Luke Sewell

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Luke Sewell
Sewell in 1924
Catcher / Manager
Born: (1901-01-05)January 5, 1901
Titus, Alabama, U.S.
Died: May 14, 1987(1987-05-14) (aged 86)
Akron, Ohio, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
June 30, 1921, for the Cleveland Indians
Last MLB appearance
August 1, 1942, for the St. Louis Browns
MLB statistics
Batting average.259
Home runs20
Runs batted in698
Managerial record606–644
Winning %.485
Teams
As player

As manager

Career highlights and awards

James Luther "Luke" Sewell (January 5, 1901 – May 14, 1987) was an American

Washington Senators (1933–1934), Chicago White Sox (1935–1938) and the St. Louis Browns (1942).[1] Sewell batted and threw right-handed. He was regarded as one of the best defensive catchers of his era.[2]

He spent 10 seasons playing with his brother

Hall of Fame shortstop. He had another brother named Tommy Sewell, who had one at-bat with the Chicago Cubs.[3]

Baseball career

Born in the rural town of

minor league games, Sewell made his major league debut with the Cleveland Indians on June 30, 1921.[1][5]

Sewell served as a reserve catcher, working behind Steve O'Neill until the 1923 season when O'Neill was injured in an auto accident.[2] Sewell then played in a platoon role alongside Glenn Myatt, in which the left-hand hitting Myatt played the team's home games at League Park due to its 290-foot distance to the right field fence, while Sewell played the team's road games.[2] Sewell eventually took over as the Indians number one catcher in the 1926 season, due to his superior defensive skills.[2] He finished the year with only a .238 batting average but, led the American League catchers with 91 assists.[1][6]

In

runs batted in, and scored 52 runs.[1] Sewell questioned Babe Ruth's integrity in a game on June 11, 1927. He demanded that umpires check Ruth's bat after he clouted two straight home runs off Garland Buckeye.[7] Although he led the league's catchers with 20 errors, he also led the league with 119 assists and 71 baserunners caught stealing.[8] Despite the fact that the Indians finished the season in sixth place, Sewell ranked ninth in voting for the 1927 American League Most Valuable Player Award.[9] In 1928, he once again led the league's catchers with 117 assists and 60 baserunners caught stealing and ranked twelfth in voting for the 1928 American League Most Valuable Player Award.[10][11]

In

home plate with Walker right behind him.[14] Sewell received the throw from the outfield and tagged both runners out with one sweeping motion.[14] Cronin credited Sewell as a major factor in helping the Senators' pitching staff.[15] The Senators eventually lost to the New York Giants in the 1933 World Series.[16] In what would be his only postseason appearance, Sewell posted a .176 batting average (3 for 17), with one stolen base, one run scored, and one run batted in during the five-game series.[17]

Sewell's 1934 Goudey trading card

Sewell began the 1934 season with a hand injury and didn't play his first game until June 13.[18][19] Two weeks later, he was struck in the head and knocked unconscious by a pitch thrown by St. Louis Browns pitcher, Bump Hadley.[20] Sewell ended the season with a .237 batting average.[1]

In January 1935, Sewell was traded to the St. Louis Browns, ironically for Bump Hadley.[12] The Browns promptly traded him to the Chicago White Sox on the very same day.[12] His offensive statistics improved with the White Sox, posting a .285 batting average with 67 runs batted in and, finished second among the league's catchers in assists and third in fielding percentage.[1][21] In 1936, Sewell produced career-highs with 5 home runs and 73 runs batted in and, led American League catchers in assists and in baserunners caught stealing.[1][22] By the first week of June 1937, Sewell had a .316 batting average to earn a spot as a reserve for the American League team in the 1937 All-Star Game.[23][24] That year, he put up even better numbers than the consistently good ones he had been posting for a decade. On the season, he had a .269 batting average, with a .343 on-base percentage and six triples.[1] Sewell finished the season ranked fifth in voting for the 1937 American League Most Valuable Player Award.[25]

Sewell's batting average dropped to .213 in

General Manager Cy Slapnicka.[27] He spent the 1940 season as a pitching coach but, when the Indians decided to hire Roger Peckinpaugh as their manager for the 1941 season, Sewell accepted the manager's position with the St. Louis Browns, replacing Fred Haney.[28] Because of the shortage of major league players during the Second World War, Sewell served as a player-manager during the 1942 season, appearing in six games.[1] He played his final game as a player on August 1, 1942 at the age of 41.[1]

Career statistics

Tommy Connolly
(left) called Harris out at the plate.

