Monty Stratton's 1938 hunting accident prompts inspiring comeback, Academy Award-winning film

Monty Franklin Pierce Stratton was the pride of the 1937 White Sox. He led the team in wins and ERA, led the American League in BB/9 and led all of MLB with a WHIP of 1.087. Stratton earned himself an All-Star selection that season, and followed it up with a 1938 campaign in which he earned AL MVP votes.

Then, on Nov. 28, 1938, Stratton lost his right leg as the result of a horrible hunting accident. Stratton fell while hunting rabbits the day before and a holstered pistol discharged, injuring his leg to the point that it required amputation. 

As shown in the above picture, Stratton signed with the White Sox as a coach and batting-practice pitcher while he tried to learn how to pitch effectively with a prosthetic leg, mostly pitching to his wife, Ethel, and into the side of the family barn. 

Eventually, Stratton returned to semi-pro ball as a hurler for the 1946 Sherman Twins in the East Texas League. He amassed an 18-8 record that season and maintained a 4.17 ERA. He played for another Texas team the following season, but never played a full season after 1947, despite small stints with a handful of teams through 1953.

Stratton's story was adapted for the silver screen, as Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson starred as the Strattons. It was a critical and commercial success, grossing nearly $4 million for MGM. Writer Douglas Morrow won Best Original Screenplay at the 1950 Academy Awards for his "The Stratton Story" script. No baseball film has won an Oscar since.