Books and articles about Gabby Hartnett

Hartnett was the oldest of 14 children. His father Fred was a semi-pro catcher who had an exceptional throwing arm. Millville, MA, oldtimers still talk about "the Hartnett arm" - Fred's, four of his sons', and three of his five daughters' who barnstormed with a women's team.

RELATED LINKS » 1938: Hartnett’s Homer Beats the Darkness » New England-born Hall of Fame Catchers by Charlie Bevis Book Excerpts » "Hartnett had the plate blocked, and as he fell on me, my left wrist curled up against my body": Hank Greenberg » Robert Creamer on Babe Ruth's called shot Submissions » All-Star Catchers by Chuck Rosciam » Iron Men Catchers: Catching the Majority of a Team's Games by Chuck Rosciam Around the Web » Gabby Hartnett from baseball-reference.com » Gabby Hartnett from thebaseballpage.com Jump directly to Library content from any website!

Gabby broke his arm as a child. It didn't knit properly, and his mother insisted he carry a pail of stones or sand wherever he went, to exercise it. His father held backyard baseball clinics for four sons, all of whom played amateur or semi-pro ball. Chickie, a catcher, once signed a pro contract, but was homesick and returned to Millville before ever playing. Gabby completed eight years of schooling, went to work in the U.S. Rubber shop, and caught for the plant nine and any other team his father could get him on. He spent a year and a half at a junior college, and in 1921 signed with the Eastern League's Worcester Boosters. He batted .264, and was purchased by Chicago for $2,500. As a shy rookie, his reticent personality led to his ironic nickname.

Hartnett became Chicago's catcher by 1924, batting .299, and in 1925 hit 24 HR, though he struck out 77 times to lead the NL. In 1929, his arm went mysteriously dead in spring training, where he had reported with his new bride, Martha. Nothing helped the arm, and during a Cubs' series in Boston, he went to see his mother in Woonsocket, RI, after the games. She predicted that his arm would be better as soon as his pregnant wife delivered their child. Hartnett caught just one game that season. Junior was born December 4, and within two weeks, Gabby's arm soreness was gone.

Hartnett followed in 1930 with his best season ever, hitting .339 with career highs of 37 HR and 122 RBI. An All-Star six straight years, in the 1934 game he was the catcher when Carl Hubbell fanned Ruth, Gehrig, Foxx, Simmons, and Cronin in succession. He was named NL MVP in 1935, batting .344 (third in the league), topping NL catchers in assists, double plays, and fielding average, and led the Cubs to the pennant.

His finest day came on September 28, 1938. He had become the Cubs' manager in mid-season, and had his team within a half game of the first-place Pirates. With darkness and haze rapidly enveloping Wrigley Field in the ninth, and the score 5-5, two out, no one on, down 0-2 in the count, Hartnett slammed his "Homer in the Gloamin'." Three days later, the Cubs clinched the pennant.

Hartnett managed the Cubs to fifth place in 1940, was fired, and hit .300 as a 40-year-old catcher/pinch hitter for the Giants in 1941. He retired as a player, having four times led NL catchers in putouts, six times in assists, and seven in double plays. Though he topped the league in errors three of his first four seasons, he later led in fielding average six years, including a record-tying four straight from 1934-37.

After an often hectic five seasons managing in the minors, Hartnett quit baseball after 1946, opening a recreation center and bowling alley in Lincolnwood, IL. He sold it in 1964 to join Kansas City as a coach, scout, and troubleshooter for two'"-(((years, but relations with manager Alvin Dark were not good, and Hartnett was dropped.

