1950 Yankee Pitchers of the Past

BOBO NEWSOME

THE MULTITUDE

"Considering their attendance, perhaps Bobo Newsom was not exaggerating too much when he made his farewell speech some years back when traded from the St. Louis Brownies.
'The ball club has been good to me and the newspapers have treated me fairly,' boomed the Great Man, 'but the Brownie fans have been my true friends- both of them.'"

-Arthur Daley in the New York Times (Baseball Digest, September 1950)

QUIT THE KIDDING
"When Connie Mack bought Bobo Newsom from Washington several years ago he told several newspapermen: 'We won't have any trouble with him, he's just a big kid who never grew up ...'
When Bobo read that, he scouted around until he found the same reporter who wrote the story and told him to write one for him.
'Just tell Mr. Mack that Old Bobo may be a big kid all right,' he insisted. 'But that I still want a man's salary to pitch for the A's.'
He got one, too."

George Kell in the Detroit Free Press (Baseball Digest, October 1950)

ELLIS KINDER (Yankee Prospect of the Past)

"Ellis hit his stride with a bang in 1949, his eleventh season in pro ball. He won 23, lost 6, for a .793 percentage. He appeared in 43 games and pitched 19 complete games. He had a 10-7 record during the previous year.

Ellis was a member of the St. Louis Browns, 1945-47. However, he had only two years of active pitching for them since he spent 1945 in military service."

-1950 Bowman No. 152

BILL WIGHT

"The tall lefty was in 35 games for the 1949 White Sox, winning 15 and losing 13. His earned run average (3.31) was the fifth lowest in the league.

Bill's been a good pitcher for the Sox, but his luck hasn't always been on the good side. In 1948 his record was 9-20. Had a stronger team played behind him, there might have been quite a different story."

-1950 Bowman No. 38

RANDY GUMPERT

"Randy won 13 and lost 16 in 34 games for the 1949 White Sox. His earned run average was 3.81.

He started in organized baseball with the Athletics in 1936. He spent parts of 1937 and 1938 with Philadelphia, then shuttled around the minors for a few years.

Randy spent 1943-45 in military service. After his discharge, he joined the Yankees. Over two full seasons in New York, he won 15 and dropped 4."

-1950 Bowman No. 184

HANK BOROWY

"Hank had an even 12-12 record for the 1949 Phillies. He began in baseball with the Yankees' Newark farm in 1939. He was brought up to the Stadium in 1942. That year Hank appeared in 25 games for the Bronx Bombers, winning 15 and losing 4.

The Cubs bought his contract in 1945 for $97,000. At the end of 1948, he was traded to the Phillies."

-1950 Bowman No. 177

GENE BEARDEN (Yankee Prospect of the Past)

"Gene had an off season in 1949, just breaking even with 8 and 8. In 1948 he won 20 and lost 7. His 20th win was in the playoff game against the Red Sox which won the pennant for the Indians. He was a hero in the ensuing World Series.

Gene was badly wounded in the torpedoing of the Helena during the war. Doctors feared he might not walk again."

-1950 Bowman No. 93