After a brief time with Newark in the Negro Leagues, Don Newcombe was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers. After a few seasons in their minor league system, Newcombe was called up for the 1949 season, making him the third black pitcher in the Majors, but he was arguably the first dominant one.
With a towering 6-foot-4 frame, Newcombe captured the Rookie of the Year award after a 17-8 debut season that included 32 consecutive scoreless innings and a league-leading five shutouts, which he followed up with 19 wins in 1950 and his first 20-win season in 1951, while leading the league in strikeouts. Newcombe looked ready to dominate, but he was drafted into the U.S. Military and served in Korea for 2 years.
Following an underwhelming 1954 season, Newcombe demonstrated a remarkable resurgence. In 1955, he owned the mound, posting a 20-5 record that helped the Dodgers secure their inaugural and only World Series championship in Brooklyn. He subsequently delivered a stellar performance in 1956, posting a 27-7 record and leading the league with a WHIP of 0.989. This outstanding achievement granted him the distinction of being the first recipient of the Cy Young Award and concurrently named the National League Most Valuable Player, marking the first occasion on which a player received both honors within a single season.
Newcombe never came close to having another season like that again, and in the middle of the 1958 season, which he started 0-6 with a seven-plus ERA, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds.
As a Dodger, Newcombe compiled a 123-66 record, a 3.51 ERA, and 916 strikeouts. The Dodgers would honor Newcombe in 2019, along with three others, with plaques as "Legends of Dodger Baseball."
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