Bobo Newsom, baseball player, 1929-1953

Bobo Newsom

Born: 8/11/1907 in Hartsville, SC, USA

Died: 12/7/1962 in Orlando, FL, USA

MLB Debut: 1929-09-11 | Final Game: 1953-09-17

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 200 lbs

Full name: Louis Norman Newsom

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Biography

Bobo Newsom, born in 1907, was a prominent pitcher in Major League Baseball whose career spanned from 1929 to 1953. Known for his durability and competitive spirit, Newsom played during an era that saw significant shifts in the game, including the transition from the deadball era to the more offense-driven styles of the mid-20th century. Over his career, he compiled a record of 211 wins and 222 losses, with a career ERA of 3.98. His ability to strike out batters was notable, as he recorded a total of 2,082 strikeouts. Additionally, he contributed to his teams with 21 saves, showcasing his effectiveness in high-pressure situations. Newsom was selected as an All-Star four times, affirming his status as one of the top pitchers of his time. His career was marked by stints with several teams, which reflected both his versatility and the competitive nature of the pitching landscape during his playing days. Bobo Newsom remains a notable figure in baseball history, not only for his statistics but also for his resilience and impact on the game during a transformative era.

Negro Leagues Career Statistics

Batting

PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG OPS
12.0 11.0 1.0 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.091 0.091 0.091 0.182

Pitching

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB SO ERA
15.0 0 0 6.0 3.0 0 0 0.0 53.0 36.0 9.0 3.0 0 0 2.19

Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting

Season PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG OPS
1933 10.0 9.0 1.0 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.111 0.111 0.111 0.222
1934 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000
1943 2.0 2.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000

Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Pitching

Season W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB SO ERA
1933 10.0 0 0 3.0 3.0 0 0 0.0 34.0 20.0 0 3.0 0 0 0.00
1934 0 0 0 1.0 0 0 0 0.0 8.0 6.0 0 0 0 0 0.00
1943 5.0 0 0 2.0 0 0 0 0.0 11.0 10.0 9.0 0 0 0 11.57

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
211 222 600 483 246 31 21 3759.3 3769 1664 206 1732 2082 3.98 0

