Warren Spahn
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Birth Name: Warren Edward Spahn College: None
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“After what I went through overseas, I never thought of anything I was told to do in baseball as hard work. You get over feeling like that when you spend days on end sleeping in frozen tank tracks in enemy threatened territory. The Army taught me something about challenges and about what’s important and what isn’t. Everything I tackle in baseball and in life I take as a challenge rather than work.” Warren Spahn, the wining-est left-hander in major league history, received a battlefield commission (the only baseball player to receive one) as a second lieutenant in June 1945. In Europe he was wounded then decorated with a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. At the Battle of the Bulge as well as Remagen Spahn watched many in his company die. Spahn’s 363 wins rank him first for left-handers and he won the 1957 Cy Young Award. Spahn was also selected as an All Star fourteen times in his career. An important thing to remember is that Cy Young awards did not come about until 1956 and until 1967 only one award was given between the two leagues. Spahn was the anchor of the Braves pitching staff for two decades. From 1949 though 1963 their was no comparison between Spahn and other lefties in baseball. Spahn has 2no-hitters to his credit and was able to field and hit and had an excellent pickoff move to match his stellar arm. Spahn won 20 games a record typing thirteen times and lead the National League in strikeouts for four consecutive years. His 35 bombs is the most all time for a pitcher, only 2 behind the major league mark of 37 by Wes Ferrell. “What is life after all, but a challenge? And what better challenge can there be than the one between the pitcher and the hitter.” He had began spring of 1942 season with the Braves but was sent down to the minors by manager Casey Stengel because he refused to brush back Pee Wee Reese in an exhibition game. He went 17-13 that year at Hartford and pitched four games without a decision at the end of the season. One of Spahns oddest starts occurred on September 26, 1942. Youngsters, admitted free for bringing scrap metal to aid the war effort, get restless and invade the field at the Polo Grounds in the 8th inning of the 2nd game with the Giants leading 5-2. Umpire Ziggy Sears forfeits the game 9-0 to the Braves. Boston P Warren Spahn is not charged with a loss, although he was losing at the time of the forfeit. But he is given credit for a complete game, his only one in 4 appearances for the year. He reached Europe in December 1944 with the 276th Engineer Combat Battalion and was wounded at Remagen, Germany in March 1945.Spahn wasn’t a combat soldier. He was a platoon sergeant in the 276th Engineer Battalion. Once the bridge had been forced, Spahn’s unit was ordered to keep it open to traffic. Meanwhile, the Germans were desperately trying to destroy the bridge with air and artillery attacks. Spahn took an artillery fragment in the foot, but had the wound patched up and returned to his troops. On March 17, Spahn walked on to the bridge to consult with his superiors, then turned and left the bridge to brief his men. Moments later it collapsed into the Rhine, killing 28 soldiers and wounding 93 others. After Germany’s surrender in May, Spahn pitched for the 115th Engineers Group, and in a four-game stretch, he allowed only one run and nine hits while striking out 73 batters. Spahn was back with the Braves in 1946 and had the first of thirteen 20-win seasons the following season. When Spahn returned in 1946 he won his first game at the age of 25. His best season was 1953. His 23-7 record and 24 CG of 32 GS paced the league. He also picked up 3 saves and led the NL with a 2.10 ERA as well as WHIP. In 1946, Spahn relied mostly on a fastball and curve, and had a modest 8-5 record, but in 1947 he was 21-10 and led the NL in ERA (2.33). Spahn’s emergence coincided with the Braves’ resurgence - a third-place finish in 1947 and a NL pennant in 1948 - and in 1948 he was immortalized in baseball lore by the jingle “Spahn and Sain and pray for rain,” a reference to the Braves’ lack of pitching depth. Oddly enough, 1948 was actually Spahn’s worst season until 1964. He was only 15-12 with a relatively high 3.71 ERA. He managed to win key assignments, including a 