Ed Wells

Edwin Lee Wells (June 7, 1900 – May 1, 1986), nicknamed "Satchelfoot", was an American baseball pitcher. He played professional baseball for 14 seasons from 1923 to 1936, including 11 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers (1923–1927), New York Yankees (1929–1932), and St. Louis Browns (1933–1934). Wells was a left-handed pitcher, with a hard fastball and a slow curve. Wells appeared in 291 major league games with a 68–69 record and won a World Series championship with the Yankees in 1932.

Early years Wells was born in Ashland, Ohio, in 1900. His father, Loyal Wells, was an Iowa native and a farmer. His mother, Elizabeth Wells, was an Ohio native. Wells played college baseball for Bethany College in West Virginia.

Wells' manager in Detroit was his boyhood idol, Ty Cobb. Though one of the greatest hitters of all time, Cobb was, by his own account, not a particularly good coach of pitchers. Cobb biographer, Richard Bak, recounts a discussion between Cobb and Wells. Wells was having a tough time and asked Cobb "what in the name of sense do you think my trouble is." Cobb replied "Ed, that's not something I know nothing about – pitching."

Birmingham Barons Wells returned to the minor leagues, playing for the Birmingham Barons of the Southern Association in 1927 and 1928. He compiled a 13–1 record with a 2.13 ERA in 1927 and a 25–7 record with a 2.78 ERA in 1928. Wells was assigned the locker between Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Wells compiled records of 13–9 in 1929 and 12–3 in 1930 as a Yankee. His 1930 winning percentage of .800 (12–3) was the second best in the American League. In 1931, his winning percentage or .643 was eighth best in the league. He played two seasons in St. Louis with a combined two-year record of 7–21. He played his final major league game on September 17, 1934. He appeared in 39 games for Hollywood in 1935 and compiled a 9–20 record with a 4.33 ERA.

Wells began the 1936 season with the San Diego Padres of the PCL.

Wells concluded his playing career in 1937 with the New Orleans Pelicans of the Southern Association. Wells died following a heart attack on May 1, 1986 at Bapist Hospital in Montgomery, Alabama. His funeral was held on May 3 at Greenwood Cemetery.