Joe McCarthy, who saw much of Mickey Cochrane and managed both Bill Dickey and Hartnett, called Gabby "The Perfect Catcher." He is widely considered the greatest NL catcher before Johnny Bench. His 20 years and 1,790 games behind the plate put him among the all-time leaders in service, and he is among the Cubs' all-time top ten in nine offensive categories. The BBWAA inducted him into Cooperstown in 1955. (JK)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 23, 1925: The Cards trade C Mike Gonzalez and infielder Howard Freigau to the Cubs for catcher Bob O'Farrell. O'Farrell, who suffered a fractured skull from a foul tip, played just 71 games in 1924 and lost his job to Gabby Hartnett. But O'Farrell will have a banner year for the Cards, hitting .293 and catching 146 games, and then take over as manager in 1927. Freigau will hit .307 for the year. » July 26, 1930: Phils pitchers continue their consistency, giving up five HRs to the Cubs in a 16-2 pasting. Hack Wilson has three of the homers, while Gabby Hartnett and winning pitcher Pat Malone add the other two. » August 16, 1930: At Wrigley, the league-leading Cubs nip the Phillies, 10–9, the play to a 3–3 tie in 11 innings before darkness intervenes. The Phils score eight runs in the 7th to take a 9–8 lead, but Gabby Hartnett's drive wins the game for Chicago. Hack Wilson hits his 41st homer in the opener. The Phils manage just two hits in the nitecap, but take a 3–0 lead into the 9th. But Chicago scores a run on a balk by Stephenson, then Woody English cracks a two-run homer to tie. » May 2, 1933: Lon Warneke shuts out the Giants, and the Cubs beat up on Hal Schumacher to win, 11–0. Billy Herman is 4-for-4 and Gabby Hartnett drives in five runs on two homers. » September 23, 1933: The Cubs beat the Reds 7-1, with Paul Derringer losing his 27th game for the last-place Reds, the most losses since George Bell (Brooklyn) in 1910. Gabby Hartnett hits a grand slam for the Cubs. » May 17, 1934: In his first game in Philadelphia since the Phillies traded him to the Cubs, Chuck Klein hits two home runs to pace first-place Chicago to a 10–3 win. Gabby Hartnett adds another as Chicago pounds four hurlers for twenty hits. Kiki Cuyler and Dolph Camilli have four apiece to back the five hitting pitching of Bill Lee and Pat Malone. Malone gets credit for the win. » June 29, 1935: Gabby Hartnett goes 4-for-4 and drives home the game winner in the Cubs 2–1 victory over the Pirates. Chuck Klein's homer accounts for the other score to back Lon Warneke's win over Red Lucas. Chicago moves into 2nd place with the victory. » October 23, 1935: Gabby Hartnett is selected by the BBWAA as the NL MVP, with Dizzy Dean the runner-up. » July 20, 1938: C Gabby Hartnett replaces Charlie Grimm as manager of the third-place Cubs. » September 28, 1938: Cubs manager Gabby Hartnett hits the "homer in the gloaming" against Mace Brown in the bottom of the 9th to break a 5-5 tie and put the Cubs in first place ahead of the Pirates. With 2 outs and none on base, the umpires intended to call the game because of darkness after Hartnett's turn at bat. » June 18, 1939: Dizzy Dean of the Cubs, trying to regain his old form, beats Brooklyn 1-0 on Gabby Hartnett's HR. » January 21, 1953: The Hall of Fame passes over Joe DiMaggio in his first year of eligibility and elects P Dizzy Dean and OF Al Simmons to Cooperstown. Dean gathers 209 votes while Simmons' total of 199 is one more than needed. Also joining DiMag, who finished 8th in the voting, are in order Bill Terry, Bill Dickey, Rabbit Maranville, Dazzy Vance, Ted Lyons, Chief Bender (9th) and Gabby Hartnett (10th). All will eventually make it. » September 6, 1953: Roy Campanella sets the ML mark for HRs by a catcher. His 38th tops the NL high of 37 hit by Cubs C Gabby Hartnett in 1930. » September 11, 1956: Yogi Berra ties the ML career record for HRs by a catcher in the Yankees' 9-5 victory over Kansas City. His 236th--and the Yankees' 177th of the season--tie him with Cub great Gabby Hartnett. » June 11, 1957: In a 7-2 loss to the Braves, Dodger C Roy Campanella hits his 237th career HR, surpassing career marks of Gabby Hartnett and Yogi Berra. The Braves move 1 1/2 game behind the leading Reds. » April 29, 1960: In St. Louis, the Cards crush the Cubs, 16–6. Stan Musial plays his 1,000th game at 1B, becoming the first player ever with that many at two positions (1,513 in the outfield). A bright spot for the Cubs is Ernie Banks hitting two homers to break Gabby Hartnett's club record of 231 home runs.