The players had two more practices at spring training, leaving some of the men stiff and sore. There was more batting practice and manager George Stallings had each pitcher take a turn throwing batting practice. Catcher Hank Gowdy said that some of the young pitchers had good stuff.

After trying out with the Columbus Senators, Gowdy began his professional career in 1908 as a first baseman with Lancaster of the Ohio State League, remaining there for two seasons.

In 1911, John McGraw signed him for the New York Giants and gave him a seven-game tryout that September. With Fred Merkle firmly entrenched as the Giants' first baseman, McGraw advised Gowdy to take up catching if he hoped to remain in the major leagues. The following year he had appeared in only four games when the Giants traded him to the Braves.

Gowdy made the switch to catcher in 1912 but spent most of the season on the bench. In 1913 Stallings, sent him to Buffalo of the International League to hone his skills. There he batted .317, earning a late-season call-up.

In 1914 he became the Braves' regular catcher. He batted .243 during the season but became a star in the World Series against the A's.

In Game #1 Gowdy was 3-for-3 with a single, a double, and a triple. The Braves were down by two runs in Game #3 when Gowdy led off the tenth with a blast into the center-field bleachers. It was the only home run of the Series, and it ignited a rally that tied the score. Then in the 12th, he got his third hit and second double of the game, a bullet to left field to start the game-winning rally. In the Game #4 finale, he went 3-for-4, giving him a .545 average for the Series.

Later, Stallings would state that his mild-mannered backstop was his most valuable player during that season’s miracle run.

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Hank Gowdy (pic)