Mainichi newspapers

He was born Edmund Walter Lopatynski on June 21, 1918, the first of seven children. The family lived on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City, later moving uptown to be closer to the shoe-repair shop owned and operated by father John. In his debut, on April 30, 1944, he lost to the St. Louis Browns, as the Browns charged toward their only American League pennant. In his next start, May 4, he beat the Cleveland Indians, 2-1, and went on to establish himself as a major-league pitcher. He also established his mastery over the Indians; he compiled a 40-13 career record against the team the Yankees often had to beat to win the pennant. The New York Yankees had been watching Ed Lopat. On February 24, 1948, they acquired him in return for three players: catcher Aaron Robinson and pitchers Bill Wight and Fred Bradley. In 1949, under new manager Casey Stengel, the Yankees began their historic run of five straight World Championships. Source used www.bioproj.sabr.org.