Luke Sewell
Sewell replaced Steve O'Neill as catcher with the Indians, joining his brother Joe in the Cleveland lineup for several years. Many observers considered his arm to be the strongest of any catcher in the game, but base runners seemed to ignore that advice, as he led the league in assists four times. After his playing career, which included nearly 1,400 hits and a .259 average in more than 1,600 games, Sewell became a coach and then a successful manager. In 1944 he guided the St. Louis Browns to their only pennant, and posted a very respectable .513 record with the Browns, compared to their dismal .424 mark under other managers in their 50-year history.
| Career Batting Stats |
| G |
AB |
H |
R |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
AVG |
SLG |
OBP |
OPS |
OPS+ |
| 1630 |
5383 |
1393 |
653 |
20 |
696 |
65 |
.259 |
.341 |
.323 |
.665 |
88.4 |
|
Teams Luke Sewell Managed
St. Louis Browns (1941-1946)
Cincinnati Reds (1949-1952)
Luke Sewell in Minor League Baseball
Where does Luke Sewell rank among baseball greats?
Luke Sewell ranks #50 among the Top 50 all-time at C. Rankings ⇒
Best Season: 1931
Sewell was a very mediocre offensive player, and he never posted an OPS above league normal levels. But for a catcher in that era, he did what his teams needed him to do with the glove. In '31 he batted .275 with 30 doubles and a .341 OBP, and played his typical stellar defense behind the dish.
Most Career Hits, Brothers
1. Paul and Lloyd Waner 5611
2. Felipe, Matty and Jesus Alou 5094
3. Joe, Dom and Vince DiMaggio 4853
4. Ed, Jim, Frank, Joe and Tom Delahanty 4211
5. Hank and Tommy Aaron 3987
6. Cal Jr. and Billy Ripken 3858
7. Roberto and Sandy Jr. Alomar 3627
8. Joe and Luke Sewell 3619
9. Ken, Clete and Cloyd Boyer 3559
10. Honus and Butts Wagner 3489
11. Bob and Roy Johnson 3343
12. Eddie and Rich Murray 3299
Description
Sewell had a habit of asking umpires to check the bats of opposing batters for illegal substances, and later as a manager, he extended that to being suspicious of opposing pitchers he felt may be throwing a spitter. During his playing days he tipped the scale at 170 pounds and stood five-feet, ten-inches.
Born
James Luther Sewell was born on January 5, 1901, in Titus, AL.
Died
May 14, 1987, Akron, OH
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Major League Debut
6 30,
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1921
Goose Goslin
Kiki Cuyler
Bing Miller
Luke Sewell
Riggs Stephenson
Lu Blue
Earl Sheely
Ray Kolp
Lew Fonseca
Family Tree
His brother Joe is a Hall of Fame shortstop.
Similar Players
Rollie Hemsley, Wilbert Robinson
Related Players
Joe Sewell
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 1958 |
BBWAA |
3 |
1.1% |
1960 |
BBWAA |
3 |
1.1% |
1962 |
BBWAA |
1 |
.6% |
|
Post-Season Appearances
1933 World Series
Feats
Sewell caught three no-hitters: Wes Ferrell with the Indians in 1931, and Vern Kennedy in 1935 and Bill Dietrich in 1937 with the White Sox.
Notes
Finished in the top ten in MVP voting in 1927 (9th), and 1937 (5th).
All-Star Selections
1937 AL
Best Strength as a Player
Blocking pitches in the dirt.
Largest Weakness as a Player
Hitting for power.
Learn More about Luke Sewell
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