Editing Hal Newhouser (section)

==== 1944–1947 ====
During the offseason prior to the [[1944 Major League Baseball season|1944 season]], Newhouser was offered a full-time job at Chrysler. His family implored him to take the position, as they viewed it as much more secure than a career in baseball, especially with his dismal 34–52 record in his first four years. Newhouser, however, decided to take one more chance at baseball. At that year's wartime [[spring training]] in [[Evansville, Indiana]], Richards told Newhouser: "You've been a thrower. I'm going to make you a pitcher."<ref name="letter to editor">{{cite news |last1=Durrell |first1=Richard |author-link1=Dick Durrell|title=Transformation To Pitcher |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1989/06/11/319789.html?pageNumber=404 |access-date=March 25, 2025 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=June 11, 1989}}</ref> Originally possessing just a [[fastball]], [[curveball]], and [[changeup]], Richards taught Newhouser how to throw a [[Slider (pitch)|slider]]. He also taught Newhouser to control his emotions, although it remains unknown exactly what teaching method he used.<ref name="stewart215">{{Harvnb|Stewart|2014|p=215}}</ref>

The training worked, as 1944 proved to be Newhouser's breakout year. He posted a 29–9 record with a 2.22 ERA<ref name="james346">{{Harvnb|James|2001|p=346}}</ref> en route to his first [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player Award]].<ref name="light644">{{Harvnb|Light|2017|p=644}}</ref> His season started shaky, as he gave up five runs in just two innings of work during his first start, causing manager [[Steve O'Neill]] to send him to the bullpen for a week. On April 27 against the [[Chicago White Sox]], Newhouser was given the start, in what O'Neill told him was his "last chance" to remain in the starting rotation. Newhouser made good of his chance, pitching a twelve-inning complete game shutout.<ref name="at 100"/> This success continued and he was selected to his third-straight [[1944 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] on July 11, where he gave up two runs in one and two-thirds innings of work.<ref name="1944 all star game">{{cite web |title=1944 All-Star Game Box Score, July 11 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/allstar/1944-allstar-game.shtml |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |publisher=[[Sports Reference]] |access-date=March 27, 2025}}</ref> 

The late season pennant race of 1944 was incredibly competitive, with the Tigers, Yankees (whom Newhouser recorded six wins against across the season), and the [[St. Louis Browns]] all in contention within the final week. After the Yankees lost a late-season series to the Browns, they were eliminated from contention. With just two days to go, Detroit and St. Louis were tied at the top of the standings. Newhouser pitched win number 29 against the [[Washington Senators (1901–1960)|Washington Senators]] the following day, but the Browns also won their game, meaning the result of the next game would decide who wins the pennant. Detroit lost their final regular season game to the Senators, while St. Louis defeated the Yankees in a comeback fashion to secure the pennant.<ref name="stewart215"/> The MVP award voting between Newhouser and teammate [[Dizzy Trout]] was extremely tight. In fact, Trout won ten first-place votes compared to Newhouser's seven.<ref name="james869-870">{{Harvnb|James|2001|p=869–870}}</ref> However, Newhouser's 236 votes were four more than Trout's 232 and he took the title, largely due to his league-leading 187 strikeouts.<ref name="1944 mvp vote">{{cite news |last1=Reichler |first1=Joe |author-link1=Joe Reichler|title=Writers Name Hal Newhouser A.L.'s Most Valuable Player |work=[[The New York Times]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=November 28, 1944|id={{ProQuest|151718956}}}}</ref> Years later, Newhouser expressed disappointment that he was unable to reach the 30-win mark, which at the time was last achieved in the American League by [[Lefty Grove]] in [[1931 Major League Baseball season|1931]]. He attributed the fact that he didn't reach the mark to two factors: the fact that in his final start prior to the playoffs, the game ended in a 1–1 tie against the Red Sox after getting called off due to weather, and the fact that in the final game of the season, when a win was needed, the Tigers decided to send Trout to the mound rather than Newhouser on short rest.<ref name="among mclains rooters">{{cite news |title=Hal Newhouser Among McLain's Rooters |work=[[The Washington Post]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=August 14, 1968|id={{ProQuest|143421046}}}}</ref>

[[File:Hal Newhouser, Steve O'Neill and Hank Greenberg 1945.jpg|thumb|Newhouser (left) with manager [[Steve O'Neill]] and teammate [[Hank Greenberg]] during the 1945 season]]
He followed that up with a league-leading 25 wins and a 1.81 ERA, with only 9 losses in his [[1945 Major League Baseball season|1945 campaign]],<ref name="james346"/> also leading the league with 313 innings pitched, 29 complete games, 212 strikeouts, and 8 shutouts,<ref name="stewart215"/> en route to his second consecutive MVP award<ref name="light644"/> and the [[Triple Crown (baseball)#Pitching Triple Crown|Pitching Triple Crown]].<ref name="stewart216">{{Harvnb|Stewart|2014|p=216}}</ref> This made him the first ever pitcher to win the MVP award twice in consecutive seasons.<ref name="light597">{{Harvnb|Light|2017|p=597}}</ref> Although [[1945 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|no All-Star Game was held this season]] due to wartime travel restrictions, Newhouser made the hypothetical list of All-Stars compiled by the [[Associated Press]].<ref name="1945 all star game">{{cite web |title=The 1945 MLB All-Star Game |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/asgbox/yr1945as.shtml |website=[[Baseball Almanac]] |access-date=March 27, 2025}}</ref>

