View source for Hal Newhouser

{{Short description|American baseball player (1921–1998)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Hal Newhouser
|image=Hal Newhouser 1953.jpg
|image_size=160px
|caption=Newhouser, circa 1953
|position=[[Pitcher]]
|bats=Left
|throws=Left
|birth_date={{Birth date|mf=yes|1921|5|20}}
|birth_place=[[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]], U.S.
|death_date={{death date and age|mf=yes|1998|11|10|1921|5|20}}
|death_place=[[Southfield, Michigan]], U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=September 29
|debutyear=1939
|debutteam=Detroit Tigers
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=May 3
|finalyear=1955
|finalteam=Cleveland Indians
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Win–loss record (pitching)|Win–loss record]]
|stat1value=207–150
|stat2label=[[Earned run average]]
|stat2value=3.06
|stat3label=[[Strikeout|Strikeouts]]
|stat3value=1,796
|teams=
* [[Detroit Tigers]] ({{mlby|1939}}–{{mlby|1953}})
* [[Cleveland Indians]] ({{mlby|1954}}–{{mlby|1955}})
|highlights=
* 7× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1942 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1942]]–[[1948 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1948]])
* [[World Series]] champion ({{wsy|1945}})
* 2× [[AL MVP]] (1944, 1945)
* [[Triple Crown (baseball)|Triple Crown]] (1945)
* 4× [[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders|AL wins leader]] (1944–1946, 1948)
* 2× [[List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders|MLB ERA leader]] (1945, 1946)
* 2× [[List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders|MLB strikeout leader]] (1944, 1945)
* [[Detroit_Tigers#Retired_numbers_and_honorees|Detroit Tigers No. 16]] retired
|hoflink = National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
|hoftype = National
|hofdate=[[1992 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|1992]]
|hofmethod=Veterans Committee
}}

'''Harold Newhouser''' (May 20, 1921 – November 10, 1998), nicknamed "'''Prince Hal,'''" was an American [[professional baseball]] player. In [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB), he [[pitcher|pitched]] 17 seasons on the [[Detroit Tigers]] and [[Cleveland Indians]], from 1939 through 1955.

Newhouser was an [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] for six seasons{{#tag:ref|MLB cancelled the 1945 All-Star Game and did not name All-Stars that season.|group=lower-alpha}} and was considered to be the most dominating pitcher of the [[World War II]] era of baseball, winning the [[triple crown (baseball)|pitching triple crown]] for the Tigers in 1945. To date, he is also the only pitcher in MLB history ever to win two consecutive [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|MVP awards]]. Newhouser was inducted into the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame]] in 1992.

After his retirement from baseball, Newhouser stepped away from the sport for 20 years, serving as a bank vice president. He later worked as a scout for several MLB teams, including the [[Houston Astros]]. Angered when they rebuffed his recommendation to draft future Hall of Famer [[Derek Jeter]] in favor of [[Phil Nevin]], he quit shortly after.

==Early life==
Newhouser was a schoolboy star at [[Murray-Wright High School|Wilbur Wright High School]] in his hometown of [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]]. Before he was approached by professional baseball teams, he had been saving money to attend a trade school by working several jobs. The young Newhouser sold newspapers, collected pop bottles, and worked in a bowling alley before signing on in professional baseball.<ref name=NYT>{{cite news|last=Goldstein|first=Richard|title=Hal Newhouser, 77, a Hall of Fame pitcher|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/11/sports/hal-newhouser-77-a-hall-of-fame-pitcher.html|access-date=April 7, 2014|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=November 11, 1998}}</ref>

He was signed by the [[Detroit Tigers]] in {{Baseball year|1939}} at the age of 18. A Tigers scout offered a $500 signing bonus to Newhouser, who found the sum of money to be unimaginable. Ten minutes after he signed, someone arrived from the [[Cleveland Indians]]; that employee had been prepared to offer $15,000 to his parents in addition to a $4,000 car.<ref name=NYT/>

==Playing career==

===Early career===
Newhouser made his debut for Detroit on September 29, 1939. In {{Baseball year|1940}}, he earned a spot on the Tigers out of spring training. In his first two full big-league seasons, the young left-hander experienced control problems, walking more batters than he struck out while posting [[win–loss record]]s of 9–9 and 9–11. He improved in {{Baseball year|1942}} and {{Baseball year|1943}}, posting excellent [[earned run average]]s (ERAs), but he still lost more than he won on a team with a weak offense.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hal Newhouser Stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/newhoha01.shtml |website=BaseballReference.com |access-date=October 8, 2018}}</ref>

As World War II got under way, the Tigers moved up in the standings because several of their top players, including Newhouser, were classified as [[Selective Service System#Classifications|4-F]] (ineligible to be drafted). Newhouser was 4-F due to a [[Mitral valve prolapse|leaky heart valve]]; he attempted to join the service anyway but was turned down several times.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hal Newhouser Stats|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=newhoha01|publisher=[[Baseball Almanac]]|access-date=17 December 2013}}</ref>