Career ERA 3.98 vs. league average 4.09 across their career seasons — near league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
1929 BRO NL 0 3 3 2 0 0 0 9.3 15 11 5 6 10.61 4.60 (-131%) 0.0
1930 BRO NL 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 3.0 2 0 2 1 0.00 — 0.0
1932 CHC NL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1.0 1 0 0 0 0.00 — -
1934 SLA AL 16 20 47 32 15 2 5 262.3 259 117 149 135 4.01 4.29 (+6%) -2485.4
1935 SLA AL 0 6 7 6 1 0 1 42.7 54 23 13 22 4.85 4.35 (-12%) 715.5
1935 WSN AL 11 12 28 23 17 2 2 198.3 222 98 84 65 4.45 4.35 (-2%) -
1936 WSN AL 17 15 43 38 24 4 2 285.7 294 137 146 156 4.32 4.59 (+6%) -
1937 WSN AL 3 4 11 10 3 0 0 67.7 76 44 48 39 5.85 4.34 (-35%) -
1937 BOS AL 13 10 30 27 14 1 0 207.7 193 103 119 127 4.46 4.34 (-3%) -1518.1
1938 SLA AL 20 16 44 40 31 0 1 329.7 334 186 192 226 5.08 4.35 (-17%) -3090.4
1939 SLA AL 3 1 6 6 3 0 0 45.7 50 24 22 28 4.73 4.28 (-10%) -567.8
1939 DET AL 17 10 35 31 21 3 2 246.0 222 92 104 164 3.37 4.28 (+21%) 3344.9
1940 DET AL 21 5 36 34 20 3 0 264.0 235 83 100 164 2.83 4.21 (+33%) 2415.9
1941 DET AL 12 20 43 36 12 2 2 250.3 265 128 118 175 4.60 3.94 (-17%) 1982.9
1942 WSN AL 11 17 30 29 15 2 0 213.7 236 117 92 113 4.93 3.57 (-38%) -
1942 BRO NL 2 2 6 5 2 1 0 32.0 28 12 14 21 3.38 3.57 (+5%) 395.9
1943 BRO NL 9 4 22 12 6 1 1 125.0 113 42 57 75 3.02 3.50 (+14%) 704.4
1943 SLA AL 1 6 10 9 0 0 0 52.3 69 43 35 37 7.39 3.50 (-111%) -2033.8
1943 WSN AL 3 3 6 6 2 0 0 40.0 38 17 21 11 3.83 3.50 (-9%) -
1944 PHA AL 13 15 37 33 18 2 1 265.0 243 83 82 142 2.82 3.57 (+21%) 3186.7
1945 PHA AL 8 20 36 34 16 3 0 257.3 255 94 103 127 3.29 3.67 (+10%) 643.9
1946 PHA AL 3 5 10 9 3 1 0 58.7 61 22 30 32 3.38 3.59 (+6%) -204.3
1946 WSN AL 11 8 24 22 14 2 1 178.0 163 55 60 82 2.78 3.59 (+23%) -
1947 WSN AL 4 6 14 13 1 0 0 83.7 99 38 37 40 4.09 3.97 (-3%) -
1947 NYY AL 7 5 17 15 6 2 0 115.7 109 36 30 42 2.80 3.97 (+29%) -
1948 NY1 NL 0 4 11 4 0 0 0 25.7 35 12 13 9 4.21 4.10 (-3%) 3.2
1952 WSN AL 1 1 10 0 0 0 2 12.7 16 7 9 5 4.97 3.70 (-34%) -
1952 PHA AL 3 3 14 5 1 0 1 47.7 38 19 23 22 3.59 3.70 (+3%) 139.9
1953 PHA AL 2 1 17 2 1 0 0 38.7 44 21 24 16 4.89 4.14 (-18%) -862.5

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
609 1337 86 253 28 3 1 102 1 17 266 0.189 0.200 0.217 0.417 -7574.3

Career AVG .189 vs. league average .270 across their career seasons — 29.8% below league average.

Career OBP .200 vs. league average .337 across their career seasons — 40.7% below league average.

Career SLG .217 vs. league average .384 across their career seasons — 43.5% below league average.

Career OPS 0.417 vs. league average 0.721 across their career seasons — 42.2% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1929 BRO NL 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1930 BRO NL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1932 CHC NL 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1934 SLA AL 50 93 6 17 2 0 0 8 0 2 10 0.183 .278 (-34%) .340 (-41%) .392 (-48%) .733 (-45%) -743.7
1935 SLA AL 7 11 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.091 — — — — 0.0
1935 WSN AL 28 73 6 22 2 1 0 10 1 3 9 0.301 .279 (+8%) .342 (-4%) .399 (-11%) .742 (-8%) 0.0
1936 WSN AL 44 108 11 23 2 0 0 11 0 3 23 0.213 .283 (-25%) .349 (-33%) .404 (-43%) .753 (-38%) -744.4
1937 WSN AL 13 25 2 3 0 0 1 1 0 1 4 0.120 — — — — 0.0
1937 BOS AL 31 75 9 19 4 1 0 4 0 2 14 0.253 .276 (-8%) .342 (-20%) .398 (-16%) .740 (-18%) 0.0
1938 SLA AL 46 124 9 31 4 0 0 16 0 1 21 0.250 .272 (-8%) .341 (-25%) .392 (-28%) .734 (-27%) -599.2
1939 SLA AL 6 18 0 4 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0.222 — — — — 0.0
1939 DET AL 35 97 6 18 0 1 0 7 0 1 16 0.186 .274 (-32%) .342 (-43%) .393 (-48%) .735 (-46%) 0.0
1940 DET AL 36 107 9 23 5 0 0 16 0 1 17 0.215 .267 (-20%) .335 (-34%) .387 (-33%) .722 (-33%) -623.4
1941 DET AL 43 88 3 9 0 0 0 3 0 2 20 0.102 .262 (-61%) .332 (-60%) .373 (-73%) .705 (-67%) -995.5
1942 WSN AL 30 75 5 12 2 0 0 3 0 0 25 0.160 .253 (-37%) .323 (-50%) .349 (-47%) .672 (-48%) -590.6
1942 BRO NL 6 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0.000 — — — — -590.6
1943 BRO NL 22 44 4 11 0 0 0 6 0 0 11 0.250 — — — — 0.0
1943 SLA AL 10 15 0 5 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0.333 — — — — 0.0
1943 WSN AL 6 15 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.133 — — — — 0.0
1944 PHA AL 37 88 4 10 2 0 0 2 0 0 20 0.114 .261 (-57%) .325 (-65%) .357 (-62%) .683 (-63%) -918.0
1945 PHA AL 36 86 3 14 1 0 0 2 0 1 21 0.163 .260 (-38%) .328 (-48%) .354 (-51%) .683 (-49%) -697.8
1946 PHA AL 10 19 0 2 1 0 0 2 0 0 5 0.105 — — — — 0.0
1946 WSN AL 24 62 5 10 0 0 0 2 0 0 15 0.161 .256 (-37%) .328 (-51%) .358 (-55%) .687 (-53%) 0.0
1947 WSN AL 14 29 1 7 2 0 0 3 0 0 6 0.241 — — — — 0.0
1947 NYY AL 17 42 0 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 11 0.095 — — — — 0.0
1948 NY1 NL 11 7 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.429 — — — — 0.0
1952 WSN AL 10 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1952 PHA AL 14 15 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 5 0.133 — — — — 0.0
1953 PHA AL 17 6 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.167 — — — — 0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
5 10 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.100

