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Don Newcombe, who won the National League Cy Young Award and the National League Most Valuable Player Award in the same year (1956), passed away February 19 at 92. Known by the nickname “Newk,” Newcombe helped lead the Brooklyn Dodgers to that club’s only World Series championship in 1955.
Like his Brooklyn teammate Jackie Robinson, Newcombe was signed by Branch Rickey out of the Negro Leagues. Newcome posted three 20-win seasons, including a 27-win season in 1956. He lost two prime seasons (1952-53) to military service. He also won the 1949 NL Rookie of the Year Award, going 17-8 with a 3.17 ERA at the age of 23.