SANTA MONICA – Don Newcombe, who was the first player in major league history to have won rookie-of-the-year, most-valuable-player and Cy Young awards, has died. And, there was more to his illustrious career.

- Newcombe was the first black pitcher to start a World Series game. - the first black pitcher to win 20 games in a single season, 1951. - the first player to win both the N.L. MVP award and the major league Cy Young Award as outstanding pitcher.

Newcombe’s brilliant baseball career was cut short with alcohol abuse then spent much of the rest of his life helping others beat that addiction. He died Tuesday in Santa Monica after a prolonged illness, according to his wife, Karen.

Story Date: February 22, 2019