though he had no experience, he quickly became very popular.
His famous sign-off phrase was: "This is the old left-hander, rounding third and heading for home." This phrase is even displayed on the outside of the Reds' stadium, Great American Ball Park. A statue of Joe Nuxhall is also at the stadium's main entrance.
Joe Nuxhall was added to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1968. He officially retired from broadcasting in 2004, but he still made guest appearances on games until he passed away in 2007. He spent almost his entire 64-year baseball career with the Reds organization.
In 2007, Joe Nuxhall was a finalist for the Ford C. Frick Award, which honors baseball broadcasters. He received many votes from fans, showing how much he was loved.
Remembering Joe Nuxhall
After Joe Nuxhall passed away, many people in Cincinnati honored him. Fans left flowers and messages at his statue at Great American Ball Park. Thousands of people attended his memorial service.
- The Hamilton Joes, a summer baseball team for college players, was named in his honor in 2008.
- On Opening Day in 2008, the Reds players wore special jerseys with Joe's name and number 41 on them to remember him. His number 41 was also displayed at the stadium.
A book about Joe, called Joe: Rounding Third & Heading for Home, was released in 2004. Part of the money from the book helps the Joe Nuxhall Character Education Fund. This fund helps support programs that teach good character to children.
See also
- List of baseball players who went directly to Major League Baseball
