Atlanta Braves Franchise best catchers: Hank Gowdy
By Fred Owens
Number five: Hank Gowdy
According to his SABR biography, the 1911 Boston Rustlers (yep another one year name no one remembers) were on their way to an awful 44-107 season when the traded Buck Herzog to the eventual NL Champion Giants.
In return, they received middle infielder Al Bridwell and 21-year old first baseman Hank Gowdy. Bridwell replaced Herzog, and at 27, Boston expected he to man shortstop for the next six years.
Much like the Atlanta Braves acquisition of Ender Inciarte, Gowdy was a throw-in player, a warm body, but one who hit .312 with 11 homers in 493 AB for Texas League Dallas in 1910. Bridwell had one good season, then fell off the virtual cliff at the plate while Gowdy turned into a long term asset.
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The Braves would use five first basemen over the next five seasons, and none were better hitters than Gowdy. However, Giants owner John McGraw had suggested Gowdy move to catcher before the 1911 season, and he made the switch in 1912.
Changing positions didn’t bring much playing time in 1912, and he was still a raw catcher when George Stallings took over as skipper in 1913.
Stallings sent him down to learn to job, and Gowdy did that as well as bat .317/.369/.427/.796 and hit three homers at Buffalo. Based on that, Stallings recalled him to the Braves that September and became the Braves full-time catcher in 1914