In a 20-year major league career, Sewell played in 1,630

at bats for a .259 career batting average along with 20 home runs, 698 runs batted in and an on-base percentage of .323.[1] He retired with a .978 fielding percentage.[1] As a catcher, Sewell had a strong throwing arm, leading the American League four times in baserunners caught stealing and four times in assists.[1]

Even for the era, Sewell's low

Managing career

Sewell during the 1944 season

After retiring as an active player, Sewell continued to manage the St. Louis Browns.[31] He led them to the 1944 American League pennant – the team's only championship in its 52 years in St. Louis, although they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1944 World Series.[32] That year, he managed such players as Red Hayworth, Vern Stephens, and Jack Kramer, led them to an 89–65 record, and was awarded The Sporting News' Manager of the Year Award.[33] After a seventh-place finish in 1946, Sewell stepped down as the Browns' manager.[34]

In January 1949 Sewell was hired as a pitching coach by the Cincinnati Reds and, in October of that year, he took over as the Reds' manager from Bucky Walters.[35][36] After two unsuccessful seasons with the Reds, he resigned in July 1952 and was replaced by Rogers Hornsby.[37] Sewell's major league managerial record was 606–644, a .485 winning percentage.[31]

In December 1953, Sewell was hired as manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League.[38] He led the team to the league championship in his first season and won the International League Manager of the Year Award.[39] Sewell led the Maple Leafs to a second-place finish in 1955. The team had a .622 winning percentage over his two years as manager. In November 1955, he was named as the manager for the Seattle Rainiers of the Pacific Coast League.[40] In August 1956, Sewell was fired after one season in part due to player discontent over his managerial style.[41]

Sewell died in Akron, Ohio in 1987 at the age of 86.[42]

Managerial record

Team Year Regular season Postseason
Games Won Lost Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
SLB 1941 110 55 55 .500 6th in AL
SLB 1942 151 82 69 .543 3rd in AL
SLB 1943 152 72 80 .474 6th in AL
SLB 1944 154 89 65 .578 1st in AL 2 4 .333 Lost World Series (STL)
SLB 1945 151 81 70 .536 3rd in AL
SLB 1946 124 53 71 .427 resigned
SLB total 842 432 410 .513 2 4 .333
CIN 1949 3 1 2 .333 7th in NL
CIN 1950 153 66 87 .431 6th in NL
CIN 1951 154 68 86 .442 6th in NL
CIN 1952 98 39 59 .398 resigned
CIN total 408 174 234 .426 0 0
Total 1250 606 644 .485 2 4 .333

See also

  • List of Major League Baseball player–managers

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Luke Sewell statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 16, 2011.
  2. ^ .
  3. ^ "Tommy Sewell statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  4. ^ "Joe Sewell statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  5. ^ "Luke Sewell minor league statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  6. ^ "1926 American League Fielding Leaders". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  7. ^ Simons, Herbert (January 1971). The Babe's Phantom 155th Game. Retrieved January 18, 2011. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  8. ^ "1927 American League Fielding Leaders". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  9. ^ "1927 American League Most Valuable Player Award ballot". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  10. ^ "1928 American League Fielding Leaders". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  11. ^ "1928 American League Most Valuable Player Award ballot". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  12. ^ a b c "Luke Sewell Trades and Transactions". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
  13. ^ "1933 Washington Senators". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  14. ^ a b c d Stump, Al (October 1959). Stumbling Down The Stretch. Retrieved January 19, 2011. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  15. ^ "Gus Mancuso Is Important Cog In Giant Machine". The Telegraph-Herald. Associated Press. September 26, 1933. p. 8. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  16. ^ "1933 World Series". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  17. ^ "Luke Sewell post-season statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  18. ^ "Rain Postpones Opening Battle in Washington". St. Petersburg Times. Associated Press. April 17, 1934. p. 2. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  19. ^ "1934 Luke Sewell batting log". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  20. ^ "Sewell Injured As Senators Win". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 27, 1934. p. 14. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  21. ^ "1935 American League Fielding Leaders". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  22. ^ "1936 American League Fielding Leaders". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  23. ^ "1937 Luke Sewell batting log". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  24. ^ "1937 All-Star Game". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  25. ^ "1937 American League Most Valuable Player Award ballot". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  26. ^ "Dodgers Get Luke Sewell". The Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. December 20, 1938. p. 6. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  27. ^ a b "Luke Is Likely Indians Manager". The Tuscaloosa News. NEA. April 26, 1939. p. 7. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  28. ^ "Luke Sewell Replaces Haney as St. Louis Browns' Manager". The St. Petersburg Times. Associated Press. June 5, 1941. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  29. ^ "Luke Sewell". The Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
  30. ^ "Catchers Who Caught No Hitters". The Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
  31. ^ a b "Luke Sewell manager record". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  32. ^ "1944 World Series". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  33. ^ "Luke Sewell Is Named Manager Of the Year". The Victoria Advocate. United Press International. December 26, 1944. p. 5. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  34. ^ "Luke Sewell Is Out At St. Louis". The Ottawa Citizen. Associated Press. September 2, 1946. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  35. ^ "Luke Sewell Takes Over Coaching Job". Eugene Register Guard. United Press International. January 4, 1949. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  36. ^ "Luke Sewell Named Cincinnati Manager". The Calgary Herald. Associated Press. October 24, 1949. p. 21. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  37. ^ "Luke Sewell Quits Cincy". The Telegraph-Herald. United Press International. July 27, 1952. p. 8. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  38. ^ "Luke Sewell minor league manager statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  39. ^ "Sewell Voted Top Manager". The Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. CP. September 11, 1954. p. 19. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  40. ^ "Luke Sewell New Rainiers' Head". Times Daily. Associated Press. November 13, 1955. p. 1. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  41. ^ "Suds Fire Manager Luke Sewell". The Spokesman Review. Associated Press. August 15, 1956. p. 18. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  42. ^ "Luke Sewell Dies At 86". The Waycross Journal-Herald. Associated Press. May 15, 1987. p. 6. Retrieved January 18, 2011.

External links