Inductees

Born in Carthage in southwest Missouri, Carl Hubbell is best known for his standout single-game performances, the most memorable one being during the three innings he spent on the mound in the 1934 All-Star Game.

But Hubbell’s career featured more than just electric moments. His consistent excellence during one of the game’s most prolific offensive ages made Hubbell one of the most revered pitchers of his time.

First, the All-Star Game. On July 10, 1934, in the Polo Grounds, Hubbell wrote himself some baseball history by striking out the final three men of the first inning and the first two of the second. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons, and Joe Cronin all fell victim to Hubbell’s pinpoint control and awesome screwball – a reverse curve that broke in toward lefties and away from right-handed batters.

Before that game, though, the southpaw had another single-game stunner. On July 2, 1933, he threw 18 scoreless innings and allowed only six hits to beat the Cardinals 1-0 at Polo Grounds. He threw a perfect game for 12 of the innings, striking out 12 along the way without giving up a walk.

Nicknamed the Meal Ticket, Hubbell totaled 253 career wins and a 2.98 ERA in 3,590.1 innings pitched. From 1933 to 1937 he had five straight 20-win seasons, helping his team to three pennants and a World Series championship. In the 1933 Fall Classic, Hubbell pitched two complete-game victories, one of them an eleven-inning, 2-1 win. The run against him was unearned. In his six career World Series starts, the lefty is 4-2 with 32 strikeouts and a 1.79 ERA.

In 1936, Hubbell was the first-ever unanimous pick for the National League Most Valuable Player Award with a 26-6 record. Hubbell finished the regular season with 16 straight victories, leading the Giants to the World Series.

When his playing days were done, Hubbell remained in the game as a farm director in the Giants organization for more than 30 years.