Early Wynn
Pitcher
Born: January 6, 1920
Died: April 4, 1999 (aged 79)
Batted: Both	Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 13, 1939 for the Washington Senators
Final game
September 13, 1963 for the Cleveland Indians
Career statistics
Pitching Record	300-244
Earned run average	3.54
Strikeouts	2334
Teams
Washington Senators (1939, 1941-1944, 1946-1948) Cleveland Indians (1949-1957, 1963) Chicago White Sox (1958-1962)
Career highlights and awards
American League pennant: 1954, 1959 Major League Cy Young Award: 1959 6-time American League All-Star American League ERA champion: 1950 American League wins champion: 1954, 1959 American League strikeout champion: 1957, 1958 3-time American League innings pitched leader 5 20-win seasons
Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame
Elected	1972
Vote	76% (fourth ballot)

Early Wynn Jr. (January 6, 1920 – April 4, 1999) was a right-handed baseball pitcher for the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox. Armed with a blazing fastball and a hard-nosed attitude, during his career he was identified as one of the most intimidating pitchers in the game. Wynn once admitted that if he was in a tight situation, with men in scoring position and the game in the balance, he'd deck his own mother if she was the batter. The truth is that many opposing batters believed him. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... is the 94th day of the year (95th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 6, 14, 29, 34, 42 Name Minnesota Twins (1961–present) Washington Nationals/Senators (1901-1960) Other nicknames The Twinkies Ballpark Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 1982-present Metropolitan Stadium (1961-1981) Griffith Stadium (1903-1960... is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 5, 14, 18, 19, 21, 42, 455 Name Cleveland Indians (1915–present) Cleveland Naps (1905-1914) Cleveland Bronchos (1902-1904) Cleveland Blues (1901) Other nicknames The Tribe Ballpark Jacobs Field (1994–present) Cleveland Stadium... In Major League Baseball, a win (denoted W) is generally credited to the pitcher for the winning team who was in the game when they last took the lead. ... In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. ... In baseball, a strikeout or strike out (denoted by K or SO) occurs when the batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 6, 14, 29, 34, 42 Name Minnesota Twins (1961–present) Washington Nationals/Senators (1901-1960) Other nicknames The Twinkies Ballpark Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 1982-present Metropolitan Stadium (1961-1981) Griffith Stadium (1903-1960... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 5, 14, 18, 19, 21, 42, 455 Name Cleveland Indians (1915–present) Cleveland Naps (1905-1914) Cleveland Bronchos (1902-1904) Cleveland Blues (1901) Other nicknames The Tribe Ballpark Jacobs Field (1994–present) Cleveland Stadium... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The 1954 World Series matched the National League champion New York Giants against the American League champion Cleveland Indians. ... The 1959 World Series featured the Los Angeles Dodgers, who had won their first pennant since moving from Brooklyn in 1958 by defeating the Milwaukee Braves 2-0 in a three-game pennant playoff, and the Chicago White Sox, who had earned their first pennant in the 40 years since... In baseball, the Cy Young Award is an honor given annually to the best pitchers in the Major Leagues. ... Major League Baseball recognizes earned run average champions in the American League and National League each season. ... Major League Baseball recognizes win champions among pitchers in the American League and National League each season. ... Major League Baseball recognizes strikeout champions in the American League and National League each season. ... In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is in the game. ... The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, is a semi-official museum operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of baseball-related... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, is a semi-official museum operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of baseball-related... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The following are the events of the year 1972 that happened world-wide throughout the sport of baseball. ... is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... is the 94th day of the year (95th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... Baseball on the professional, amateur, and youth levels is popular in North America, Central America, parts of South America, parts of the Caribbean, and East Asia. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 6, 14, 29, 34, 42 Name Minnesota Twins (1961–present) Washington Nationals/Senators (1901-1960) Other nicknames The Twinkies Ballpark Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 1982-present Metropolitan Stadium (1961-1981) Griffith Stadium (1903-1960... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 5, 14, 18, 19, 21, 42, 455 Name Cleveland Indians (1915–present) Cleveland Naps (1905-1914) Cleveland Bronchos (1902-1904) Cleveland Blues (1901) Other nicknames The Tribe Ballpark Jacobs Field (1994–present) Cleveland Stadium... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. ...

Early Wynn was born in Hartford, Alabama. His durability helped him lead the American League in innings three times (1951, 1954, 1959) and propelled him to an AL record for most years pitched (23). Wynn won an even 300 games, highlighted by five 20-win seasons, 2,334 strikeouts, 49 shutouts, and 4,556 innings pitched in 691 games. Hartford is a city located in Geneva County, Alabama. ... American League The American League (or formally the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States of America and Canada. ... In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is in the game. ... In baseball, a pitcher is credited with a win (or W) when, in a game won by his team, he is the teams pitcher at the time that his team takes a lead that it does not relinquish for the remainder of the game. ... Cincinnati Reds outfielder Adam Dunn strikes out swinging to Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz (not pictured). ... In team sports, in American English, a shutout (a clean sheet in football) refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. ...

