Joe Nuxhall

Joseph Henry Nuxhall (born July 30, 1928) was a Major League Baseball pitcher for sixteen seasons. He compiled a career ERA of 3.90 and a Won-Lost record of 135-117. Long known as "the old lefthander," Nuxhall is most often remembered for becoming the youngest player ever to appear in a modern Major League game when on June 10, 1944, at age 15 years, 10 months, and 11 days, he pitched 2/3 of an inning for the Cincinnati Reds.

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During World War II, many regular players from the Reds and other Major League teams were unavailable while serving in the military. Meanwhile, Nuxhall was the biggest member of the ninth grade class in nearby Hamilton, Ohio at 6' 2" and 190 pounds -- a left-hander with a hard fastball, but not much control. He had already been playing in a semipro league with his father for a couple of years. Scouts looking to fill out the Reds' depleted roster were told his father wasn't interested in signing a professional contract because of his five children, so they asked about the son, who was only 14 at the time. After waiting until basketball season was over the next year, Nuxhall signed a Major League contract with the Reds on February 18, 1944. General Manager Warren Giles intended to wait until school was over in June to add him to the team, but more players were inducted into the service in the spring, and Nuxhall was in uniform with the team on Opening Day with permission from his high school principal.

July 30: July 30 is the 211th day (212th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 154 days remaining....

1928: 1928 was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar)....

Major League Baseball: Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in professional baseball in the world. More specifically, Major League Baseball ("MLB") refers to the entity that operates North America's two top leagues, the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational struct...

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