He set a Canadian-American League record with 230 strikeouts (the record was later broken), 181 walks and a record 37 wild pitches in 213 innings and went 10-12 with a 4.18 ERA. In one game he walked 11 batters in under 3 innings of work. He went 13-10 with a 4.63 in the Three-I League the next year and was a late-season call-up to the Indians.

He spent the next 5 years bouncing between Cleveland and the minors (he went 12-18 in the minors from '40-'44). While the team was impressed with his speed (Jimmie Foxx said he threw harder than Bob Feller), he could not develop good control.

The 6' 8" man with the size 15 shoe was turned down by the military due to his size.