Newhouser Vs. The World

Today is the birthday of Hal Newhouser, born in Detroit, Michigan, 1921.

As a kid growing up in depression-era Detroit, Newhouser developed a habit of collecting injuries. He punctured his stomach when he fell on a woodpile, got hit in the head with a brick by another boy, developed blood poisoning from a bad skin burn he got playing basketball, and picked up deep scars from football — one under his right eye that grew deeper and more pronounced as he aged.

It was fitting. Newhouser was mean and wild on the mound. Reporters covering the Tigers pitcher said that he had absolutely no sense of humor. And while he had an amazing arm, he’d unravel when he got behind in the count. He’d explode in the clubhouse when he was pulled out of games, screaming at teammates and smashing whatever was nearby — including, on one occasion, hurling a full case of Coke against the wall, one bottle at a time.

After five years of streaky performance with the Tigers, his father — a Czechoslovakian immigrant and draftsman at an automaker — got him a job offer as an apprentice at Chrysler. He turned it down, deciding to give baseball one last shot.

That spring, Newhouser finally got the coaching and attention he’d lacked as a younger player, adding both a changeup and a slider to his arsenal. It made all the difference. He won MVP 1944, and again in 1945 after helping his team win the World Series.

A kind of legend rose out of that 1944 spring training; Newhouser learned how to control both his pitching and his temper in just a few months. Newhouser didn’t buy it.

“That’s nonsense, I’ll be a hot-head all my life. That’s just the kind of guy I am. I didn’t win because I controlled my temper. I controlled my temper because I began to win.”

Bronx Cheers, Alvarado Pops, and MLB Attendance Is at a High

• The 3K Club – Bryce Harper drove in his 1,000th career run Friday night, becoming just the 14th player in MLB history to notch 1,000 RBIs, 1,000 runs, and 1,000 walks before his 33rd birthday. Not bad for a guy who’s been booed by his own fans.

• Testosterone & Consequences – Phillies reliever Jose Alvarado has been hit with an 80-game suspension after testing positive for exogenous testosterone. He blamed an offseason weight-loss drug, but the league wasn’t buying it — and neither, it seems, is his paycheck. He’ll forfeit half of his $9 million salary.

• The Bronx Cheer – Juan Soto’s first trip back to Yankee Stadium as a Met was met with all the warmth of a subway turnstile. Boos rained down all weekend, and fans in the bleachers turned their backs when he jogged out to right. Message received.

• Rivalry Weekend Delivers – With the Mets-Yankees, Angels-Dodgers, Cubs-White Sox, and Pirates-Phillies all on the slate, fans showed up in force — 1.6 million strong. It was MLB’s best attended weekend before Memorial Day since 2012. Turns out, bad blood still sells.

• Now Batting: Chaos – Last Week Tonight announced it’s taking full creative control of the Erie SeaWolves, promising to rename and rebrand the team with zero input from the office. No notes. No vetoes. Just whatever Oliver’s writers dream up. Godspeed, Erie, PA.

5/20/2025

Babe Ruth Hits His First Grand Slam

• 1919 — Babe Ruth hits the first grand slam of his career in a 6–4 win over the St. Louis Browns. He was still with the Red Sox then, still technically a pitcher, though by that season he’d started playing outfield and swinging for power. The blast was one of 29 homers he hit that year — a record at the time — and a preview of what was coming.