14-inning 2-1 win over the Dodgers that put the Braves in first place for good, and his 5-2/3 innings of one-hit relief won Game Five of the WS, which the Braves lost to Cleveland in six games. On May 15, 1948 Spahn shut out the Dodgers for the Braves third shutout in a row. The Braves win the game 1-0 on a first inning homerun by Jim Russell. September 21, 1950: Warren Spahn of the Braves wins his 21st game, hurling a 2-hit, 5–0 win over the Cards. From 1949 to 1963, Spahn was clearly baseball’s most successful left hander. He won 20 games 12 times in 15 seasons, led the NL in wins eight times, and never had an ERA above 3.50. He won consistently pitching for Braves clubs that ranged from seventh place to World Champions. He was aided by the addition of two new pitches: a wicked screwball that became more important as his fastball lost its pop, and a slider that gave him four quality pitches. “I’m proud of the fact that I pitched as long as I did, and I was a consistent 20-game winner,” Spahn said. “I always felt I had to win to keep my job. I felt I had a bad year if I didn’t win 20.” On May 28, 1951 after going 0-for-12, Willie Mays connects for his first ML hit, a home run off Braves P Warren Spahn. The Giants lose the game 4–1. In Billy Southworths first game (June 20, 1951)Spahn shut out the Cubs, 9–0, and was 3-for-4 at the plate, including a HR. He won 21 games in both 1949 and 1950, and 22 in 1951, but fell off to 14-19 (with a still-excellent 2.98 ERA) in 1952 as the Braves finished 32 games out in their last year in Boston. Spahn pitched in the last home opener in Braves Field in Boston. Only 4,694 people showed up to see Spahn lose 3-2 to Brooklyn’s Preacher Roe. A June 15 loss to the Cubs that year typified Spahn’s frustration. He fanned 18 batters in 15 innings and hit a solo home run, but lost, 2-1. Meanwhile, Braves scout Dewey Griggs signs Henry Aaron to a Braves contract. On September 13, 1952 Warren Spahn struck out 6 Pirates in a row en route to an 8-0 win in Boston. “Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing.” Spahn turned down a contract that would have paid him 10 cents a head based on home attendance in 1953, and the decision proved costly when the Braves moved to Milwaukee and attendance skyrocketed. Spahn led the NL in ERA in 1953, and failed to win 20 games only once between 1953 and 1961, as he began to master changing speeds and location to keep hitters off balance. Braves pitching coach Whitlow Wyatt said, “He makes my job easy. Every pitch he throws has an idea behind it.” In 1953 The NL won its fourth All-Star Game in a row, 5-1 in Cincinnati’s Crosley Field behind the stellar pitching of Robin Roberts and Warren Spahn. Cardinal OF Enos Slaughter got two hits, scored twice, and robed Harvey Kuenn of an extra-base blow. Spahn continued on in the summer of 1953 picking up his 31st shutout in a 5-0 one hitter against Philadelphia. May 25, 1954: Warren Spahn tops the Reds, 3–1, for his 10th straight win over Cincy. He helps his own cause with a homer, off loser Herm Wehmeier. It is the Braves 8th win in a row.» May 13, 1956: The Braves destroy the Redlegs 15–0 and 6–1. In game one, Warren Spahn homers as his offensive contribution to the win. In 1957, at the age of 36, Spahn led the Braves to the pennant with a 21-11, 2.69 record, and began a string of five consecutive seasons leading the NL in wins. August 27, 1957; Hurricane Bob Hazle, hitting .526 since being recalled from Wichita, hits two 2-run HRs, as the Braves beat the Phillies 7-3 for Warren Spahn’s 219th career win, moving him to a 6th on the career list. Spahn also hits his 18th career HR, well for sixth (tie with Schoolboy Rowe) on the career list. On September 3, 1957 Warren Spahn hurled his 41st shutout, the most by a NL left hander, as he beat Chicago 8-0. In the WS, he won Game Four in relief as the Braves beat the Yankees in seven games. Lew Burdette pitched on two days rest to pick up his 3rd complete game and 2nd shutout to beat the Yankees 5-0. In November Spahn is award with the Cy Young Award as the ML Pitcher of the Year. His only competition was Dick Donovan of the White Sox who received only one vote. In a September win against the Cardinals Spahn became the first lefty to win 20 or more games nine times. Spahn improved to 22-11 in 1958, and won two more games in the WS rematch with the Yankees, in which New York prevailed. Spahn lost the Cy