Joe Nuxhall

Joe Nuxhall is best remembered as the youngest player in MLB history. In 1944, during the second World War, the Cincinnati Reds brought up 15-year old Nuxhall and let him pitch ⅔ of an inning against the Cardinals. While this may be his most notable accomplishment, his whole career was very good and deserves to be remembered. 

Joseph Henry Nuxhall was born on July 30, 1928, in Hamilton, Ohio. He played semipro ball with his father Orville for a few years, and the scouts who found him were originally scouting his old man. When Orville declined to sign, they turned their attention to young Joe, who was a freshman in high school at the time. Nuxhall must have been embarrassed when the Reds had to ask his principal to add him to the Big League team, but overjoyed when he gave his consent. He made his MLB debut on June 10, 1944, at the age of 15 years, 10 months, and 11 days. Nuxhall, used to pitching against young teenagers, suddenly stared down Stan Musial and his World Champion Cardinals. He was charged with five runs in ⅔ of an inning, but the only thing people remember is the fact that he recorded two outs in the Major Leagues. The runs didn’t really matter, anyway - the Reds were trailing 13-0 when they called upon Nuxhall. 

You know, when you think about it, Nuxhall’s early debut is actually quite legendary. Even though Major League Baseball was depleted of many of its players on account of the war, Nuxhall’s performance usually only exists in movies (most notably Rookie of the Year). All the 15-year old players I know dream about someday making the Major Leagues, not preparing to play for their hometown team right away. All the acclaim given to his debut is 100% legitimate. 

Nuxhall pitched only that one game in 1944, but the Reds must have seen a prospect in Nuxhall as they optioned him to the minors, and he pitched 16 games for Lima in 1945, going 10-5 with a 2.57 ERA in 126 innings. Nuxhall regained his amateur status and played three sports in 1946 as a high school senior, but made it back to the minors in 1947 and made the Reds again in 1952. His breakout season was 1954, when he had a 12-5 record and a 3.89 ERA. He followed up in 1955 with 17 wins and a league high five shutouts. Nuxhall’s best season was 1963, when he had 15 wins and a 2.61 ERA. He made the NL all-star team in 1955 and 1956. 

Nuxhall was a very good pitcher, but people might not recall that he was also a great hitter. He stroked 15 career home runs, including one off of Cy Young Award winner Whitey Ford in 1961, and batted as high as .327 in 1953. 

Nuxhall ended his career in 1966 with a 6-8 mark in 130 innings. Almost as soon as he quit pitching, Nuxhall was in the broadcasters’ booth calling Reds games, a post he would hold until his death in 2007. Nicknamed “the Ol’ Lefthander” during his career, Nuxhall often signed off the air saying, “this is the old left-hander, rounding third and heading for home.” He was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1968.