Wynn signed with the Senators at age 17, and after only three appearances in 1939 he blossomed in 1941, winning 72 games before being dealt to Cleveland in December 1948. The Indians' pitching coach and former star pitcher Mel Harder, taught him how to throw a curveball, slider, changeup and knuckleball. Wynn assimilated Harder's lessons easily, and after his '49 season adjustment, the next year he won 18 games and led the AL with a 3.20 ERA. In 1950 he had his first 20-win season. By this time he had become part of a strong pitching staff, forming - with Bob Feller, Bob Lemon and Mike Garcia - one of the greatest pitching rotations in baseball history. Wynn was traded to the White Sox after the '57 season. Melvin Leroy Harder (October 15, 1909 - October 20, 2002), nicknamed Chief, was a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher who later became a highly regarded pitching coach. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A common grip of a slider a pitcher uses In baseball, a slider is a pitch halfway between a curveball and a fastball. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Tim Wakefield in his throwing motion, showing his grip of the knuckleball. ... In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. ... Robert William Andrew Feller, nicknamed the The guy who wont sign his great nephews baseballs from Van Meter and Rapid Robert, is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and Hall of Famer. ... Robert Granville Lemon (September 22, 1920 - January 11, 2000) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. ... Edward Miguel Mike García (November 17, 1923 - January 13th, 1986) was a Major League Baseball player of Mexican-Indian descent who was one of the Cleveland Indians The Big Four pitching staff in the 1950s. ...

In 1958 Wynn became the first major league pitcher to lead his league in strikeouts in consecutive years with different teams (184 with Cleveland, 189 with Chicago), and he won the Cy Young Award in 1959 at the age of 39, posting a record of 22-10, with 179 strikeouts and a 3.16 ERA to lead the Sox to the pennant. Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. ... In baseball, the Cy Young Award is an honor given annually to the best pitchers in the Major Leagues. ...

In this decade Wynn had more strikeouts (1,544) than any other pitcher in the majors, and he was capable with the bat as well. A dangerous switch hitter, Wynn hit .270 or better five times, and in his career batted .214 (365 for 1704), with 17 home runs and 173 RBI, with 90 pinch-hit appearances including a grand slam, making him one of five MLB pitchers to clear the bases as a pinch-hitter. In baseball, a switch hitter (or switch-hitter) is a batter who is able to hit from both the right and left sides of the plate. ... Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively. ... This article is about the baseball concept. ... In baseball statistics, a run batted in (RBI) is given to a batter for each run scored as the result of a batters plate appearance. ... In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all the bases occupied, thereby scoring 4 runs - the most possible on a single play. ...

Widely known as a pitcher with a mean disposition (or at least as a pitcher who cultivated that image), Wynn threw at batters frequently enough to be labeled a "headhunter." When asked if he would throw at his own grandmother, he said, "I'd have to. My grandma could really hit the curveball."

Early Wynn returned to Cleveland in 1963 for a last run. In that season, he won his 300th game, after failing in several tries in 1962. In his career, Wynn was the pitcher off of whom Mickey Mantle hit the most home runs (13). Upon his retirement, he was the last major leaguer to have played in the 1930s to still be playing. In 1972 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. From 1977 to 1980, he provided the colour commentary for radio broadcasts of Toronto Blue Jays games, working alongside Tom Cheek. Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995) was an American baseball player who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. ... Face The 1930s (years from 1930–1939) were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known in Europe as the World Depression. ... The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, located at 62 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, is a semi-official museum operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of baseball-related... Major league affiliations American League (1977–present) East Division (1977–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Toronto Blue Jays (1977–present) Other nicknames The Jays Ballpark Rogers Centre (1989–present) a. ... Thomas F. Cheek (June 13, 1939 - October 9, 2005) was an American broadcaster who announced Major League Baseball games for the Toronto Blue Jays on radio from the teams establishment in 1977 until 2004. ...

In 1999, he ranked Number 100 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was nominated as a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... The Sporting News (TSN) is an American-based sports newspaper. ... Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. ...

According to the Baseball Reference website (www.baseball-reference.com), Wynn is the "most linkable" player in baseball history. (This means that, if a value of 1 is assigned to any player Wynn played on the same team with, and a value of 2 assigned to any player who played on the same team with a player with a value of 1, and so on, and the mean value is found by considering each player in baseball history, Wynn's value is lower than any other player's.)

See also

• 300 win club
• List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
• List of Major League Baseball ERA champions
• List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions
• List of Major League Baseball wins champions
• Top 100 strikeout pitchers of all time

In Major League Baseball, the 300 win club is an informal term applied to the group of pitchers who have won 300 or more games in their careers. ... The following is the list of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins. ... Major League Baseball recognizes earned run average champions in the American League and National League each season. ... Major League Baseball recognizes strikeout champions in the American League and National League each season. ... Major League Baseball recognizes win champions among pitchers in the American League and National League each season. ... In baseball, a strikeout occurs when the batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. ...

External links

• Baseball Hall of Fame
• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
• The Top 100 Greatest Indians Roster
• 1954 Cleveland Indians season
• Retrosheet