Carl Owen Hubbell
Carl Hubbell was born in Missouri on June 22, 1903, but was raised in Meeker, Oklahoma. When he graduated from high school, Hubbell went to work with an oil company, but could not forget his love of the game. So, in 1923 Hubbell returned to baseball playing for Cushing of the Oklahoma State League. He soon drew national attention and the Detroit Tigers picked him up from Oklahoma City in 1925. After a few rocky years, Hubbell found his home and his notorious screwball with the New York Giants. He was a member of the Giants from 1928 until 1943, where he was voted Most Valuable Player for the National League twice. In 1936 and 1937 he set the record for consecutive wins by a major league pitcher with 24 wins. In the 1934 All-Star game, Hubbell struck out five of the baseball’s greatest hitters in a row, including Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Jimmie Foxx.
“King Carl” as he was commonly called, was inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1947. Even after retiring in 1943, Hubbell could not separate from the Giants organization and became the director of the Giants minor league organization. The last 10 years of his life he was a scout for the Giants organization. He passed away at the age of 85 on November 21, 1988 due to injuries suffered from a car accident in Scottsdale, Arizona. In Oklahoma City, his portrait sculpture sits in the minor league baseball Bricktown Ballpark. In front of his portrait sculpted by Jay O’Meilia, he is shown pitching the screwball that made him so famous.
