Joe Sewell

Joseph Wheeler Sewell

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 6½", Weight 155 lb.
• School University of Alabama
• High School Wetumpka High School
• Debut September 10, 1920
• Final Game September 24, 1933
• Born October 9, 1898 in Titus, AL USA
• Died March 6, 1990 in Mobile, AL USA

Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1977

BR page

Biographical Information

The brother of Luke Sewell and Tommy Sewell, and a cousin of Rip Sewell, Hall of Famer Joe Sewell was a New York Yankees coach in 1934 and 1935, after his playing career ended. He was then a scout for the Cleveland Indians for 11 years and New York Mets for one year. Then he was the baseball coach at the University of Alabama for 6 years (1964-1969), winning the Southeastern Conference title in 1968.

Sewell had played only 22 major league games before starting game one of the 1920 World Series; this was a record for 77 years before Livan Hernandez (18 games) surpassed him. Sewell retains the record for position players, with Avisail Garcia (23) just missing in 2012.

Sewell is the most difficult batter to strike out in Major League Baseball history, by a wide margin. In 7132 at bats during his career, he struck out only 114 times, or once for every 62.6 at bats. In the last nine seasons of his career, from 1925 to 1933, he never struck out more than nine times in a season, while playing over 100 games each year. The next hardest player to strike out after Sewell is Lloyd Waner, who struck out once for every 44.9 at bats.

Quote: "I was blessed with good eyes. I could see the ball jump off the bat." Joe Sewell.

Notable Achievements

• AL Doubles Leader (1924)
• 100 RBI Seasons: 2 (1923 & 1924)
• 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 2 (1921 & 1931)
• 200 Hits Seasons: 1 (1925)
• Won two World Series with the Cleveland Indians (1920) and the New York Yankees (1932)
• Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 1977

Records Held

• At bats per strikeout, career, 62.6

Related Sites

• Joe Sewell at the SABR Bio Project
• Baseball Almanac Graphic on HOFers who Served in the U.S. Armed Services