He blossomed in {{Baseball year|1944}}, becoming a dominant pitcher in wartime baseball. That season, Newhouser rang up a 29–9 record, leading the league in wins and strikeouts (187).<ref>{{cite web |title=Hal Newhouser Stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/newhoha01.shtml |website=BaseballReference.com |access-date=October 8, 2018}}</ref> His 2.22 ERA was second in the league, as were his 25 complete games and six shutouts. The Tigers jumped into contention, finishing second in the American League, with Newhouser named MVP. Newhouser won the first [[Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award]] in 1944.<ref name="Sporting News Pitcher of the year">[[Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award|Pitcher of the Year]]</ref>

By the {{Baseball year|1945}} season, Newhouser had been selected for three consecutive AL All-Star teams. The [[1945 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1945 All-Star Game]] was cancelled on April 24 because of travel restrictions and seven out of eight scheduled interleague games were played in place of the All-Star Game on July 9 and 10 to support the [[American Red Cross]] and War Relief fund.<ref>Baseball Did You Know? – VII, ''1945 All Star Game Replacements'' [http://goldenrankings.com/baseballdidyouknow7.htm] Retrieved July 28, 2015</ref><ref>Baseball Almanac [http://www.baseball-almanac.com/asgbox/yr1945as.shtml] Retrieved July 8, 2015</ref> Newhouser became the first pitcher to repeat as MVP that season and helped the team win the World Series. He won the pitcher's [[Major League Baseball Triple Crown|Triple Crown]], leading the AL in wins (25, against nine losses), ERA (1.81) and strikeouts (212); he also led the league in innings pitched, games started, complete games and shutouts.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hal Newhouser Stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/newhoha01.shtml |website=BaseballReference.com |access-date=October 8, 2018}}</ref> Newhouser pitched four innings of relief on the season's final day as Detroit rallied for the pennant. Newhouser won the second [[Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award]].<ref name="Sporting News Pitcher of the year"/>  He became the youngest player (24) to win the award in two consecutive years. In that year's World Series against the [[Chicago Cubs]], Newhouser won two games, including a complete-game victory in the deciding seventh game.<ref name=LAobit>{{cite news|title=Hall of Famer Newhouser dies|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-nov-11-sp-41733-story.html|access-date=April 13, 2014|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=November 11, 1998}}</ref>

===Later career===
[[File:Hal Newhouser Leaf.jpg|thumb|170px|A [[baseball card]] of Newhouser produced by [[Leaf International]] from 1948.]]
In {{Baseball year|1946}}, he went 26–9 with a 1.94 ERA, again leading the league in wins and ERA.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hal Newhouser Stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/newhoha01.shtml |website=BaseballReference.com |access-date=October 8, 2018}}</ref> His 275 strikeouts was second in the league.  Newhouser was runner-up in the MVP race to [[Ted Williams]]. Newhouser continued to rate among the game's best pitchers for the next five years. He won 17 games in {{Baseball year|1947}}, led the AL with 21 wins in {{Baseball year|1948}} and rang up an 18–11 mark in {{Baseball year|1949}}. After a 15–13 season in {{Baseball year|1950}}, he hurt his arm and his workload was cut significantly.

After being released by the Tigers following the {{Baseball year|1953}} season, Newhouser signed on with the [[Cleveland Indians]] and was their top long reliever in {{Baseball year|1954}}, when Cleveland won 111 games and the pennant. In his final big-league hurrah, he posted a 7–2 mark with a 2.54 ERA, and got to pitch in his second World Series. He ended his career with a record of 207–150 and a 3.06 ERA. He is the only pitcher ever to win consecutive MVP awards.<ref>{{cite web |title=MLB Most Valuable Player MVP Awards & Cy Young Awards Winners |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/mvp_cya.shtml |website=BaseballReference.com |publisher=Sports Reference, LLC.}}</ref>

As a hitter, Newhouser had a .201 career [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] (201-for-999) with 70 [[run (baseball)|runs]], 2 [[home runs]], 81 [[Run batted in|RBI]] and 89 [[bases on balls]]. Defensively, he recorded a .971 [[fielding percentage]] covering 488 [[games pitched]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://baseball-reference.com/players/n/newhoha01.shtml|title=Hal Newhouser Career Stats at Baseball Reference|website=baseball-reference.com|accessdate= September 13, 2024}}</ref>

Newhouser tried to vary his pitch selection. Even if he threw a batter the same variety of pitch twice in a row, he would always change speeds slightly, to keep the hitters guessing.<ref name="Garver">{{cite book|last1=Garver|first1=Ned|last2=Bozman|first2=Bill|last3=Joyner|first3=Ronnie|title=Touching All the Bases|publisher=Pepperpot Productions, Inc.|year=2003|asin=B00B6JBVV6|page=133}}</ref>

