Ewell Blackwell’s nickname was “The Whip" for two reasons.
At 6-foot-6 and 195 pounds, he was as thin as one. Then there was his delivery – a right-handed sidearm, whip-like motion that delivered blistering fastballs and made right-handed batters extremely edgy.
Blackwell – a Fresno, California, native like his strikeout-inducing successor on the Cincinnati Reds pitching staff, Jim Maloney – needed only two full seasons to establish himself as a dominant National League pitcher. He won each of 12 consecutive starts from June 5 through July 25, 1947, on his way to leading the league with 22 wins, 23 complete games and 193 strikeouts.