Major League Baseball Player. He was regarded as a true role player who performed at every position except catcher and pitcher during his 13-year career with the Boston-Milwaukee Braves. Mostly an infielder, he made his big-league debut at age 19 in 1939 and hit .228 in 63 games. The following year he batted .241 with 19 doubles and a career-high six homers in 459 at-bats. The right-handed batter hit .259 in 1941 with 24 doubles and a career-high 45 runs batted in. He spent 1943 to 1945 in the military and most of the 1946 season at Indianapolis, where he led the American Association in batting (.343), in hits (203) and triples (14). He also had 33 doubles and 86 RBIs and led the shortstops in putouts with 318. He was named the league's Most Valuable Player, and The Sporting News chose him as the Minor League Player of the Year. He hit a career-high .281 in 56 games for the Braves in 1947 and filled in ably for the injured Eddie Stanky at second base during the Braves' National League pennant-winning season of 1948 as he hit .244 in 83 games. He got into 114 games in 1951 and batted .279 with 20 doubles. He finished his career with Milwaukee in 1954 and compiled a .244 lifetime average, 121 doubles, 19 triples, 27 homers and 260 RBIs. He was a manager and coach in the minor leagues for several years. He also had a small movie role in "The Natural."
Major League Baseball Player. He was regarded as a true role player who performed at every position except catcher and pitcher during his 13-year career with the Boston-Milwaukee Braves. Mostly an infielder, he made his big-league debut at age 19 in 1939 and hit .228 in 63 games. The following year he batted .241 with 19 doubles and a career-high six homers in 459 at-bats. The right-handed batter hit .259 in 1941 with 24 doubles and a career-high 45 runs batted in. He spent 1943 to 1945 in the military and most of the 1946 season at Indianapolis, where he led the American Association in batting (.343), in hits (203) and triples (14). He also had 33 doubles and 86 RBIs and led the shortstops in putouts with 318. He was named the league's Most Valuable Player, and The Sporting News chose him as the Minor League Player of the Year. He hit a career-high .281 in 56 games for the Braves in 1947 and filled in ably for the injured Eddie Stanky at second base during the Braves' National League pennant-winning season of 1948 as he hit .244 in 83 games. He got into 114 games in 1951 and batted .279 with 20 doubles. He finished his career with Milwaukee in 1954 and compiled a .244 lifetime average, 121 doubles, 19 triples, 27 homers and 260 RBIs. He was a manager and coach in the minor leagues for several years. He also had a small movie role in "The Natural."
Bio by: Ron Coons
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