Max Manning
| Birthdate | 11/18/1918 |
| Death Date | 6/23/2003 |
| Debut Year | 1938 |
| Year of Induction | |
| Teams | Negro Leagues |
| Position | Pitcher |
Max Manning of the Newark Eagles twirled a shutout in his Negro League debut against Josh Gibson & Buck Leonard of the Homestead Grays.
Leave a commentIn the collection:
Max Manning pitched professionally in the 1930s, '40s, and '50s
Max Manning pitched professionally in the 1930s, '40s, and '50s
Nicknamed “Dr. Cyclops” because of the thick glasses he wore, Max Manning pitched professionally for nearly three decades. An effectively-wild sidearmer Manning threw a fastball, curve, and a slider.
Manning debuted in 1938 as a fresh-faced 19-year old with the Newark Eagles. The team boasted Hall of Fame players Monte Irvin, Leon Day, Larry Doby, Willie Wells, and Ray Dandridge. In his first outing, Manning stifled the bats of the Homestead Grays in a 2-0 shutout.
He pitched effectively over the next few years until World War II broke out. Like many men his age, Manning enlisted to serve his country.
After the war was over Manning was spectacular in his return to Newark. In ’46 he went 13-1 with a 2.79 ERA, pitching the Eagles to the Negro World Series championship. The following season Manning’s 15 victories paced the Negro National League. For his efforts, Manning was named the starter in the East-West All Star Game.
According to Baseball Reference, Manning compiled a 70-32 record in the Negro Leagues. They rate his .686 winning percentage 7th in league history among pitchers with at least 50 wins.
Though the Negro League declined in the late 1940s, Manning kept pitching in Venezuela, Mexico, and Canada. After leaving the game, Manning went back to college and became a 6th-grade teacher.
In 1983, Manning retired to a life of gardening, writing, and fighting for Civil Rights. He passed away in 2003.
In 2005, the Hall of Fame organized the Committee on African-American Baseball with the intent of inducting worthy players. Written submissions from fans, former Negro League players, and committee members were taken.
The list of recommended players was whittled down to 94 players for consideration. Manning was among them. Eventually the committee voted in 17 African-American players from the Negro Leagues and the pre-Negro League era.
Should more Negro League players be voted into Cooperstown, it stands to reason they would be from this recommended list.
In the collection is Max Manning’s signature on heavy card stock.
