Some baseball nicknames just hit different, and "Poison" Ivy Paul Andrews is a Hall of Fame entry in that department. Today, we're celebrating what would have been his 119th birthday—a chance to look back at a pitcher who traded coal dust for pinstripes.
Born in the spring of 1907 in Walker County, Alabama, Andrews grew up in a coal mining family. His father worked the mines, and many of his siblings followed suit. For a while, it seemed like that would be Ivy's path too. But young Andrews had a gift for sports, and baseball became his ticket out of the mines and into a professional career.
Andrews took the typical road to the majors for his era. After graduating high school in 1926, he signed with a semi-professional team. As a right-handed pitcher, he brought a diverse arsenal to the mound: a fastball, curveball, knuckleball, and later, a screwball. Old scouting reports describe him as a true junk baller with a funky delivery and several breaking pitches that frustrated hitters. He offered a welcome change of pace from the hard-throwing pitchers of his time.
His first pro stint in 1927 with the Selma Selmians of the Southeastern League was brief and rough. But Andrews found his groove the next season. In 1928, he threw 256 innings for the Meridian Mets in the Class D Cotton States League, posting an 18-12 record with a stellar 2.47 ERA.
By 1929, he was pitching for the Mobile Bears, where he went 9-7 with a 2.45 ERA. That performance caught the Yankees' attention, and they purchased his contract. Still, the majors weren't quite within reach. He finished the 1929 season with the Albany Senators and split 1930 between the Birmingham Barons and the Oakland Oaks.
Andrews finally got his big break in 1931. Yankees manager Joe McCarthy handed him the ball for his MLB debut that August, and he made it count. Andrews tossed a complete game against a lineup featuring the legendary Jimmie Foxx, securing his first major league win in unforgettable style. From Alabama coal country to the bright lights of Yankee Stadium, Ivy Andrews proved that sometimes, the best way out is a good breaking ball.