Hubbell Strikes Out Five.

Hubbell Strikes Out Five. Baseball pitcher Carl Hubbell was known for many sterling achievements, but he may be best remembered for his performance in the 1934 All-Star Game. In the first inning Hubbell allowed the first two hitters to reach base. Then legendary slugger Babe Ruth stepped to the plate. . Hubbell Strikes Out Five "King Carl" Hubbell, the farmer with the wicked left-handed screwball, reigned as one of the finest pitchers of his era. His accomplishments were many: two-time National League (NL) most valuable player (MVP), 24 consecutive victories in 1936-1937, 46 consecutive scoreless innings in 1933, 20 consecutive innings in the 1933 World Series without an earned run, five consecutive 20-game win seasons, and three-time NL leader in earned-run average (ERA). But Hubbell is best remembered for a two-inning appearance in an exhibition contest, the 1934 All-Star Game. Hubbell struck out five straight batters, all of whom were later elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons, and Joe Cronin. "They were the great ones of the American League," said Hal Schumacher, Hubbell's longtime teammate. "And I'd say it was almost a miracle what he did." The 1934 All-Star Game was played at the Polo Grounds in New York City, the home field of Hubbell and the Giants. Early in the first inning Hubbell didn't appear to be on the verge of a legendary performance. He gave up a single to leadoff hitter Charlie Gehringer, who advanced to second on an error by right fielder Wally Berger. Hubbell then walked Heinie Manush, leaving runners on first and second with no one out and with perhaps the finest string of hitters ever assembled, before or since, coming to bat. Ruth was up next. The legendary Ruth was in the twilight of his career--in his last full season. But he was no has-been. He finished the 1934 season with a .288 batting average and 22 home runs. Gehrig, the fourth batter, was in his prime. Gehrig won the Triple Crown that year with a .363 batting average, 49 home runs, and 165 runs batted in (RBIs). The fifth batter, Foxx, was truly one of baseball's all-time great hitters, although his accomplishments were often overshadowed because he played during the era of Ruth and Gehrig. In 1934 Foxx, who was with the Philadelphia Athletics, hit .334 with 44 home runs and 130 RBIs. Foxx was followed in the All-Star lineup by Simmons, who played for the Chicago White Sox. Simmons posted a .344 batting average with 18 home runs, 36 doubles, and 104 RBIs in 1934. Cronin of the Washington Senators followed Simmons. That season Cronin finished with a .284 batting average, 30 doubles, 107 RBIs, and only 28 strikeouts in 508 at bats. With two men on base, no outs, and a parade of great sluggers awaiting, the inning had blowout written all over it. "What I was trying to do was strike Ruth out," Hubbell later recalled. "He was the only one I was really trying to strike out. Because if I could strike him out, and then against Gehrig keep it down low, give him breaking balls down low, maybe I could get him to hit into a double play and I could get out of the inning." Hubbell, a left-hander with a long delivery that started down low, opened to the left-handed Ruth with a called ball. On the next pitch the Bambino swung and missed. Hubbell then retired Ruth on two called strikes. Gehrig, also a left-hander, strode to the plate. Hubbell battled him to a full count and then slipped a screwball past him swinging for strike three. Gehringer and Manush advanced on a double steal as Gehrig whiffed, leaving runners on second and third with two outs. Facing Foxx, Hubbell was humming. He fanned the right-handed Foxx in five pitches to end the inning, and "the crowd lifted the Polo Grounds six feet off the ground with a roar and then set it down again," the New York Daily News reported. Simmons, a right-hander, led off the second, took a pitch for a ball, and then struck out with three empty swings. Cronin, a righty, fell behind 0-2 with two missed swings, took a ball, and missed for strike three. Of the five strikeouts, only Foxx even made contact, fouling off one pitch. "I got every one of them on a screwball," Hubbell said. "I figured they had hit better fastballs than mine and better curves. If they were going to hit me, it would have to be my best. Oh, I showed them other pitches, but not where they could get a good swing at them. The third strike on every one of them was a screwball." The pitch made him one of the game's greatest pitchers and helped him record the most famous five strikeouts in baseball history. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.