2007-12-25 09:24:32 · 6 answers · asked by xoxo 3 in Sports ➔ Baseball
Joe Nuxhall, who appeared in a major league game 63 years ago.
Nuxhall's place in baseball lore was secured the moment he stepped onto a big league field. With major league rosters depleted during World War II, he got a chance to pitch in relief for the Reds on June 10, 1944.
At 15 years, 10 months, 11 days old, Nuxhall was big for his age. He was 6-foot-3 and his parents let him join the Reds when school let out.
Nuxhall spent most of the time watching from the bench, assuming he'd never get into a game. The Reds were trailing the St. Louis Cardinals 13-0 after eight innings when manager Bill McKechnie decided to give the kid a chance.
Nuxhall was so rattled when summoned to warm up that he tripped on the top step of the dugout and fell on his face in front of 3,510 fans at Crosley Field. He was terrified when it came time to walk to the mound.
"Probably two weeks prior to that, I was pitching against seventh-, eighth- and ninth-graders, kids 13 and 14 years old," he recalled. "All of a sudden, I look up and there's Stan Musial and the likes. It was a very scary situation."
Nuxhall walked one and retired two batters before glancing at the on-deck circle and seeing Musial. Nuxhall unraveled - Musial hit a line-drive single, and the Cardinals scored five runs as the young pitcher lost his ability to throw a strike and failed to get another out. In all, he walked five and threw a wild pitch in two-thirds of an inning.
"Those people that were at Crosley Field that afternoon probably said, 'Well, that's the last we'll see of that kid,"' Nuxhall said.
The Reds sent him to the minors, but eight years later (in 1952) he was back with the Reds. Nuxhall spent 15 of his 16 big league seasons with the Reds, going 135-117 before his retirement in 1966.
Joe was born on July 30, 1928 and passed away last month on November 16, 2007 at the age of 79.
2007-12-25 09:39:41 · answer #1 · answered by DodgerDave 6 · 9⤊ 0⤋
Joe Nuxhall
2007-12-25 14:03:36 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Joe Nuxhall was 15 years old when he pitched for the Cincinnati Reds
2007-12-25 10:09:54 · answer #3 · answered by Dave aka Spider Monkey 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Joe Nuxall of the Resds was 15.
2007-12-25 10:56:54 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
There was a pitcher that pitched for the league a couple times back around 30-40 years ago that was 14. I'm sorry I can't give more information, but I do know he left and came back when he was 19.
2007-12-25 09:32:38 · answer #5 · answered by J P 2 · 0⤊ 4⤋
Joey Nuxelle was about 15 I think
2007-12-25 11:17:29 · answer #6 · answered by Chuck 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