Late in the season, Newhouser was suffering from [[back spasms]] and was allowed to stay in Detroit while the team traveled east. During a series against the Yankees, however, Newhouser was asked to travel to New York and pitch by manager [[Jack Zeller]], as the Tigers pitching staff was exhausted. Despite being unable to throw his curveball due to severe pain, Newhouser leaned on his fastball and changeup to shutout the Yankees. His back continued to cause problems for him, however, as he was only able to pitch the first inning of a doubleheader against the Senators, who were just a half-game behind Detroit, before being relieved. The Senators finished the season with 87 wins, a game behind the Tigers, who with four consecutive games rained out, were unable to clinch the pennant right away.<ref name="stewart215-216">{{Harvnb|Stewart|2014|p=215–216}}</ref> When the rain finally let up, the Tigers played their final regular season game against the [[St. Louis Browns]]. [[Virgil Trucks]], who was medically discharged from the [[United States Navy|Navy]] at [[Norman, Oklahoma]] for a knee problem just five days prior, started the game.<ref name="goldstein260">{{Harvnb|Goldstein|1980|p=260}}</ref> After 5 1/3 innings, Trucks was relieved by Newhouser, who inherited a bases loaded situation with only one out and a 2–1 lead. Newhouser was able to escape the inning without allowing a run, but gave up one run in the seventh and eighth innings to allow the Browns a 2–3 lead. In the top of the ninth, however, slugger [[Hank Greenberg]] hit a grand slam to give the Tigers a 6–3 lead, which would hold, giving Newhouser the pitching win and clinching the pennant for Detroit.<ref name="stewart216"/>

Detroit faced off against the [[Chicago Cubs]] in the [[1945 World Series]]. Newhouser pitched the opening game, giving up seven runs before being pulled in the third inning as the Cubs routed Detroit, 9–0. Tied up at two games apiece, Newhouser was given the nod to pitch game five, improving upon his initial start by tossing a complete game in which the Tigers won 8–4. Three days later, Newhouser was chosen to pitch game seven. The Tigers offense gave him a five-run cushion in the first inning, but Newhouser only allowed three runs in nine innings, striking out ten in a 9–3 Tigers win, claiming the world title.<ref name="stewart216"/>

In the offseason prior to the [[1946 Major League Baseball season|1946 season]], [[Mexican League]] president [[Jorge Pasquel]] offered Newhouser, the biggest name in baseball at the time, $200,000 to pitch three seasons in Mexico, with a $300,000 signing bonus. While tempting, Newhouser feared being banned from baseball if the Mexican League didn't survive. Newhouser instead accepted a $10,000 signing bonus to stay with the Tigers and a promise that he would be given a raise when his new contract was due.<ref name="stewart216-217">{{Harvnb|Stewart|2014|p=216–217}}</ref> However, before signing, trade rumors between the Yankees and the Tigers involved a deal between Newhouser and [[Joe DiMaggio]].<ref name="stewart217"/> It was further rumored that [[Boston Red Sox]] slugger [[Ted Williams]] could also have been dealt for Newhouser and [[Dick Wakefield]]. Ultimately, no such trade ever occurred and Newhouser remained a Tiger.<ref name="rumor">{{cite news |last1=Rushin |first1=Steve |author-link1=Steve Rushin|title=Pssst, did you hear the rumor ... ? |url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2012/02/01/trade-rumors |access-date=March 26, 2025 |work=[[Sports Illustrated]] |date=February 1, 2012}}</ref> While the league was dominated by the Boston Red Sox, led by returning star Ted Williams, Newhouser remained one the AL's best pitchers.<ref name="stewart217">{{Harvnb|Stewart|2014|p=217}}</ref> He was selected to that year's [[1946 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] and pitched four strikeouts in three innings of work.<ref name="1946 all star game">{{cite web |title=1946 All-Star Game Box Score, July 9 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/allstar/1946-allstar-game.shtml |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |publisher=[[Sports Reference]] |access-date=March 27, 2025}}</ref> In total, he tossed a league-best 26 wins with a league-leading 1.94 ERA. While Williams won the MVP award, Newhouser finished close behind him to claim second place in the voting.<ref name="stewart217">{{Harvnb|Stewart|2014|p=217}}</ref>

The [[1947 Major League Baseball season|1947 season]] for the Tigers was largely characterized by good pitching play, but a lack of solid batsmen following the departure of Hank Greenberg. Without solid run support, Newhouser posted a 17–17 record with a 2.87 ERA and 176 strikeouts,<ref name="stewart217"/> although he was selected the starter for this year's [[1947 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]], where didn't allow a run in three innings of work.<ref name="1947 all star game">{{cite web |title=1947 All-Star Game Box Score, July 8 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/allstar/1947-allstar-game.shtml |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |publisher=[[Sports Reference]] |access-date=March 27, 2025}}</ref> On August 28, during a game with the Red Sox, Newhouser was fined $250 by manager [[Steve O'Neill]] for a lack of effort after giving up five runs in the third inning, as well as for refusing to leave the mound after being summoned to the dugout. Newhouser claimed that he never talked back to O'Neill and felt confident that he could deliver a quality performance, insisting that he was trying. In response, O'Neill said that "it didn't look like it to me. He certainly was playing inferior ball." It was both O'Neill's first fine given as a manager and Newhouser's first received as a player.<ref name="fine">{{cite news |title=Hal Newhouser Fined $250 for 'Indifference' |work=[[The Washington Post]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=August 28, 1947|id={{ProQuest|151967708}}}}</ref> Towards the end of the campaign, Newhouser engaged in film review, comparing his 1947 pitching to that of his big mid-1940s years. In doing so, he corrected a flaw in his follow-through. He won three of his last four decisions.<ref name="stewart217"/>