Warken earned his nickname from a Chicago sports writer who was impressed by his pitching in the 1939 ASA national championship in Chicago and gave him the nickname after he blew through the opposition. Warken made his debut in ASA national championship play in 1937 with the Mayfield Curlee Clothiers, making history in his first game. He took a record 27 minutes to beat Denver, Colo., 3-0, striking out 14 on a one-hitter. In 1938, Warken pitched and batted Carr’s Boosters to the Kentucky state title. It was his solo homer over center field that was the difference in a 1-0 win over Mayfield Style Marts. Warken limited the losers to one hit in the game for his third consecutive one-hitter, striking out 44 batters in winning three games. Warken won six games, pitching five consecutive shutouts in leading Nick Carr’s Covington, Ky. Boosters to the National title in 1939. Warken hurled 51 innings of scoreless softball and ended the tourney with 99 strikeouts and 12 hits allowed. The only run he allowed was unearned in the last inning of the championship game. Warken extended his streak the following year before giving up an earned run and finished with 55 consecutive scoreless innings.