==Later life==
[[File:Hal Newhouser statue (cropped).jpg|thumb|150px|A statue of Newhouser in [[Comerica Park]]]]
Newhouser spent his first 20 years after retiring from baseball away from the sport, working as a bank vice president in [[Pontiac, Michigan]].<ref name=Olney>{{cite web|last=Olney|first=Buster|title=Jeter: Dynasty's child|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/columns/story?id=1863947|work=[[ESPN.com]]|date=August 23, 2004 |access-date=April 7, 2014}}</ref>
{{MLBBioRet
|Align = left
|Image  = Newhouser_DET.png
|Name   = Hal Newhouser
|Number = 16
|Team   = Detroit Tigers
|Year   = 1997
|}}

Eventually, he served as a scout for the [[Baltimore Orioles]], Cleveland Indians,  Detroit Tigers, and [[Houston Astros]].  As a scout with the Orioles, Newhouser discovered [[Milt Pappas]], a Detroit high schooler who went on to win 209 games in an All-Star career—two more than Newhouser did. He also signed future [[Cy Young Award]] winner [[Dean Chance]], who later earned the trophy with the Los Angeles Angels in 1964.<ref name=Wancho>{{cite book|last=Wancho|first=Joseph, et al (eds.)|title=Pitching to the Pennant: The 1954 Cleveland Indians|date=2014|publisher=[[University of Nebraska Press]]|isbn=978-0803254718|page=219|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SfjMAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA219}}</ref>

While with the Astros, Newhouser was credited with discovering [[Derek Jeter]], whom the Astros passed over for [[Phil Nevin]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=olney_buster&id=1863947|title=Jeter: Dynasty's child|author=Buster Olney|publisher=[[ESPN]]|date=August 23, 2004|access-date=July 13, 2009}}</ref> He quit his job with the Astros after they ignored his advice to draft Jeter,<ref>{{cite news|last=Olney|first=Buster|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/17/sports/baseball-what-can-we-do-next-just-watch-jeter-play.html|title=Baseball&nbsp;– What Can We Do Next? Just Watch Jeter Play|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 17, 2001|access-date=July 4, 2010}}</ref> though he had planned to retire after that season in any case.<ref name=DFP>{{cite news|last=Nightengale|first=Bob|title=Hal Newhouser, Phil Nevin and how Derek Jeter almost didn't become a Yankee|url=http://www.freep.com/article/20140401/SPORTS02/304010105/derek-jeter-new-york-yankees|access-date=April 7, 2014|newspaper=[[Detroit Free Press]]|date=April 1, 2014|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924133349/http://www.freep.com/article/20140401/SPORTS02/304010105/derek-jeter-new-york-yankees|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In {{Baseball year|1992}}, he was elected to the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|National Baseball Hall of Fame]]. His induction class included [[Tom Seaver]], [[Rollie Fingers]] and [[Bill McGowan]]. The ceremony was attended by a then-record-setting crowd of 20,000 people.<ref name=Constant>{{cite news|last=Holtzman|first=Jerome|title=Constant change keeps Hall Of Fame up to date|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1992/08/04/constant-change-keeps-hall-of-fame-up-to-date/|access-date=April 7, 2014|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=August 4, 1992}}</ref> The Tigers retired Newhouser's number 16 in {{Baseball year|1997}}. He died on November 10, 1998, in a hospital in [[Southfield, Michigan]]. He had been ill with [[emphysema]] and heart problems.<ref name=NYT/>

==Personal life==
Newhouser was married to his wife, the former Beryl Margaret Steele (1922–2012), from 1941 until his death. They had two daughters, Charlene and Sherrill.<ref>{{cite news |title=Pitcher Newhouser Gets Marriage License |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=1941-12-06 |page=85}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Guidi |first=Gene |title="Prince Hal" Was Crafty Competitor, Top Lefty |work=The Detroit Free Press |date=1998-11-11 |page=2A}}</ref>

During his playing days, Newhouser's teammates nicknamed him "Prince Hal" because of the way he carried himself.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Stewart |first1=Mark |title=Hal Newhouser |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/28aff78b |website=sabr.org |publisher=Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) |access-date=October 8, 2018}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Major League Baseball titles leaders]]
* [[Triple Crown (baseball)]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders]]

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{bbhof|newhouser-hal}}
*{{Baseballstats|mlb=119739|espn=|br=n/newhoha01|brm=newhou001har}}
*{{Find a Grave}}
*[https://collection.baseballhall.org/PASTIME/hal-newhouser-oral-history-interview-1992-october-05-0 Hal Newhouser Oral History Interview (1 of 2) - National Baseball Hall of Fame Digital Collection] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711160035/https://collection.baseballhall.org/PASTIME/hal-newhouser-oral-history-interview-1992-october-05-0 |date=July 11, 2019 }}
*[https://collection.baseballhall.org/PASTIME/hal-newhouser-oral-history-interview-1992-october-05-3 Hal Newhouser Oral History Interview (2 of 2) - National Baseball hall of Fame Digital Collection] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711161607/https://collection.baseballhall.org/PASTIME/hal-newhouser-oral-history-interview-1992-october-05-3 |date=July 11, 2019 }}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Newhouser, Hal}}
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