Don Newcombe
A dominant pitcher who broke barriers as the first player to win all three major awards, carrying the weight of integrating the Dodgers' pitching staff.
1926–2019 (age 93)·American baseball player·Birthday: June 14·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Don Newcombe was a mountain of a man with a fastball to match, whose career was a narrative of towering achievement shadowed by immense pressure. After starring in the Negro Leagues, he followed Jackie Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1949, becoming the first Black pitcher to start a World Series game that same year. 'Newk' was a force, a workhorse who won Rookie of the Year, an MVP, and a Cy Young Award—the first player ever to claim all three honors. His success came with a heavy burden; as a Black ace in a newly integrated game, he faced relentless racism and was often unfairly blamed for World Series losses. Struggles with alcoholism cut his prime short, but he later transformed his life, dedicating decades to helping others as the Dodgers' director of community relations. Newcombe's legacy is one of pioneering excellence and hard-won personal redemption.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Don was born in 1926, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Don Was Born
The biggest hits of 1926
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
Don's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1926Born
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1931Started school
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1939Became a teenager
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1942Could drive
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1944Could vote
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1947Turned 21
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1956Turned 30
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1966Turned 40
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 50
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 60
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 70
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 80
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2019Died at 93
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
Key Achievements
- Became the first player in MLB history to win the Rookie of the Year (1949), Most Valuable Player (1956), and Cy Young Award (1956).
- Posted a 27-7 record in his 1956 MVP season, leading the league in winning percentage.
- Was the first Black pitcher to start a World Series game, doing so for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1949.
- His number 36 was retired by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019.
Did You Know?
He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, missing the entire 1952 and 1953 baseball seasons.
He was a capable hitter, hitting 15 home runs in his career and often being used as a pinch-hitter.
He worked for the Los Angeles Dodgers organization for over 50 years in an executive and community role.
He pitched for the Chunichi Dragons in Japan in 1962, after his MLB career appeared over.
“I was told I would never be a success. I was told I would never make it. I was told I would never be sober. I was told I would never work for the Dodgers. I was told a lot of things.”
