Career
The native of Chicago, stood 6 feet 2 inches (188 m) tall and weighed 250 pounds (110 kg). Hutchings" professional career began in 1935 and he reached the Majors after winning 22 games in 1939 for the Pensacola Pilots in the Class B Southeastern League. Hutchings started one of the most tragic games in Cincinnati club history, the second game of a doubleheader on August 3, 1940, in Boston, against the "Bees" (the Braves" official name from 1936–1940).
Willard Hershberger, temporarily the Reds" starting catcher due to injury, had not reported to the ballpark for the day"s doubleheader and stayed behind in his hotel room.
During that second game, the Reds learned that Hershberger, despondent over what he perceived as his poor play, had committed suicide earlier that afternoon. Hutchings worked in six more games during the regular season, and was on the Reds" roster for the 1940 World Series against the Detroit Tigers.
He appeared in the eighth inning of Game 5, an 8–0 Detroit victory, and allowed two hits, a wild pitch, and one earned run. On June 12, 1941, the Reds traded Hutchings to the Braves for veteran outfielder and future Baseball Hall of Fame member Lloyd Waner.
Hutchings lost six of his seven decisions for the second-division Braves in 1941 and then was sent to the minor-league Indianapolis Indians of the American Association during 1942.
He also returned to the Majors with the Braves during 1944, near the height of the World World War II manpower shortage. In his best MLB season, 1945 for Boston, he appeared in a team-high 57 games, 45 in relief and 12 as a starter. He also led the National League in home runs allowed with 21, including Hall of Famer Mel Ott"s 500th blast on August 2.
Hutchings returned to the Indianapolis Indians in April 1946.
During his Major League career, he allowed 474 hits and 180 bases on balls in 471 innings pitched. He struck out 212. After his active career ended, he managed in the Chicago White Sox" farm system and coached for and briefly managed (in 1960) the Indianapolis Indians.
He died in Indianapolis, of uremia at the age of 47.