Gabby Hartnett played almost his entire career in Major League Baseball as a catcher with the Chicago Cubs, from 1922 to 1940.
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39 Facts About Gabby Hartnett
2.
Gabby Hartnett spent the final season of his career as a player-coach with the New York Giants in 1941.
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3.
Gabby Hartnett was an all-around player, performing well both offensively and defensively.
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4.
However, the greatest moment of Gabby Hartnett's career came with one week left in the 1938 season, when he hit a game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to put the Cubs in first place.
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5.
At the time of his retirement, Gabby Hartnett held the career records for catchers in home runs, runs batted in, hits, doubles and most games played as a catcher.
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7.
Gabby Hartnett was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island as the eldest of 14 children.
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8.
Gabby Hartnett's father moved the family to Millville, Massachusetts, just over the state line from Woonsocket, when he took a job at Banigan's Millville Rubber Shop.
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9.
Gabby Hartnett began his professional baseball career at the age of 20 with the Worcester Boosters of the Eastern League in 1921.
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10.
Gabby Hartnett joined the Cubs in 1922, serving as a backup catcher to Bob O'Farrell.
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11.
Gabby Hartnett was given his ironic nickname of "Gabby" as a rookie due to his shy, reticent nature.
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12.
Gabby Hartnett played well enough during O'Farrell's absence the Cubs decided to keep him as their starting catcher, trading O'Farrell to the St Louis Cardinals in May 1925.
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13.
Gabby Hartnett hit 24 home runs in 1925, breaking the single-season home run record for catchers set by Jack Clements in 1893.
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14.
Gabby Hartnett finished second overall in the National League behind the 39 home runs hit by Rogers Hornsby.
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15.
Leo Durocher, who played against Gabby Hartnett and was a National League manager during Johnny Bench's career, stated that the two catchers had similarly strong throwing arms.
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16.
Gabby Hartnett finished tenth in the balloting for the 1927 National League Most Valuable Player Award.
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17.
Gabby Hartnett surpassed Jack Clements' major league record of 72 career home runs by a catcher.
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18.
Gabby Hartnett led National League catchers in assists, caught stealing percentage and in fielding percentage.
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19.
Gabby Hartnett threw the baseball around the infield in a fearless manner, throwing out baserunners with a high degree of accuracy.
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20.
Between 1928 and 1938, Gabby Hartnett led the league's catchers in fielding percentage seven times.
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21.
In 1929, Gabby Hartnett injured his throwing arm by making a hard throw without warming up.
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22.
Gabby Hartnett struck out in all three of his at bats in the 1929 World Series against the Philadelphia Athletics.
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23.
Gabby Hartnett led all National League catchers in putouts, assists, fielding percentage and in baserunners caught stealing.
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24.
In 1932, Gabby Hartnett guided the Cubs' pitching staff to the lowest team earned run average in the league, as the Cubs clinched the National League pennant by 4 games over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
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25.
In 1933, Gabby Hartnett was selected to be a reserve catcher for the National League team in the inaugural Major League Baseball All-Star Game held on July 6,1933.
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26.
Gabby Hartnett was calling the pitches for Carl Hubbell in the 1934 All-Star Game when the Giants pitcher set a record by striking out future Hall of Fame members Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons, and Joe Cronin in succession.
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27.
Gabby Hartnett dominated the defensive statistics, leading the league's catchers in assists, putouts, baserunners caught stealing, caught stealing percentage, range factor and in fielding percentage.
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28.
Gabby Hartnett led the Cubs pitching staff to the lowest earned run average in the league as they won the National League pennant by 4 games over the St Louis Cardinals.
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29.
Cubs fell to third place in 1936, as Gabby Hartnett had a sub-standard year for him, hitting only 7 home runs with 64 runs batted in, although he still hit above.
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30.
When Gabby Hartnett took over as manager, the Cubs had been in third place, six games behind the first place Pittsburgh Pirates led by Pie Traynor.
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31.
Gabby Hartnett came to bat with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning.
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32.
Gabby Hartnett played his final game on September 24,1941, retiring as a player at the age of 40.
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33.
Gabby Hartnett caught 100 or more games for a league record 12 times, including a record eight seasons in a row.
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34.
Gabby Hartnett led the National League in putouts four times and in assists and fielding percentage six times.
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35.
Gabby Hartnett led the league seven times in double plays and set a National league record with 163 career double plays.
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36.
Gabby Hartnett set a since-broken major league record for catchers of 452 consecutive chances without committing an error.
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37.
Gabby Hartnett finished among the National League's top ten in slugging percentage seven times in his career.
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38.
Gabby Hartnett served as a color commentator for CBS' Major League Baseball telecasts.
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