House That Hank Built
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Atlanta Braves Franchise top-ten outfielders: Tommy Holmes

By Fred Owens

ATLANTA - OCTOBER 22: David Justice #23 of the Atlanta Braves swings at a pitch during Game two of the 1995 World Series against the Cleveland Indians on October 22, 1995 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves defeated the Indians 4-3. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)
ATLANTA - OCTOBER 22: David Justice #23 of the Atlanta Braves swings at a pitch during Game two of the 1995 World Series against the Cleveland Indians on October 22, 1995 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves defeated the Indians 4-3. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) /
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Number five outfielder on the Atlanta Braves Franchise’s all-time list, Tommy Holmes batted .408/.477/.693/ 1.170 at Braves’ field in 1945. (Photo by Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images) /

Boston is home for Holmes

Holmes began his career for the Braves in 1942, playing centerfield and wearing the number one jersey for manager Casey Stengel. In rightfield was future Hall of Fame outfielder Paul Waner, who became his mentor and hitting coach.

Waner – ‘Big Poison’ – was 39 and well past prime, but he was also a career .339/.405/.484/.899 batter with three batting titles and an NL MVP under his belt. After Holmes went 0-9 in a twin bill, Waner told him not to worry, just turn up early in the morning, and he’d fix that. Holmes turned up and said it changed his career.

"This was the beginning of my hitting life. I was a line-drive hitter, same as Paul. (Waner told him), ‘See that foul line over there? I’m going to show you how to hit it. Never hit the ball where three guys can catch it, not with that wind blowing in at Braves Field. Shoot for the foul lines. If a few go out of play, don’t worry about it. You don’t pay for the balls.’”"

In 2015, Seamheads expanded on the quote above.

". . .If they tried to cover the lines on him, then they were opening gaps in right- and left-center and (Waner) would put the ball out there.This is what he taught me. And while I wasn’t a power hitter, I used to get around 35 or forty doubles a year, from following Paul’s advice.”"

Under Waner’s wing, Holmes finished tied tenth in the league with 155 hits from the leadoff spot, and coach Tarrantino’s instruction on the strike zone helped him walk 64 times while striking out only 10.

Poison becomes production

Holmes’ average slipped to .270 in 1943, a career-low for full-season play, and he got on base at a .334 clip, another career low. However, he racked up 170 hits, including 33 doubles and ten triples, walked 58 times, struck out a career-high 20 times, and finished #29 in MVP balloting.

In the off-season, Holmes worked in the Brooklyn shipyards to support the war effort and make money; Braves players didn’t earn much, and he had a family to feed.

He reported to spring training in 1944, stronger than ever. With the season less than a month away, Holmes received a notice to report for his draft physical. Fortunately for the Braves, doctors determined a chronic sinus condition made him unfit for duty in Europe, and he returned to baseball.

The added muscle turned into a batting line of .309/.372/.456/.828 – #9/#12/#11/#12 in the league respectively – with a 128 OPS+.  He also:

  • delivered 195 hits, third in the league behind Phil Cavarretta and Stan Musial,
  • 47 doubles, third in the league behind Stan Musial and Augie Galan, and
  • 13 home runs, tied for ninth in the league.
  • finished #23 in NL MVP voting

It was Holmes’ first year with double-digits in homers, and he continued to make pitchers throw strikes, walking 61 times and striking out only 11.

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