“One Conversation Changed My Whole Life”: CC Sabathia Becomes Third “Black Ace” To Reach Hall of Fame Status

Props goes out to Black Ace CC Sabathia, who became one of a handful of Black pitchers to achieve National Baseball Hall of Fame status. 

Sabathia received 86.8 percent of the votes cast by eligible members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America

Sabathia, who was elected to Cooperstown on Tuesday night, spent 19 seasons in the big leagues and will be inducted into Cooperstown in a ceremony on July 27, alongside Japanese hit machine Ichiro Suzuki and ace closer Billy Wagner. The long overdue inductions for Dick Allen and Dave Parker finally came earlier this year via the Classic Era Committee.

Sabathia, who had a brief struggle with alcoholism, credits MLB Network analyst and former Seattle Mariners player Harold Reynolds with inspiring him to keep pursuing Cooperstown.

“I wouldn’t be here in this moment without Harold Reynolds,” Sabathia said. “After the 2017 season, I was contemplating retirement, and it was he who pushed me to strive for the Hall of Fame knowing what it would take to make it. 3,000+ Ks, 250+ wins, everything. One conversation changed my whole life.”

CC Sabathia Gets Hall of Fame Induction: Will Go In As NY Yankee

Most known for his time with the New York Yankees, Sabathia is easily one of the elite hurlers of his generation. He finished his career as a six-time All-star, Cy Young award winner and World Series champion. 

CC spent 11 years in New York and prior to his stint in the Big Apple, he spent eight years with the Cleveland Indians and part of one season with the Milwaukee Brewers. 

The 44-year-old says he will be entering Cooperstown wearing a Yankees hat. 

CC rarely pitched in meaningless games as he got to the playoffs ten times in his career.

Sabathia holds a career record of 251-161 with a 3.74 ERA. His career total ties legendary Bob Gibson for the most ever by a Black pitcher. 

Sabathia had a five-year run from 2007 through 2011 in which he went 95-40 with a 3.09 ERA and 30.4 WAR while averaging 240 innings per season. 

CC is one of 15 Black pitchers to win 20 games, posting a 21-win season back in 2010. Extremely durable, he made 30 starts or more in 12 different seasons.

His name is littered all over the baseball history books and at his peak, CC finished top-5 in Cy Young voting for 5+ straight years, He’s also among an elite group of 14 pitchers since 1900 with 195+ strikeouts in at least six straight seasons, joining legendary names such as Roger Clemens, Walter Johnson, Sandy Koufax and Tom Seaver. 

RELATED: CC Sabathia Is Headed To Cleveland Guardians Hall of Fame | mlbbro.com

What’s A Black Ace?

 Fifteen African American pitchers have had the distinction of winning 20 or more games in a Major League Baseball season. Sabathia reached that number in 2010.

The other Black Aces include Don Newcombe (1951, ’55, ’56), Sam Jones (’59), Jim “Mudcat” Grant (1965), Bob Gibson (’65, ’66, ’68-70), Fergie Jenkins (’67-72, ’74), Earl Wilson (’67), Vida Blue (’71, ’73, ’75), Al Downing (’71), J.R. Richard (’76), Mike Norris (1980), Dwight Gooden (’85), Dave Stewart (’87-90), Dontrelle Willis (2005) and David Price (2012).

Beyond the diamond and his legendary accomplishments as a pitcher, CC also lends his time to many different community endeavors, along with his wife Amber. He is active with MLB’s diversity programs such as Hank Aaron Invitational and Dream Series. He also has a son who plays, Carsten, and he’s headed to Georgia Tech.

RELATED: “I’m About To Go Where My Granny’s Gonna Be My Biggest Fan” | Yankees Great CC Sabathia’s Son, Carsten Ready To Slug Away For Georgia Tech | mlbbro.com

One of the respected leaders in the game, CC Sabathia picked the perfect season to be eligible, and with pitchers failing to go deep in games now, which also makes it hard for starters to accumulate wins, it will be a long time before we see a pitcher get 250 career wins.

RELATED: Lee Smith, Harold Baines Were Always Hall Of Fame Worthy

As far as being a pioneer of sorts, CC was that as well. Bob Gibson, Satchel Paige and Fergie Jenkins were the only Black starting pitchers in the Hall of Fame (not including Negro Leaguers) until CC was blessed with the honor. Lee Smith is the only Black closer to be inducted into the Hall of fame in 2019. It’s a rare feat that also shows us that baseball still has a way to go in promoting the sport to young kids and encouraging kids of color to take the mound.

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