[5] Sewell made his Major League debut mid-season in 1920 with the World Series champion Cleveland Indians shortly after shortstop Ray Chapman was killed by a pitch from the Yankees’ Carl Mays in August and became the team's full-time shortstop the following year.

According to his obituary published in The New York Times, he played his entire Major League career using only one bat (a 40-ouncer he dubbed "Black Betsy.

In 1981, Lawrence Ritter and Donald Honig included him in their book The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time.

(He joined the Indians' roster after September 1 in 1920 and normally would not have been eligible to participate in post-season play, but Wilbert Robinson, manager of the Brooklyn Robins, waived the rule because of the circumstances with Chapman.)

[5] His cousin Rip Sewell was a major league pitcher credited with inventing the eephus pitch.

[3] After his retirement, Sewell worked as a public relations man for a dairy and was a major league scout.

[5] One of his pitchers was future NFL standout, Alabama quarterback and 1966 MLB 10th round draftee (Yankees) Ken "The Snake" Stabler.

[8] Posthumously, Sewell's community (Elmore County) has established a scholarship award recognizing local high school seniors who exhibit Christian character, leadership in their community, strong academic standing, and athletic achievements.