Luke Sewell
Born: 1/5/1901 in Titus, AL, USA
Died: 5/14/1987 in Akron, OH, USA
MLB Debut: 1921-06-30 | Final Game: 1942-08-01
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 160 lbs
Full name: James Luther Sewell
Biography
Luke Sewell was a prominent American baseball player who made significant contributions to the game during his career from 1921 to 1942. Born in 1901, Sewell played primarily as a position player, showcasing his versatility and reliability on the field. Over the course of his 21 seasons in Major League Baseball, he participated in 1,630 games, accumulating 1,393 hits and driving in 696 runs. Sewell's offensive performance included 20 home runs and a batting average of .259, alongside 65 stolen bases, which highlighted his ability to contribute both at the plate and on the basepaths.
Sewell was selected as an All-Star once during his career, a testament to his skills and impact during an era marked by fierce competition and evolving styles of play. He was known for his solid defensive abilities and leadership on the field, making him a respected figure among teammates and opponents alike. His career spanned a transformative period in baseball, bridging the gap between the deadball era and the more offensive-minded approaches of the post-World War II years. Luke Sewell's legacy is remembered not just for his statistics but also for his contributions to the teams he played for, solidifying his place in baseball history.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13.0 | 11.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0.364 | 0.462 | 0.455 | 0.917 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1935 | 13.0 | 11.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0.364 | 0.462 | 0.455 | 0.917 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1630 | 5383 | 653 | 1393 | 272 | 56 | 20 | 696 | 65 | 486 | 307 | 0.259 | 0.323 | 0.341 | 0.665 | -10439.7 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | CLE | AL | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1922 | CLE | AL | 41 | 87 | 14 | 23 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 0.264 | -235.1 |
| 1923 | CLE | AL | 10 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
| 1924 | CLE | AL | 63 | 165 | 27 | 48 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 22 | 13 | 0.291 | 109.8 |
| 1925 | CLE | AL | 74 | 220 | 30 | 51 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 6 | 33 | 18 | 0.232 | -651.5 |
| 1926 | CLE | AL | 126 | 433 | 41 | 103 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 46 | 9 | 36 | 27 | 0.238 | -1604.1 |
| 1927 | CLE | AL | 128 | 470 | 52 | 138 | 27 | 6 | 0 | 53 | 4 | 20 | 23 | 0.294 | -513.9 |
| 1928 | CLE | AL | 122 | 411 | 52 | 111 | 16 | 9 | 3 | 52 | 3 | 26 | 27 | 0.270 | -607.0 |
| 1929 | CLE | AL | 124 | 406 | 41 | 96 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 39 | 6 | 29 | 26 | 0.236 | -2046.8 |
| 1930 | CLE | AL | 76 | 292 | 40 | 75 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 43 | 5 | 14 | 9 | 0.257 | -1098.4 |
| 1931 | CLE | AL | 108 | 375 | 45 | 103 | 30 | 4 | 1 | 53 | 1 | 36 | 17 | 0.275 | -49.3 |
| 1932 | CLE | AL | 87 | 300 | 36 | 76 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 52 | 4 | 38 | 24 | 0.253 | -294.2 |
| 1933 | WSN | AL | 141 | 474 | 65 | 125 | 30 | 4 | 2 | 61 | 7 | 48 | 24 | 0.264 | -130.0 |
| 1934 | WSN | AL | 72 | 207 | 21 | 49 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 21 | 0 | 22 | 10 | 0.237 | -490.7 |
| 1935 | CHW | AL | 118 | 421 | 52 | 120 | 19 | 3 | 2 | 67 | 3 | 32 | 18 | 0.285 | -478.8 |
| 1936 | CHW | AL | 128 | 451 | 59 | 113 | 20 | 5 | 5 | 73 | 11 | 54 | 16 | 0.251 | -830.1 |
| 1937 | CHW | AL | 122 | 412 | 51 | 111 | 21 | 6 | 1 | 61 | 4 | 46 | 18 | 0.269 | -437.5 |
| 1938 | CHW | AL | 65 | 211 | 23 | 45 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 20 | 20 | 0.213 | -1082.0 |
| 1939 | CLE | AL | 16 | 20 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0.150 | 0.0 |
| 1942 | SLA | AL | 6 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0.083 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 17 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.176 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | WS | WS1 | 5 | 17 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.176 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 7 | 0 | 57 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C | 1562 | 0 | 5444 | 1084 | 150 | 138 |
| OF | 9 | 0 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | CLE | C | 3 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1922 | CLE | C | 39 | 0 | 108 | 21 | 5 | 2 |
| 1923 | CLE | C | 7 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| 1924 | CLE | C | 57 | 0 | 171 | 42 | 9 | 5 |
| 1925 | CLE | C | 66 | 0 | 216 | 54 | 8 | 13 |
| 1925 | CLE | OF | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1926 | CLE | C | 125 | 0 | 437 | 91 | 9 | 3 |
| 1927 | CLE | C | 126 | 0 | 402 | 119 | 20 | 14 |
| 1928 | CLE | C | 118 | 0 | 430 | 117 | 16 | 13 |
| 1929 | CLE | C | 124 | 0 | 433 | 81 | 18 | 11 |
| 1930 | CLE | C | 76 | 0 | 283 | 49 | 9 | 5 |
| 1931 | CLE | C | 104 | 0 | 384 | 61 | 9 | 5 |
| 1932 | CLE | C | 84 | 0 | 306 | 50 | 8 | 8 |
| 1933 | WS1 | C | 141 | 0 | 516 | 61 | 6 | 12 |
| 1934 | WS1 | C | 50 | 0 | 143 | 23 | 1 | 6 |
| 1934 | WS1 | 1B | 6 | 0 | 57 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 1934 | WS1 | 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1934 | WS1 | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1934 | WS1 | OF | 7 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 1935 | CHA | C | 112 | 0 | 399 | 83 | 6 | 10 |
| 1936 | CHA | C | 126 | 0 | 461 | 87 | 9 | 12 |
| 1937 | CHA | C | 118 | 0 | 502 | 72 | 9 | 11 |
| 1938 | CHA | C | 65 | 0 | 205 | 55 | 4 | 7 |
| 1939 | CLE | C | 15 | 0 | 24 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 1939 | CLE | 1B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1942 | SLA | C | 6 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 1558 |
| First Base | 7 |
| Second Base | 1 |
| Third Base | 1 |
| Left Field | 4 |
| Right Field | 5 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa | AL | 1919, 1920, 1921 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 5th | 22.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1935 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 15th | 7.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1928 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 12th | 6.0 | 64 | 0 |
| 1927 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 9th | 13.0 | 64 | 0 |