Ivy Andrews

Who was Ivy Andrews?

Ivy Paul Andrews was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1931 through 1938, he played for the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Browns and Cleveland Indians. Andrew batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Dora, Alabama.

Nicknamed "Poison Ivy", Andrews was bothered by arm ailment much of his career. He spent eight seasons in the American League with the Yankees, Red Sox, Browns and Indians, being used as both a starter and long reliever. His most productive season came in 1935 for the seventh-place Browns, when he had a 13–7 record and a 3.54 ERA. In a second stint for the Yankees, he pitched 5 ⅔ innings of relief in Game Four of the 1937 World Series.

In 249 appearances, Andrew posted a 50–59 record with 257 strikeouts and a 4.14 ERA in 1041 innings.

Andrews returned to Alabama in 1945 to become the Birmingham Barons first pitching coach. He managed the team briefly during the 1947 season, and retired from baseball a year later. Andrews died in Birmingham, Alabama, at the age of 63. He was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1985.