Young by five votes to four to Yankee Bob Turley. In 1959 Warren Spahn became the 3rd National League lefty to win 250 games. In September Spahn notches his 20th win, 8-6, and his 266th NL victory to tie Eppa Rixey of the Phils and Reds for the career high in wins by a lefthander. Later on the 26th of September the Braves beat the Phillies 3-2 behind Warren Spahn’s 21st win and his 267th career win. On September 16th, 1960 at the age of 39, Spahn earned his 11th 20-win season with a no-hitter against the Phillies. Spahn also sets a Milwaukee club record with 15 strikeouts in the victory; handing the last-place Phils their 90th loss of the year. On April 28, 1961, Five days past his 40th birthday, Warren Spahn becomes the 2nd-oldest ML pitcher (after Cy Young) to hurl a no-hitter, blanking San Francisco 1–0. It is Spahn’s 290th win and 52nd shutout. Spahn faces just 27 men, following each walk by starting a DP. In his next start Spahn’s performance is spoiled when LF Mel Roach’s misplay costs the Milwaukee ace a 2nd no-hitter in a row. He settles for a 2-hitter in topping the Dodgers 4–1. Spahn’s 2-1 victory against the Cubs on August 11, 1961 makes him the 13th 300-game winner. On July 26, 1962 Spahn hit his 31st career homerun. It sets a National League record for pitchers. Spahn also collects the win in the game. In 1963 Warren Spahn’s Opening Day, 6–1, victory over the Mets is his first win of the season and the 328th of his career. He thus moves ahead of Eddie Plank as the all-time winningest left hander. In June the Braves traded Lew Burdette to the Cardinals. In 13 years the combination of Burdette and Spahn had won 443 games. On August 23, 1963 makes his 601st start. It is a modern National League record. Spahn tied Christy Mathewson’s National League record with his 13th 20-win season by notching a 3-2 victory in Philadelphia on September 8, 1963. At the age of 42 Spahn becomes the oldest 20-game winner. “I’m probably the only guy who worked for Stengel before and after he was a genius.” - Spahn after pitching for Casey Stengel as a Met After a slump in 1964 the Mets purchased Spahn from the Braves. In 1965 Spahn was released by the Mets. He goes and wins 3 more games with the Giants before hanging up the cleats. Spahn did not leave gracefully, grumbling, “I didn’t quit; baseball retired me,” and he pitched briefly in Mexico and in the minors until 1967 before finally giving up for good. In 1966 he was a pitching coach and occasional pitcher. He picked up one win as the Mexico City Tigers won the Mexican League Championship. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1973, his first year of eligibility. “I don’t care what the public thinks. I’m pitching because I enjoy pitching.” In the first annual Cracker Jack Old-timers Classic at Washington’s Robert F. Kennedy Stadium on July 19, 1982, 75-year-old Luke Appling hit a 250-foot homer off Spahn to help the AL to a 7-2 win over the NL in a five-inning battle of baseball legends. On August 12th, 2003 Spahn and former catcher Del Carndall were inducted into the Braves hall of fame. “I’m so tired of this wheelchair, I guess I’ve gotta get more exercise than I do. But it’s so hard at my age. But you do what you’ve gotta do. Oh, I’ve had a great life. But the other part of it is, I don’t want it to end. God has been good to me.” His 9-foot tall statue stands next to those of Hank Aaron, Ty Cobb, and Phil Niekro. The statue, which cost 95,000, to make was paid in part by Elton John, Randy Johnson, Mike Mills (bassist of REM), Bobby Cox, John Smoltz, Chipper Jones and Greg Maddux. “My primary concern is to find a place for it, first, where the birds won’t doo-doo on it…I’m also thrilled that the Braves are doing well. If they were in last place, who the hell would see my statue? … They want to put me up there to scare everyone again.” - Spahn commenting on the statue. Monday November 24th the horrid news rang in. Broken Arrow, Oklahoma: Warren Spahn passed away at the age of 82. Spahn’s death re-excited a debate of the best post World War 2 pitchers. This time however baseball writers would began to give Warren his due. Major League Baseball waiting hours after Warren’s death to post a farewell on their site and it was actually just a press release for hours. A true slap in the face of a man who never did anything negative in his support of the game.
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