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1947 WS NYA 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
1940 WS DET 3 10 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.100

Playoff Career Pitching

W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
2 2 5 4 0 28.3 24 9 6 17 2.86

Playoff Pitching by Year

Year Round Team W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
1947 WS NYA 0 1 2 1 0 2.3 6 5 2 0 19.29
1940 WS DET 2 1 3 3 0 26.0 18 4 4 17 1.38

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 600 0 112 534 28 32

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1929 BRO P 3 0 0 2 0 1
1930 BRO P 2 0 0 0 0 0
1932 CHN P 1 0 0 1 0 1
1934 SLA P 47 0 13 49 2 1
1935 SLA P 7 0 0 10 0 0
1935 WS1 P 28 0 6 27 2 4
1936 WS1 P 43 0 11 50 1 5
1937 WS1 P 11 0 3 12 0 1
1937 BOS P 30 0 8 29 3 0
1938 SLA P 44 0 11 38 2 1
1939 SLA P 6 0 4 6 0 0
1939 DET P 35 0 8 33 3 1
1940 DET P 36 0 3 32 3 3
1941 DET P 43 0 5 36 2 2
1942 WS1 P 30 0 5 31 5 3
1942 BRO P 6 0 1 3 0 0
1943 BRO P 22 0 2 25 0 4
1943 SLA P 10 0 1 5 0 0
1943 WS1 P 6 0 2 4 0 0
1944 PHA P 37 0 3 45 0 0
1945 PHA P 36 0 12 28 2 1
1946 PHA P 10 0 1 7 0 1
1946 WS1 P 24 0 3 18 0 0
1947 WS1 P 14 0 2 6 2 0
1947 NYA P 17 0 3 12 0 1
1948 NY1 P 11 0 1 4 1 0
1952 WS1 P 10 0 1 4 0 0
1952 PHA P 14 0 2 10 0 1
1953 PHA P 17 0 1 7 0 1

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 600

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1940 Baseball Magazine All-Star P2
1940 Baseball Magazine All-Star P3
1938 Baseball Magazine All-Star P5

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1946 Most Valuable Player AL 19th 6.0 336 0
1940 Most Valuable Player AL 4th 120.0 336 1
1939 Most Valuable Player AL 19th 11.0 336 0
1938 Most Valuable Player AL 5th 111.0 336 0