White Sox pitcher Dylan Covey, in the team’s 11-1 victory over the visiting Baltimore Orioles Wednesday, May 23 won for the first time in Major League Baseball.
Covey made his major league debut with the Sox last season and in 18 appearances ended up with a 0-7 record. Tack on a loss in his lone decision this season and Covey stood 0-8 lifetime in the major leagues before his breakthrough victory. Covey, 26, had to wait some time for that initial victory for sure. Yet, Covey’s wait was nothing compared to that of former Sox pitcher “Dixie” Howell.
Born Millard Filmore “Dixie” Howell in 1920, Howell was pitching in the minor leagues by 1937. He made a brief appearance with the Cleveland Indians in 1940. He had no decision in five innings with the Indians.
A sore arm and World War II ended Major League Baseball play for Howell, temporarily. He was a German prisoner of war for six months prior to the liberation.
Persistence and ability allowed Howell to hang in there. By 1949, Howell was with the Cincinnati Reds. Howell lost his only decision.
The White Sox purchased Howell’s contract in 1952. In 1953 and 1954, Howell was a relief artist for the Sox minor league affiliate in Memphis.
With the White Sox in 1955, Howell picked up his first Major League Baseball victory that season June 25 by pitching in relief in Boston. Most regard Howell’s wait from 1940, when he first pitched in MLB, to 1955 when he picked up his first victory, 16 seasons, as the longest wait for a Major League Baseball victory.
Howell could hit! In 27 at bats in 1957, Howell hit three home runs, a double and a triple, and no singles! His five hits in 1957 without a single are considered another record.
Howell was 19-15 in four seasons, 1955-1958, with the Sox. Sadly, after pitching two seasons in the minors in 1958 and 1959, Howell died of a heart attack at age 40 at the Indians’ Spring training camp in Florida in 1960.
Obviously, Covey’s wait for a victory was not as long as Howell’s wait.